Latest news with #SkillsFutureSingapore
Straits Times
13-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Forum: SkillsFuture and MPA offer funding support for maritime sector courses
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox We thank Mr Sim Eng Cheong for his letter ' Broaden SkillsFuture support for industry-specific training ' (June 27). The SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) can be used for over 7,000 courses, including courses specific to the maritime sector, such as Nanyang Technological University's Master of Science (Maritime Studies), Singapore Polytechnic's Specialist Diploma in Maritime Superintendency, and Ngee Ann Polytechnic's Diploma in Offshore and Sustainable Engineering. These courses have been identified to deliver strong employability outcomes. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) also provides funding support of up to 70 per cent for some 170 maritime courses under MPA's Maritime Cluster Fund (MCF). A full list of MCF-approved courses and the applicable funding support can be found on MPA's website. SkillsFuture Singapore and sector agencies, such as the MPA, work closely to continually review and refresh our list of training programmes that support career development. We welcome suggestions from interested individuals on high-quality courses that are relevant to the profession and valued by the industry. Peggy Lim Director, Public Engagement Division SkillsFuture Singapore Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day Singapore From Normal stream to Parliament: 3 Singapore politicians share their journeys World Deal or no deal? EU faces critical decision in response to Trump's latest tariff salvo Singapore Segregated recycling bins found to lower contamination rate as more spring up Sport Two participants injured after another breached safety protocol during Pesta Sukan archery event Asia Mahathir discharged from hospital after feeling fatigued during birthday gathering Singapore Medics treat 7 after blaze at HDB block lift lobby in Chai Chee Singapore I lost my daughter to Kpod addiction: Father of 19-year-old shares heartbreak and lessons Ng Yi Han Director, Innovation, Technology & Talent Development Division Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Straits Times
12-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
40% more sign-ups to programmes for adult learners at institutes of higher learning in last 5 years
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE – More adult learners have been signing up for programmes at institutes of higher learning (IHLs), driven by the introduction of bite-sized stackable micro-credentials, which have made educational opportunities more accessible. Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary on July 12 said there has been a 40 per cent increase in the last five years. Speaking at the SkillsFuture Festival × NUS 2025, he said that in 2024, about 188,000 individuals enrolled in continuing education and training programmes that were supported by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and SkillsFuture Singapore at the IHLs. This is more than three times the pre-employment training intake, or the number of students enrolled in courses prior to starting work, across the IHLs, Dr Janil, who is also Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, added. He said: 'This increase is due both to higher training demand, as well as expanded upgrading pathways and opportunities that are being created.' Dr Janil said that IHLs have made their programmes more accessible to adult learners, offering most qualification programmes in the form of stackable micro-credential s for more manageable and flexible learning. 'This allows working adults to better juggle work and upgrading,' he said. Dr Janil said that following the introduction of work-study programmes enabling participants to earn and learn through training delivered by IHLs and employers, about 1,300 ITE graduates today – or 10 per cent of each graduating cohort – enrol in the ITE Work-Study Diploma, achieving good employment outcomes. He also noted that the Singapore Institute of Technology was set up to provide degree pathways for polytechnic upgraders, while the Singapore University of Social Sciences focuses on giving similar opportunities to adult learners. He highlighted that the recent expansion of the lifetime cohort participation rate – which refers to the percentage of a cohort who are given places in MOE-funded degree programmes – was to provide more publicly-funded degree places for adult learners. Dr Janil said the IHLs have also diversified their continuing education and training offerings beyond full qualifications to offer shorter skills booster programmes such as the SkillsFuture Series which addresses emerging skills needs in the digital, care and green economies. He shared that the IHLs are rolling out 54 new courses this year under the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme. This initiative aims to help mid-career individuals to transition into new sectors or explore enhanced job prospects by providing industry-relevant training with employment assistance . A press release on July 12 announced that these new NUS and SkillsFuture Singapore courses are designed to help mid-career individuals adapt to evolving job demands – from pivoting into new sectors and launching entrepreneurial ventures, to upskilling in emerging areas such as AI and immersive media. These courses include those to equip individuals with the skills to become a pastry and baking specialist and a wellness professional. Dr Janil said the new courses means that more mid-career Singaporeans can benefit from these programmes, adding that those aged 40 and above will enjoy 90 per cent course fee subsidies and can offset their remaining out-of-pocket fees using the $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career). Those who train full-time can also apply for the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance. He urged IHLs to consider advancing their efforts in relation to SkillsFuture in order to keep pace with the rapid evolution of AI. I nstitutions must refresh AI training curriculum and materials at a faster pace, while that adult educators should continually upgrade their skills to ensure that they are up-to-date with industry developments and training methods.
