More than 285,000 Singaporeans have used SkillsFuture Credit

We thank Mr Tan Kar Quan for his feedback on SkillsFuture Credit (Did SkillsFuture help land jobs?; Feb 19) and suggestions on preventing abuse of funding schemes (Train personnel to spot cases of fraud in funding schemes; March 1).

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has implemented several programmes under SkillsFuture, which include subsidies and grants, to empower individuals to take ownership of their skills development and to embrace a lifelong learning journey.

One such programme is the SkillsFuture Credit. As at the end of last year, more than 285,000 Singaporeans have tapped their SkillsFuture Credit.

The most popular area of training is information and communications, which accounted for around 19 per cent of the total credit utilised.

The take-up and types of courses most people enrolled in indicate that the scheme has been useful in encouraging individuals to learn skills relevant to their daily lives and at the workplace.

Singaporeans can also take up the SkillsFuture Series courses in emerging and priority skills areas, and SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace to develop work-related skills.

It is difficult to ascertain if these courses led to better jobs or new jobs. Instead, SSG and Workforce Singapore have specific programmes that drive employment outcomes. These include SkillsFuture Earn and Learn and the Adapt and Grow Professional Conversion Programme, where the progress of each trainee is monitored.

To prevent abuse of SSG's funding schemes, we have restructured and strengthened the fraud detection and audit team.

We are also collaborating with the Government Technology Agency of Singapore and private-sector consultants to strengthen our fraud detection system that includes pre-and post-disbursement data analytics to detect anomalies and abnormal claim patterns, and physical audits on training providers, employers and individuals. The system is expected to be rolled out by the third quarter of this year.

Patricia Woo (Ms)

Director

Corporate and Marketing Communications Division

SkillsFuture Singapore

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 06, 2018, with the headline More than 285,000 Singaporeans have used SkillsFuture Credit. Subscribe