315,000 Singaporeans have used new career and skills planning tool by SkillsFuture Singapore
SkillsFuture said the tool can be used to supplement resumes and enhance online job applications with the provision of verified records. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
315,000 Singaporeans have used new career and skills planning tool by SkillsFuture Singapore
SINGAPORE - An online career and skills planning tool by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has been used by 315,000 Singaporeans as at April 30.
Launched in November 2024, the Careers and Skills Passport consolidates information about an individual's career and skills from government-verified sources in one centralised and secure location, before the information is shared with current and potential employers.
The SSG said this tool can be used to supplement resumes and enhance online job applications with verified records.
Users can choose which records they wish to share with partnering online job portals, such as Jobstreet and FastJobs. They can also generate a shareable link of their profile and share it directly with potential employers.
To date, 4,900 users have shared data from their Careers and Skills Passport.
Developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Ministry of Education (MOE) and Government Technology Agency, the passport has four key components.
The employment section contains verified data from the Central Provident Fund Board and MOM, such as employer name, employment period and occupation.
The skills section contains an overview of verified skills from the user's certifications and from employer validation. Users can also add skills that they acquired on their own.
The third section contains academic records from the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board and institutes of higher learning (IHLs) supported by the MOE. These include the Institute of Technical Education, polytechnics, autonomous universities and the arts institutions.
The final section contains verified professional training records, such as certifications from the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications and other SSG-funded courses. Similar to the skills section, users can also add their own certification records.
The Careers and Skills Passport is one of the initiatives by SSG, which marks its 10th anniversary in 2025, to encourage Singaporeans to upskill.
Held at the Four Seasons Hotel, the anniversary event on May 23 was attended by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, and Minister of State for Education and Manpower Gan Siow Huang.
About 300 education, enterprise, union and industry partners were also in attendance.
The event also featured a panel discussion with individual, employer, union and government representatives about how the SkillsFuture movement provides opportunities to upskill and stay competitive.
As part of the 10th anniversary, SSG and Workforce Singapore will roll out a series of initiatives throughout the year.
These include the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme, which aims to provide temporary financial support of up to $6,000 over six months to lower- and middle-income job seekers who are still unemployed.
The Centre for Skills-First Practices will be launched by SSG and the Institute for Adult Learning in the fourth quarter.
Over the years, SkillsFuture initiatives have been expanded to cover over 28,000 courses, ranging from full qualifications to short courses, offered by a training sector that includes IHLs and private providers with close links to industry.
More than 500,000 Singaporeans – a fifth of the workforce – undergo training every year.
Since the SkillsFuture movement's inception in 2015, employer participation has also doubled from 12,000 companies to 24,000 in 2024.
The number of employees supported by their employers for SSG-supported training also increased from 160,000 in 2015 to 241,000 in 2024.
Mr Tan Kok Yam, chief executive of SSG, said that in the next 10 years, the SkillsFuture movement will have to 'level up' its support to Singaporeans, and give workers the tools and the confidence to thrive in an increasingly unpredictable world.
'Under SkillsFuture, we will encourage individuals to be mindful of their career health, raise the quality and relevance of learning, and help employers hire by skills and invest in their people,' he said.
Elisha Tushara is a correspondent at The Straits Times, specialising in Singapore's education landscape.
Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Independent Singapore
an hour ago
- Independent Singapore
Singapore is becoming Southeast Asia's main hub for luxury, finance, and yachting
Photo: Facebook/Republic of Singapore Yacht Club SINGAPORE: Singapore is quickly becoming the main hub for luxury experiences and financial conferences in Southeast Asia, according to a report by private aviation group Vista . This was supported by three-digit growth in Vista's flight traffic during major event periods in the city-state. Notably, during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour stop in Singapore, flight traffic jumped by 362% compared to the country's daily average flight traffic last year. Meanwhile, the Singapore Grand Prix drove a 168% surge in daily average flight traffic. The Formula 1 event coincided with other financial events, including the Milken Institute Asia Summit and the Global Trade Review Congress. The Singapore Yachting Festival also brought 46% higher business jet traffic compared to the daily average for the year. Sanlorenzo Asia Pacific's Ewa Stachurska noted that Singapore is emerging as a premier yachting hub with eight boat clubs and marinas and 4000 boats and yachts. The private jet marketplace of Vista saw a doubled flight traffic year-on-year in Singapore. Knight Frank's Christine Li added: 'Confidence in Singapore's prime assets is underscored by the significant UHNWI (ultra-high-net-worth individuals) commercial property transactions for 2024/2025. This blend of strategic diversification, expectations for long-term asset appreciation, and sustained high-value investment activity solidifies Singapore's position as a premier destination for sophisticated capital.' /TISG Read also: Hospitality and tourism job interest in Singapore jumps 130% as industry rebounds after pandemic: Indeed
Independent Singapore
an hour ago
- Independent Singapore
Seah Kian Peng nominated for re-election as Speaker of Parliament
SINGAPORE: Mr Seah Kian Peng will be nominated for re-election as Speaker of Parliament when the House reconvenes on Sep 5 , the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) announced on Jun 20 . Mr Seah, 62, has held the position since Aug 2, 2023 , becoming the 11th Speaker of Parliament since the formation of Singapore's First Legislative Assembly in 1955. He will continue to be supported by the two Deputy Speakers, Mr Christopher de Souza and Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo , both of whom assist in presiding over parliamentary proceedings when the Speaker is unavailable. In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong described Mr Seah as having brought 'a steady hand and thoughtful leadership to the House' over the past year, presiding over debates 'with fairness' and maintaining 'dignity and decorum' during proceedings. Mr Seah has served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Braddell Heights in Marine Parade GRC since 2006, having been successfully re-elected in 2011, 2015, and 2020. Between 2011 and 2015 , he served as Deputy Speaker of Parliament and chaired the Estimates Committee . Outside of Parliament, Mr Seah has held various board positions in both the public and private sectors, including SingTel , National Parks Board , Health Promotion Board , ST Logistics , Income Insurance , and Trust Bank , among others. He also served as the founding chairman of the Harvard Business School Club of Singapore . Mr Seah was awarded the Outstanding CEO of the Year at the Singapore Business Awards 2019/2020 , recognising his leadership in the cooperative and social sectors. Educated at Raffles Institution , Mr Seah was a Colombo Plan Scholar and graduated with First-Class Honours from the University of New South Wales in Australia. Role of the Speaker of Parliament The Speaker presides over House sittings and ensures order during debates in accordance with the Standing Orders of Parliament . Although the Speaker may be elected from outside Parliament, the individual must meet the qualifications required to stand for a parliamentary election. The Speaker manages debates by deciding which Members of Parliament (MPs) may speak, oversees voting on motions, and provides rulings on procedural issues. The Speaker does not participate in debates and may vote only if they are an elected MP with an original vote. There is no casting vote in the event of a tie. In addition to parliamentary duties, the Speaker represents the House in engagements with other legislatures and during official events. The Speaker also oversees the administration of Parliament and its secretariat.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Singapore software services firm Info-Tech Systems gears up for IPO on SGX mainboard
Info-Tech Systems is planning to raise funds for further product development and expansion into new markets. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO SINGAPORE – Local firm Info-Tech Systems has lodged its preliminary prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for a listing on the mainboard of the Singapore Exchange (SGX), making it the second company to potentially list here in 2025. The software services provider is planning to raise funds for further product development and expansion into new markets like Hong Kong and India. It also plans to hire more engineers and other executives. Its cloud-based human resources and accounting software and digital payroll solutions are now used by over 23,000 organisations and more than 850,000 active users across Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and India, according to the firm's prospectus. Info-Tech Systems' initial public offering (IPO) will comprise new shares issued by the company, alongside an offering of vendor shares by its executive chairman Peter Lee Kim Heng and executive director Yeoh Sin Yee. Mr Lee, who co-founded the company, will remain a key shareholder post-listing. Vendor shares allow existing shareholders to cash out part of their holdings. While pricing and final share allocation details have not been disclosed, the IPO has secured several cornerstone investors who have committed to buying 41.1 million shares. They include institutional names such as Avanda Investment Management, Dymon Asia, Lion Global Investors, Nikko Asset Management, and Maybank Asset Management. For the year ended Dec 31, 2024, Info-Tech cited top-line growth of around 15 per cent year on year to $43.7 million, thanks to a jump in revenue of its cloud accounting software. Net profit for the period grew 17.6 per cent, to $12.3 million. Info-Tech's business growth depends on its ability to attract new customers, while retaining and expanding recurring subscription revenues from its existing client base. In 2024, the company reported a high customer retention rate of 91 per cent for the year, and noted that the majority of its clients are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It added that SMEs tend to be more agile in adopting new technologies, and are expected to drive continued demand for cloud-based workforce management, compliance, and payroll automation software. If its IPO is successful, Info-Tech could be the second company to list on the SGX and the first to do so on the mainboard in 2025. In April, auto-group Vin's Holdings went public on Catalist, while another company, candy maker YLF Group Marketing, halted its plans to list less than three weeks after it lodged its prospectus. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