CNA
07-07-2025
- General
- CNA
SkillsFuture registry aims to level up quality of its educators
SkillsFuture Singapore is aiming to level up the quality of its educators through a new national registry. This aims to ensure those on the registry continuously upskill and improve lesson content to stay relevant. It is also part of a new pathway to continuously upgrade the skills of about 11,000 adult educators.
AsiaOne
07-07-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
Regular training to be mandatory for adult educators under new SkillsFuture guidelines, Singapore News
Adult educators will have to continually upgrade and clock practice hours in order to remain registered as educators for SkillsFuture-supported courses, said Minister for Education Desmond Lee on July 7. Speaking at the SkillsFuture Festival Opening Forum on Monday, Lee announced a new professional pathway for adult educators which will be implemented progressively by April next year. This new Training and Adult Educator Professional Pathway (TAEPP) will require adult educators to undergo continual training to maintain their registration on a new national registry for SkillsFuture educators. This will "raise the quality" of the sector, said Lee. From April 1, 2026, adult educators who wish to deliver SkillsFuture-supported training will be required to be on this new registry. To maintain their status, adult educators will have to complete at least 40 Continuing Professional Development hours and 80 practice hours every two years. The application process for this registry will begin in the fourth quarter of 2025. Adult educators are currently required to complete a certification programme developed and delivered by the Institute for Adult Learning (IAL). "As technology and approaches to adult learning evolve, our adult educators themselves must keep upgrading to keep up with industry developments and new training methods," said Lee. "The one-off certification programme we have today will not be enough." TAEPP will also allow more expert practitioners in selected professional sectors to become recognised and certified as adult educators, Lee continued, adding that SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) will work with leaders in the legal and healthcare sectors to identify and nominate expert practitioners. 'We need more employers to come on board' Lee also addressed the importance of encouraging companies to send their employees for further training. Increased productivity, better employee satisfaction and talent retention, and even higher revenue were some of the benefits seen by enterprises that partnered with SkillsFuture, he said. Lee continued that while it is understandable and natural for some employers to worry about employees leaving for other companies after upskilling with the former's support, it is important to remember that everyone will be worse off if Singapore does not build up its human capital and resilience as a nation. "We need more of our employers to come on board, so we can turn this into a national movement that extends across our entire workforce and creates what I call a 'skills-first' ecosystem," Lee added. He also said that individuals need to take charge of their own career health and skills development "As a Government, we are committed to continue investing in Singaporeans so that you can thrive amidst fast-paced change," Lee said. He added that the Lifelong Learning Institute will be enhanced with a new advisory centre in Paya Lebar to offer enhanced career guidance for individuals, up-to-date jobs-skills insights, and opportunities for industry exposure. It has also been renamed to Lifelong Learning Singapore (LLSG) as of July 1, according to SSG. LLSG will also organise more sectoral workshops, delivered in partnership with employers and industry, to provide industry insights, said Lee. "I encourage everyone to actively tap on these opportunities, and tap on the support, provided to equip ourselves to stay agile and relevant," Lee said. UOB appointed SkillsFuture Queen Bee The SkillsFuture Forum, which kicks off the 2025 SkillsFuture Festival, was held at Raffles City Convention Centre and saw the appointment of UOB as the newest SkillsFuture Queen Bee. Queen Bees refer to enterprises that are leaders in their fields and work with SSG to provide training as well as advisory to companies. In response to the appointment, country head of Business Banking Singapore at UOB Paul Kan said: "This partnership with SSG reinforces our commitment to driving growth with SMEs through programmes that help them develop new capabilities and deeper resilience." During the forum, two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) were signed between SSG and UOB, as well as UOB and the Nanyang Technological University, the National University of Singapore and Ngee Ann Polytechnic. A panel discussion amongst representatives from SSG, Boston Consulting Group, Grab and optics and biomedical manufacturer Cragar Industries concluded the event. Also present at the forum was Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Education. [[nid:714307]]
