Empowering Adult Learners and Enterprises: A Closer Look at the Latest SkillsFuture-Related Announcements During the National Day Rally

Valuing Time and Learning

"You are paid for your time." This statement from a recent family conversation perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the latest SkillsFuture-related announcements made during the National Day Rally. These new initiatives focus on recognising the value of adult learners’ time and the opportunity costs associated with pursuing professional development. They aim to offer robust support to those committed to upgrading their skills, ensuring that no demographic is left behind.

The recent announcement by Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong is both timely and crucial. The introduction of a new training support for adult learners pursuing part-time studies seeks to address some gaps noticed during the Budget 2024 announcements, particularly for ITE upgraders aged 31 to 39, a group that could have been overlooked.

Bridging the Gap: Meeting the Needs of Adult Learners

In Budget 2024, initiatives like the ITE Progression Award (IPA) targeted those aged 30 and below, offering $5,000 to help with course fees and an additional $10,000 into their Ordinary Account for diploma programme completers. Meanwhile, individuals aged 40 and above benefitted from the SkillsFuture Level Up Programme (SFLP), which provided a $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit top-up and a training allowance of up to $3,000 per month for selected full-time studies.

?However, these measures left a gap for ITE upgraders aged 31 to 39—about 45,500 Singapore residents in their prime working years in 2023, according to the Department of Statistics (LINK ). While the new training allowance is promising, many adult learners might hesitate to forego a full-time salary for a training allowance of up to $3,000 per month. This allowance, being tied to the average of one’s last drawn pay, might also fall short for those who have been unemployed for extended periods.

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The Critical Role of the Job Support Scheme

Addressing these challenges, the introduction of a job support scheme is a much-needed intervention. This scheme not only provides financial aid of up to $6,000 for up to 6 months, but also promotes a commitment to training, coaching, and active job seeking (LINK) , thereby significantly reducing the risk of redundancy. It encourages a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, essential for staying relevant in today’s dynamic job market.

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A Call to Action for Enterprises: Seizing New Opportunities

While these initiatives primarily target individuals, businesses have a crucial role to play. They should view these developments as an opportunity to recruit, develop, and retain talent. Corporate support is vital for the success of individual incentives. With the introduction of training support for part-time studies, companies can create environments where employees feel empowered to pursue professional development without compromising on their job responsibilities.

The increasing demand for time to care for personal and family needs, alongside upgrading skills, suggests that traditional full-time roles may not always be the best fit. By considering part-time structures from the outset, companies can help employees balance personal and professional needs, which, in turn, enhances employee satisfaction and productivity. Not every role may be suitable for such restructuring, but exploring these options could lead to innovative workforce solutions.

Streamlining Corporate Support

While many SkillsFuture initiatives cater to individuals, there are also programmes for businesses, such as Enterprise Singapore's Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) and SkillsFuture Singapore's Mentorship Support Grant (MSG). These grants often involve detailed paperwork and case-by-case approvals, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming.

A more streamlined, risk-based management approach would benefit both companies and training institutions. Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) with robust academic quality and assessment frameworks could be evaluated based on employment outcomes of their programmes, and not be hindered by seeming administrative requirements. This would facilitate more efficient, flexible, and effective training solutions tailored to the specific needs of companies, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which often struggle with standardised courses, minimum class sizes and implementing solutions.

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A Call for Simplification and Sustainability

Programmes like the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC), EDG, and MSG, along with training providers and consultants, often find themselves seeking to understand the sheer number of initiatives. Instead of introducing new schemes, it is heartening to hear PM Wong calling for efforts focused on streaming and consolidating existing ones as well as communicating their origins and objectives clearly. For indeed, a sustainable approach to policy-making involves simplifying processes, leveraging effective strategies, and building on successful initiatives or simply reduce, reuse, recycle instead of germinating new ones.

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The Path Forward: Collaboration and Innovation

With the right support, innovation, and collaboration among individuals, businesses, and policymakers, the evolving landscape of lifelong learning can be navigated successfully. The SkillsFuture Level Up initiative represents a significant step forward, but its success hinges on a shared commitment to sustainability, flexibility, and continuous improvement. As PM Wong mentioned during his National Day Rally,

SkillsFuture will be a key pillar of our social compact.

By working together, we can ensure that Singapore becomes a place where lifelong learning is not only encouraged but also attainable for everyone. This commitment to continuous education will help us maintain a cohesive and forward-looking society.