Reaching out to more Singaporeans this year, is one of the key priorities of SkillsFuture this year. Targeting the skills mismatch, lack of manpower and tight labour market in Singapore amidst slow economy, SkillsFuture hopes to address these challenges by helping the unemployed youth and the redundant workforce.

“The group of unemployed Singaporeans certainly is a pressing issue. And that’s an issue that we’re working very closely with Workforce Singapore on: Helping individuals to reskill, find new jobs,” SkillsFuture Singapore chief executive Ng Cher Pong told Today Online.

Since the agency is actively working towards upgrading talent potentials with initiatives to set pace with the digital transition, it is concerned that many professionals are still unaware about the training programmes offered by the SkillsFuture agency for professional development, and government incentivised support to skill upgradation – that they tend to take little or no advantage of it.

Beyond the SkillsFuture Framework and the ‘Learn and Earn’ programmes being introduced, individuals can also apply for subsidies to acquire new skills and training for career growth. In 2017, SkillsFuture plans to improve its engagement levels with both individuals and companies alike. Last year around 380,000 professionals benefitted from the SkillsFuture movement, which is higher by 30,000 in 2015.

Meanwhile, 920,000 training places have been set up, which is 11 percent more than the year before. This is counted by the agency as one of its major achievements so far. The steady increase in learning places supported by the MOM has benefitted many enterprises in the region and individuals as well, in the last year.

However, most importantly SkillsFuture believes it’s more about changing mindsets around lifelong learning and skill mastery in areas of expertise. However, few shifts have been observed regards change in mindsets in the recent past, but there is still a lot of hardwork to do.

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