Business Times
29-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Reits and tech lead net institutional inflows; Frencken chair and DHLT CEO raise their stakes
[SINGAPORE] Over the five trading sessions from Jun 20 to 26, institutions remained net sellers of Singapore stocks, with net institutional outflow of S$248 million following the S$74 million net outflow for the preceding five sessions. Net institutional outflow for the year to Jun 26 now stands at S$2.16 billion, driven by S$2.73 billion of net institutional outflow from the trio of STI banks. Institutional flows Over the last five trading sessions, stocks that saw the highest net institutional outflow were Singtel , OCBC , DBS , Wilmar International , CapitaLand Investment , Yangzijiang Shipbuilding , Sembcorp Industries , Singapore Technologies Engineering , Jardine Cycle & Carriage , and City Developments . Meanwhile, UOB , Keppel DC Reit , Singapore Exchange , CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust , Keppel , Frasers Centrepoint Trust , Jardine Matheson Holdings , Frasers Hospitality Trust , Mapletree Industrial Trust and Yangzijiang Financial Holding led the net institutional inflow over the five sessions. This means, that from a sector perspective, Reits and technology experienced the highest net institutional inflow, while financial services and telecommunications saw the most outflow. Share buybacks The five sessions saw 19 primary-listed companies make buybacks totalling S$72.9 million. UOB, DBS and OCBC again led the consideration tally, collectively buying back S$69.7 million of shares. On their current buyback mandates, UOB bought back 0.43 per cent of its outstanding shares, while DBS bought back 0.23 per cent (as at Jun 26). BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Secondary-listed Hongkong Land also continued conducting share repurchases on each of the five sessions at the rate of 440,000 to 450,000 shares per session. Director transactions The five trading sessions saw close to 100 filings for more than 30 primary-listed stocks. Directors or CEOs filed 11 acquisitions and three disposals, while substantial shareholders filed 24 acquisitions and 13 disposals. This included director or CEO acquisitions in Daiwa House Logistics Trust , Frencken Group , Q&M Dental Group (Singapore) , Raffles Medical Group , Singapore Shipping Corp , Stamford Land Corp and SunMoon Food Company . Q&M Dental Group (Singapore) Between Jun 23 and 26, Q&M non-independent executive director and group chief executive officer Ng Chin Siau increased his total interest from 55.03 per cent to 55.78 per cent. The 7,041,300 shares were acquired by Quan Min Holdings at an average price of S$0.414 apiece. At the end of April, Dr Ng's total interest stood at 53.02 per cent. Back in April, he maintained that the company is expanding both the number of dentists and number of clinics. Dr Ng added that its courses in its Dental College are now recognised by the Committee for Private Education under SkillsFuture Singapore, with a one-year EduTrust certification, and it aims to achieve the four-year award to attract more foreign dental students. Dr Ng also reiterated that having grown rapidly during Covid, Q&M Dental aims to pursue mergers and acquisitions over the next two to three years. At the same time, the company is leveraging its advanced AI-driven information and treatment services to attract strategic partnerships. Frencken Group Frencken Group chairman and non-executive non-independent director Gooi Soon Chai has increased his deemed interest, with his family acquiring 10,000 shares on Jun 23. Gooi maintains a 23.75 per cent total interest in the company, up from 23.66 per cent at the end of 2024. The acquisition followed his family acquiring 45,000 shares on May 21 and Sinn Hin Company acquiring 30,000 shares on May 29. Gooi was appointed as a director in February 2015 and as the group's chairman in August 2016. He has over 30 years of