1. 18 ISSUE 16.11 HRMASIA.COM
All the right
When it comes to education and training, no title has been
more articulated over the past two years in Singapore than
“SkillsFuture”. While the basic premise of SkillsFuture is about
building skills, the technicalities behind it can appear more
elusive. In this special report, HRM Asia charts the progress
of SkillsFuture and its relevance for HR
COVER STORY

2. 19ISSUE 16.10 HRMASIA.COM
COVER STORY
Sham Majid
sham@hrmasia.com.sg
E
ver since it made its “debut” in Singapore Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong’s 2014 National Day Rally Speech, the “SkillsFuture”
programme has been ever-present, its title appearing in subsequent
rallies, budget statements, and ministerial dialogues.
The name has been plastered online, in newspapers and on television
screens, made airwaves on radio, and has even appeared on bus-stop
advertisements.
But despite being the talk of the town, and having been a part of the
Singaporean fabric for two years already, SkillsFuture remains an enigma
to many business leaders and HR professionals. With thousands of courses,
programmes and initiatives involved, it has proven difficult to grasp what
options are both relevant and available to each individual organisation.
So what exactly is SkillsFuture? Even Singapore Government ministers
acknowledge that the platform is so broad, different people will have
different interpretations of it.
Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye
Kung says many people associate SkillsFuture with the SkillsFuture Credit
scheme, the $500 offered to every Singaporean aged over 25 years, for
them to enrol in training and development courses of their liking, either
learning new skills or upgrading their current skillsets.
“But the Credit (scheme) is only a small, though important, part of
With training providers also forming
a key part of the overall SkillsFuture
movement, training firms specialising
in HR courses are witnessing a surge in
business.
David Ang, Director of Human Capital
Singapore, says the Continuing Education
and Training provider has around 45
modules offered in the SkillsFuture Credit
directory. He estimates there has been a
10-15% increase in business revenue since
the platform was launched.
Lithan, a digital skills training provider,
says it has witnessed a 35% increase in its
student enrolments over the same period.
“Twenty-two percent of the increase can
be directly attributed to students who have
used their SkillsFuture Credit to help pay
for their course fees,” says Leslie Loh, CEO
and Founder of Lithan.
“The increase in student enrolments has
resulted in increased revenue.”
Training
providers reap
rewards
TOOLS

3. 20 ISSUE 16.11 HRMASIA.COM
COVER STORY
SkillsFuture,” he wrote in a Straits Times
commentary piece in April.
“What is SkillsFuture? Not a funding
scheme, a training programme, or an
organisation,” he wrote. “Mastery,
meritocracy, and ‘you’ – that is what
SkillsFuture is about.”
What is SkillsFuture?
HRM Asia has had its own attempt
to make sense of the complex, but
ultimately comprehensive web of
SkillsFuture.
We see it as a never-ending cycle. It is
a national platform that will enable all
Singaporeans – at whatever their starting
point, be it age or career phase – to plot
their own pathway to a brighter future,
by developing themselves to their fullest
potential.
It is a platform that will pave the way
for Singaporeans to continue retooling
themselves through skills development:
there is no end destination to this
journey.
Assisting this re-tooling of skillsets
is a diverse ecosystem of education and
training, employer recognition, and an
attempt to build a nationwide culture of
lifelong learning.
A well-planned history
Initially tasked with leading the
SkillsFuture “movement” was the
SkillsFuture Council, with Singapore’s
Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Tharman
Shanmugaratnam as its Chairman.
The SkillsFuture Council got the ball
rolling by holding its first-ever meeting
on November 5, 2014.
On May 20 this year, the SkillsFuture
Council and the National Productivity
Council were officially replaced by the
Council for Skills, Innovation, and
Productivity (CSIP).
DPM Tharman again chairs this council,
which comprises of 26 members from
the Government, industry, unions, and
educational and training institutions.
In addition, a new statutory baord
under the Ministry of Education was
recently officially launched. SkillsFuture
Singapore is tasked with driving and co-
ordinating the implementation of Skills
Future.
