The number of individuals enrolling in the programme has grown six times in the first year of implementation
[SINGAPORE] About 55 per cent of the 4,300 previously unemployed trainees under the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP) found jobs within six months of completing their courses, said Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary on Thursday (Sep 25).
He gave the figure, which refers to trainees from the programme’s launch in June 2022 to December 2024, in response to questions by MPs on the outcomes.
Enrolment has also risen sharply with the introduction of the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, which comprises the SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) top-up of S$4,000 and the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance.
In the first year of implementation, from May 1, 2024, to Apr 30, 2025, there were 8,500 SCTP participants – about six times the 1,500 figure in the year-ago period, said Dr Puthucheary.
In that period, over 36,000 Singaporeans used their SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career), with claims amounting to over S$24 million.
These included 7,000 who used the credit for full qualifications, about 2.5 times the 3,000 who did so in the year-ago period.
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Still, Dr Puthucheary noted that while the overall number of training places for the SkillsFuture movement has grown, the employer-supported proportion has remained relatively static.
“We think there is room for the proportion to increase and for employers to do more,” said Dr Puthucheary in response to a supplementary question from National Trades Union Congress assistant-secretary general Patrick Tay on what more employers can do to support the initiative.
He added that greater employer involvement strengthens the system – when companies send workers for training, it signals the relevance of those skills to their business and industry.
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Workers also gain assurance that the training will support their career progression, while also helping to embed a culture of lifelong learning in the workplace.
In response to a question from Kebun Baru Single Member Constituency’s MP, Henry Kwek, about what the government has learned since implementing the SkillsFuture movement, Dr Puthucheary said there is a need for better matching and integration between the curricula and services of training providers, and the needs of industry.
He said the government is looking at ways to bring in employers – particularly big companies – as well as trade associations.
Their involvement, he said, whether through participation in training or by informing training providers about curricula, job roles, and specific skills, will ensure stronger alignment.
No plans to extend
Dr Puthucheary also addressed MPs’ suggestions related to SkillsFuture.
West Coast-Jurong West GRC’s MP, Dr Hamid Razak, had suggested extending the Level-Up programme to younger Singaporeans. Dr Puthucheary replied that those in their 30s already receive broad-based training support, including subsidies of up to 70 per cent of course fees.
Lower-wage workers in this age group will also get more support, he added, citing the Workfare Skills Support Level-Up Programme announced this year, which begins in early 2026.
That programme provides monthly training allowances to lower-wage workers aged 30 and above who pursue eligible long-form training, similar to the SkillsFuture Level-Up programme.
As for Workers’ Party MP Kenneth Tiong’s suggestion to extend training allowances to postgraduate programmes, Dr Puthucheary said this has not been done because most jobs in Singapore do not require such qualifications.
“We are also careful not to inadvertently perpetuate a paper chase at the master’s level,
“Individuals can decide whether it is worthwhile to invest in a master’s degree, given its high cost but also potentially high returns on investment,” he said.
But the government will continue to monitor the need for postgraduate upgrading in emerging sectors and adjust support accordingly, he added.
He noted that the training allowance currently covers “mid-career substantive training” up to the undergraduate degree level.
Mid-career Singaporeans may still use their SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) of S$4,000 to offset out-of-pocket fees for master’s programmes offered by the autonomous universities.