global leadership in technology, with deep expertise across semiconductors, life sciences and electronics, and has led multiple successful transformations, driving exponential growth in the semiconductor, automotive and industrial electronics sectors. The IMS division currently contributes about 11 per cent of Frencken Group's overall revenue, while the mechatronics division – seen by Gooi to be a key driver of growth – accounts for the majority at around 89 per cent. On Jun 3, the company announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, ETLA, has accepted a lease offer from JTC for an industrial site at Kaki Bukit Avenue 5. The group plans to build a new, larger manufacturing facility at the site to expand and consolidate its mechatronics operations, currently located at Changi North and Seletar Aerospace Link. Back at the FY24 annual general meeting held in April, Gooi said that the group operates across high-growth sectors – semiconductor, medical and life sciences – while maintaining a presence in industrial automation and automotive. He highlighted that with a global footprint spanning the US, Singapore and China, it remains agile amid tariff challenges and recently expanded its US operations. Gooi maintained that the group's customer base includes industry-leading clients and it partners closely with customers on supply chain strategies and currently operates a US facility, with potential for expansion based on demand. He added that growth opportunities also exist in Europe, where several clients are scaling up. In FY24, the group achieved a 14.3 per cent increase in attributable net profit of S$37.1 million, up from S$32.5 million in FY23. For its subsequent Q1FY25 (ending Mar 31), Frencken Group's revenue rose 11.5 per cent year on year to S$215.8 million, driven by stronger contributions from the mechatronics division. The gross profit margin also improved to 14.8 per cent from 13.7 per cent, reflecting better operating leverage. Attributable net profit also grew 12 per cent to S$10 million, up from S$9 million in Q1FY24. Singapore Shipping Corp Between Jun 19 and 24, Singapore Shipping Corp executive chairman Ow Chio Kiat acquired 149,400 shares at an average price of S$0.276. This increased his total interest from 43.62 per cent to 43.66 per cent. Ow has been gradually increasing his interest from 42.97 per cent in May 2024. The group maintains businesses in ship owning, ship management, ship agency and terminal operations, and logistics services. Amid the recent global trade uncertainty, the group maintains it continues to deliver stable ship-owning results through long-term charters with blue-chip partners, recently renewing a five-year deal for MV Boheme, while maintaining zero net gearing and a cautious investment stance. For its FY25 (ended Mar 31), the group reported attributable net profit of US$11.4 million, a 24.6 per cent increase from FY24. It noted that the higher revenue and profit in ship owning for FY25 stemmed from the absence of drydocking off-hire and a US$600,000 waiver on an operational claim, while the agency and logistics segment saw full-year gains from high-margin projects despite a H2FY25 slowdown in activity. Ow also increased his interest in Stamford Land over the week, where he also serves as executive chairman. Daiwa House Logistics Trust On Jun 26, Daiwa House Asset Management Asia non-independent executive director CEO Jun Yamamura acquired 30,000 units of Daiwa House Logistics Trust (DHLT) at S$0.565 apiece. This took his direct interest to 0.02 per cent. Yamamura has over two decades of experience in real estate development and Reit management at Marubeni Corp, including key roles in Reit mergers and IPOs, and most recently served as senior chief of business development at Daiwa House Industry before joining the manager of the Reit. During Q1FY25 (ended Mar 31), DHLT acquired DPL Gunma Fujioka in Greater Tokyo, secured new tenants with a 13 per cent rent uplift, and maintained a strong portfolio occupancy of 92.1 per cent with a weighted average lease expiry of 6.7 years, further enhancing its tenant base and lease profile. SunMoon Food Company Between Jun 20 and 26, SunMoon Food Company executive director and CEO Zhang Ye acquired 672,900 shares. This increased his total interest from 52.24 per cent to 52.31 per cent. Zhang has gradually increased it from 51.57 per cent since the group reported its FY24/25 (ended Mar 31) results on May 27. The writer is the market strategist at SGX. To read SGX's market research reports, visit