SkillsFuture nuts and bolts
Two core components epitomise
SkillsFuture: skills mastery and lifelong
learning.
Skills mastery refers to attaining deep
skillsets in whichever craft one chooses.
This notion goes way beyond simply
excelling at one’s job and having paper
qualifications.
“Skills mastery is more than being
good at what you do currently; it is a
mindset of continually striving towards
greater excellence through knowledge,
application and experience,” the
SkillsFuture website states.
Lifelong learning, meanwhile, refers to
an endless quest for knowledge and the
inculcation of skills.
Underpinning SkillsFuture are various
programmes and initiatives including
SkillsFuture Credit. This aims to
encourage individuals to take ownership
of their skills advancement at all stages of
their careers and lives.
In January this year, all Singaporeans
aged 25 and over received an opening
credit of S$500, which will not expire.
The credit can be utilised in addition to
The key objective of SkillsFuture
is to upgrade the skillsets of the
Singaporean workforce specifically. But
while SkillsFuture is for Singaporeans,
organisations comprise of both local
and foreign staff.
That means HR departments
will have to balance this national
programme against the need to offer
training and career development
opportunities to all employees
regardless of nationality.
Rachel Foo, Chief HR Officer for
Nielsen in Southeast Asia, North Asia,
and the Pacific, says HR Professionals
will have their work cut out in ensuring
opportunities are also available to
foreign employees in Singapore.
She says one key challenge for the
HR community is to carefully manage
the diverse workforce in Singapore, with
its healthy mixture of both locals and
foreign staff.
What about
foreign
employees?

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COVER STORY
As of October 17 this year, there were
a total of 1,535 search results for
HR courses being offered under the
SkillsFuture Credit programme.
Programmes range from part-time
diplomas and professional certificates,
to Masters and doctorate-level courses.
Did you know?
The SKILLSFUTURE Tree
Programmes and Initiative
SKILLSFUTURE Credit
Employees
EARLY CAREER
Employers
Training
Providers
Learning
Throughout Life
For
Singaporean
Citizens
Aged 25 years
and above
Get an initial
credit of $500
Employees
MID CAREER
Students
EDUCATION &
CAREER GUIDANCE (ECG)
ENHANCED INTERNSHIPS
INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PORTFOLIO (ILP)
iN.LEARN 2020
iN.LEARN 2020
INDUSTRY
MANPOWER
PLANS (IMP)
EDUCATION AND
CAREER GUIDANCE
(ECG) INDIVIDUAL
LEARNING
PORTFOLIO (ILP)
SKILLS-BASED
MODULAR COURSES
SKILLS FRAMEWORK
P-MAX
SKILLSFUTURE
MENTORS
SKILLSFUTURE
MID-CAREER
ENHANCED
SUBSIDY
SKILLSFUTURE
EARN AND LEARN
PROGRAMMME
SKILLSFUTURE
QUALIFICATION AWARD
SKILLSFUTURE
STUDY AWARDS
SKILLSFUTURE
STUDY AWARDS
SKILLS FRAMEWORK
SKILLS
FRAMEWORK
SKILLS
FRAMEWORK
SKILLSFUTURE
FELLOWSHIPS
SKILLSFUTURE
LEADERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE
SKILLSFUTURE
MID CAREER
ENHANCED SUBSIDYSKILLSFUTURE
QUALIFICATION
AWARD
YOUNG TALENT
PROGRAMME (YTP)
current course subsidies to pay for a wide
array of approved skills-related courses.
The Singapore Government will also
provide periodic top-ups to ensure
individuals can accumulate their credit
over time.
The other part of SkillsFuture
entails programmes and initiatives for
individuals. These are further grouped
into six recipient categories: students,
employees (early career), employees
(mid-career onwards), employers,
training providers, and the Learning
Throughout Life platform, that will target
all learners.
