The first SkillsFuture Festival to be held in Singapore was attended by an estimated 800 people. Held by South West CDC, in collaboration with the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore (WSG, the heartland-based festival at Keat Hong Community Centre was aiming to spark local resident’s interest in learning vocational and practical skills.
With more than 400 training and career opportunities showcased at the festival, Choa Chu Kang residents can learn skills such as sports massage, infant care, flower arranging and plumbing either for personal use or professional employment, Straits Times reports.
Speaking at the event launch, Minister of State for National Development and Manpower Mr Zaqy Mohamad said, “For a small country with no natural resources; our people are our greatest asset and resource. Hence, equipping Singaporeans with better employment opportunities and enhancing their employability to stay ahead of the curve is always one of our top priorities.”
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Mr Zaqy added that on a personal level, learning a new skill will give the learner a sense of achievement and fulfilment, while on a professional level, continuous skills upgrading helps people stay relevant to the current market trend and remain employable.
Mr Gilbert Tan, chief executive of e2i, commented by saying, “We must constantly adapt and upgrade ourselves in terms of knowledge and skills to stay relevant in a fast-evolving environment. Vocational skills learning would then become not a want, but a need.”
Additionally, Mayor of South West district Low Yen Ling also stated that she hopes this festival will encourage residents to keep learning regardless of their age.
