SINGAPORE: More Singaporeans are taking up SkillsFuture Singapore’s (SSG) training programmes but only a “small minority” have fully utilised their SkillsFuture credits, said Minister of State for Education and Manpower Gan Siow Huang on Wednesday (Jan 10).
Since the launch of the national lifelong learning movement, the training participation rate of individuals, including those sponsored by their employers, has increased from 35 per cent in 2015 to around 50 per cent in 2022.
In 2022, about 192,000 Singaporeans used their SkillsFuture credits – an increase of around 12,000 yearly from 156,000 in 2019. This can be attributed to efforts by SSG and its partners in promoting a culture of lifelong learning, said Ms Gan in response to parliamentary questions.
Across the board, utilisation of SkillsFuture credits was higher among the younger age groups – at close to 40 per cent for those in their 30s. For those aged 60 and above, only about 25 per cent have done so.
Meanwhile, “only a small minority” of Singaporeans have fully expended their credits, Ms Gan said.
In an attempt to encourage skills development and lifelong learning, Singaporeans aged 25 and above received S$500 in credits in 2016. These credits can be used to offset fees for a range of approved courses.
In 2020, the government gave Singaporeans aged 25 years and above a one-off SkillsFuture credit top-up of S$500, which expires at the end of 2025.