Specific programmes
SkillsFuture is all about skills, training,
and lifelong learning, so you can’t run
away from the fact that HR departments
will be naturally involved across the
board. Having said that, there are some
Disclaimer: Infographic is provided as a guide only.
Not all SkillsFuture programmes and initiatives are included.

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COVER STORY
The assertion by Patrick Tay, Assistant
Secretary-General of the National
Trades Union Congress (NTUC), that
SkillsFuture Credit goes beyond picking
up employer-supported skills captures
the beauty behind SkillsFuture.
SkillsFuture is not just solely about
upgrading the skills which are relevant
to one’s career; it can also be about
picking up new ones.
For example, people can use their
credit to sign up for baking courses,
pottery classes, coffee barista skills
lessons and even sewing classes.
Baking classes,
anyone?
programmes within the SkillsFuture
platform that have more direct and
immediate connections to those
charged with developing skills on an
organisational level.
One of these highly-relevant
programmes is P-Max, which is especially
useful for SMEs looking to hire talented
professionals, managers, and executives
(PMEs) who can bring a whole new range
of skillsets and expertise.
This is a place-and-train programme
that seeks to assist SMEs in screening
and matching appropriate job-searching
PMEs for specific vacancies.
Participating SMEs will be afforded
training in areas such as progressive
HR practices, effective communication,
and how to collaborate with newly-
recruited PMEs. In addition, SMEs that
succesfully complete a six-month post
training follow-up and retain their newly
hired PMEs will be eligible for a one-off
“Assistance Grant” of S$5,000.
SMEs can also tap onto the SkillsFuture
Mentors programme to assist in their
development efforts.
This seeks to improve SMEs’
competencies in learning and
development, and to beef up their value
propositions as employers of choice,
furnishing positive career advancement
and growth prospects for candidates.
The mentors will help participating
SMEs improve their frameworks and
processes in learning and development,
and will also coach managers and
supervisors in enhanced training delivery
methods.
Shortlisted professionals undergo a
panel interview before being chosen as
mentors. Those who are selected will
undertake an orientation course before
they are matched with SMEs.
Another initiative especially pertinent
to HR is the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn
Programme.
This entails a place-and-train scheme
for fresh polytechnic and Institute of
Technical Education (ITE) graduates. It
aims to provide these young talents with
prospects to continue their learning via
both structured on-the-job training and
institution-based training.
Fresh graduates will undergo a
12- to 18-month structured training
programme, depending on the sector and
job requirements.
To be on this programme, applicants
need to be shortlisted and interviewed by
participating employers.
Successful candidates will be offered
a job with competitive industry starting
wages and relevant staff benefits. The
starting salary is dependent on the job
role as well as the employer.
Those who finish this programme
will obtain industry-recognised
qualifications, and a S$5,000 sign-
on incentive for joining their host
companies.
Amid the fierce talent warfare,
this programme allows businesses to
differentiate themselves by leveraging on
young talents who have a burning desire
to prove that age and inexperience are not
insurmountable obstacles.
Two programmes place a particularly
strong emphasis on skills mastery,
enabling HR to groom talents specifically
in niche areas.
The SkillsFuture Fellowships, which
took effect this year, acknowledge and
develop Singaporeans with deep skills.
These skills will have been acquired
through significant work experience in
the same industry or occupation, and
recipients will also have a track record of
contribution to the skills development of
others, such as being a coach or mentor.
The fellowship provides a cash award
of $10,000 to 100 individuals annually
for them to tackle a mix of education and
training options in their chosen fields.
The SkillsFuture Study Awards,
meanwhile, are for individuals in their
early and mid-level careers. They provide
S$5,000 to the individual recipients to
further develop their skills in future
growth clusters.
The $5,000 can be utilised to defray
out-of-pocket expenses associated with
the courses taken.
Growth and priority sectors
identified by the Government include
advanced manufacturing, smart urban
solutions, hospitality, social services, and
early childhood education.
Another initiative under SkillsFuture,
the Industry Manpower Plans (IMP), aims
to plot a detailed roadmap for different
economic sectors, including HR itself.
