Mid-career workers will have access to 7,000 courses under S$4,000 SkillsFuture top-up scheme

SINGAPORE: About 7,000 courses will be available to workers who are looking to use the new SkillsFuture mid-career credits. 

During his Budget speech last month, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that Singaporeans aged 40 and above will receive a S$4,000 (US$3,000) top-up in May. Younger Singaporeans will receive the same amount when they turn 40.

The 7,000 courses include full qualification programmes offered by institutions funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE), ranging from Nitec, Higher Nitec, diploma, undergraduate to postgraduate degree programmes, as well as modules that stack towards these full qualifications, said the Education Ministry in a joint press release with SkillsFuture Singapore. 

The credits can also be used for MOE-subsidised full qualifications from the University of the Arts Singapore and other arts institutions such as the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and Lasalle College of the Arts.

SkillsFuture career transition programmes, workplace literacy and numeracy courses, as well as courses that fulfil training requirements for Progressive Wage Model sectors – such as cleaning, security and retail – are also eligible. 

The 7,000 courses have “very clear” manpower development objectives that have a tangible impact on a person's career, said MOE. Eligible courses will be tagged accordingly on the MySkillsFuture portal from May 1.

Singaporeans aged 40 and above who have left school for a longer period need a more substantial skills reboot, said Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing in parliament on Friday (Mar 1). 

“Many in this group recognise the importance of lifelong learning and want to build career resilience through reskilling and upskilling,” he added. 

“However, due to financial and other commitments, the course fees and potential loss of income during full-time training can hold them back.”

The SkillsFuture scheme provides credits for workers to retrain or upskill by taking courses. All Singaporeans aged 25 and above received S$500 credit in 2015 when the programme was launched. 

In 2020, those aged 40 to 60 received another S$500 top-up. It was due to expire on Dec 31, 2025, but this will be lifted and merged with the S$4,000 credited this year. 

About one in three Singaporeans have used their SkillsFuture credits. Close to 40 per cent of Singaporeans in their 30s have used their base S$500 credits, compared with 25 per cent of those aged 60 and above, said the Education Ministry. 

About half a million workers per year have taken part in a SkillsFuture-supported course, it added. 

The government expects to spend an additional S$100 million each year on reskilling and upskilling Singaporeans aged 40 and above. This is on top of the course fee subsidies that Singaporeans receive for SkillsFuture-funded courses, said MOE. 

MORE SUBSIDIES FOR MID-CAREER WORKERS

Singaporeans aged 40 and above will also receive subsidies to pursue a full-time diploma at polytechnics, the Institute of Technical Education and arts institutions from the 2025 academic year.

This means that even after graduating from an institute of higher learning as a young person, Singaporeans can return after they turn 40 to do a full-time diploma – at subsidised rates again.

Currently, Singaporeans can pursue multiple subsidised part-time diploma and post-diploma programmes. But those who have already received subsidies or a government sponsorship for a diploma or higher qualification are not eligible for subsidies for a full-time diploma qualification. 

The S$4,000 in SkillsFuture credits can be used together with this Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy, which offers subsidies of up to 90 per cent of the course fee for MOE or SkillsFuture-funded programmes to Singaporeans aged 40 and above. 

MONTHLY TRAINING ALLOWANCES

Those who enrol in selected full-time courses will also receive monthly training allowances equivalent to 50 per cent of their average income over the most recent available 12-month period, capped at S$3,000 a month. 

This means that if a person has not received any income in the past year, they will not qualify for the training allowance. 

Addressing members of parliament who asked whether caregivers, or those who have been unemployed for a long time will qualify for the training allowance, Mr Chan also confirmed that they will not be eligible. 

This is because the allowance is meant to support workers who experience income loss when they commit to full-time training, he added, noting that these individuals can still make use of the S$4,000 in credits. 

From early 2025, Singaporeans can receive up to 24 months of training allowance throughout their lifetime, which can cover the full duration of a SkillsFuture career transition programme and more than half the duration of most qualifications issued by institutes of higher learning.

The training allowance is designed to cushion income loss when taking courses, said MOE, noting that workers may need to spend a significant time away from work to attend a serious, longer-term course. 

The allowance will be available to those taking courses under the full-time SkillsFuture career transition programme. 

Those taking full-time, full qualification programmes up to the undergraduate degree level offered by institutes of higher learning, and full-time MOE-subsidised full qualification programmes offered by University of the Arts Singapore and arts institutions can also benefit. 

Course fees are not the only constraint when it comes to upskilling, Mr Chan said, noting that workers may have other financial commitments and concerns. 

"It could be difficult to take time off work to upskill, and to lose income during the training period."

The overall parameters of the training allowance scheme reflect MOE’s considered approach, said Mr Chan.

The supported courses are chosen to facilitate placement and entry into good jobs, while the duration of support will cover more than one bout of full-time upgrading via a SkillsFuture career transition programme or at least half the time needed for a full qualification, he added. 

The amount of support also provides enough coverage for the median mid-career worker, while preserving the incentive to return to work, said the Education Minister.