Each IMP will aim to identify the future
skills required, and formulate a blueprint
for advancing those skillsets in the local
workforce.
The IMP will also map out skills-
based career progression pathways and
suggest ways to improve HR practices and
working conditions in each sector. The
IMP is managed by a Sectoral Tripartite
Committee, made up of representatives
of relevant employers, unions, and the
Government.
So far, IMPs have been unveiled for the
Hotel, Retail, Built Environment, Public
Bus, and Food Services sectors.
In September last year, the HR Sectoral
Tripartite Committee was formed with
the brief of developing the HR Sectoral
Manpower Plan, a key initiative of
which is the National HR Professional
Certification Framework which is due to
be launched in the middle of next year.

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Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST
Engineering) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the then Singapore
Workforce Development Agency last
year, signalling its support for the
SkillsFuture platform.
The organisation will sponsor at
least 100 technical employees in the
Skills Future Earn and Learn programme
over the next three years. The
selected staff will undertake training
in Aerospace Engineering, Marine
Engineering, Precision Engineering,
Logistics Management and InfoComm
Technology.
They will receive both classroom
and structured on-the-job training,
eventually earning industry-recognised
qualifications.
To further advance the careers of
its staff, the firm will also nominate
its experienced employees to garner
deep-specialised skills through the
SkillsFuture Study Awards and the
SkillsFuture Fellowships.
ST Engineering
signs up
What does it all mean for HR?
According to Patrick Tay, Assistant
Secretary General of the National Trades
Union Congress, there are two key
aspects of SkillsFuture for HR to watch
out for.
“There are SkillsFuture programmes
such as Earn and Learn as well as others
that employers can utilise to strengthen
the Singaporean core and local manpower
in this tight labour market,” he says.
Tay notes that SkillsFuture Credit will
also have flow-on effects for HR teams
focused on skills development.
“This will encourage individually-
initiated training to ensure workers stay
ready, relevant and resilient,” he says.
“It goes beyond picking up employer-
supported skills, and the credits will help
workers stay productive, engaged and
employable.”
On that front, it is worth noting
that the SkillsFuture Credit is only
for individual-initiated training. HR
departments are not allowed to meddle
with an individual’s credit.
Employers are not allowed to direct
staff to use their credit on any particular
course or training. “It (SkillsFuture
Credit) is not intended to pay for training
provided by employers, which should
continue to be borne by employers,” the
SkillsFuture website says.
Views from the HR community
While overwhelmingly positive, the HR
community in Singapore is still unsure
about how the SkillsFuture platform
will work in practice. This was the key
message espoused by several senior HR
practitioners that HRM Asia reached out
to for this report.
Rachel Foo, Chief HR Officer for
Nielsen in Southeast Asia, North
Asia, and the Pacific, says more needs
to be done to ensure that the larger
HR community is aware of how the
programmes are evolving, so HR
professionals can integrate their
companies’ internal development
plans with the broader national
agenda.
“It is a matter of more active
engagement of the employers and
HR community, and to some extent,
engaging the employees to gather more
inputs,” says Foo.
She explains her organisation is still
trying to understand more on how it
can leverage and support its associates’
development.
James Foo, Head of Group HR at ABR
Holdings, says both he and a majority
of his HR counterparts are confused
about the SkillsFuture Credit initiative
in particular.
“Although the HR community is
aware of the basic information, there is
confusion pertaining to the unknown
‘periodic top-ups’ in terms of the
timing and credit amounts involved,”
he says.
“It would be helpful if the top-up
credit and timeframes could be made
transparent early, which would allow
Singaporeans to better plan which
course(s) they want to use the credits
for.”
Eddy Neo, HR Director, Ingersoll
Rand, says SkillsFuture is not yet on his
“professional radar screen”.
“I see this more as a personal skill-
upgrading effort that is individually-
driven (by workers themselves),” he
says. “They are free to pursue their
own areas of upgrading, without having
to ensure alignment to their job.”