More Work-Learn Opportunities For Singaporeans

28/07/2018

More Work-Learn Opportunities For Singaporeans

Since its inception, about 2,400 fresh graduates from the polytechnics and Institute of Technical Education (ITE) have benefited from the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme (ELP). SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) will continue to expand the work-learn pathways available and is launching a new SkillsFuture Work-Learn Bootcamp and six new ELPs. 

These developments were announced by Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Manpower, Ms Low Yen Ling at the second edition of the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Carnival today, in support of the month-long SkillsFuture Festival. 

Progress of Work-Learn Programmes

As of June 2018, the total number of polytechnic and ITE ELP participants has grown from about 150 in 2015 to about 2,400, of which about 110 participants were placed in the ITE Work-Learn Technical Diploma. The number of ELPs offered has also increased from 15 across 12 sectors in 2015 to 97 across 33 sectors.

More variations of work-learn pathways have been rolled out to meet the needs of industry and individuals.  One example is the ELP in Entrepreneurship - Start-up Talent Factory, which was implemented by Ngee Ann Polytechnic in May this year and has placed 24 participants across 20 startups. This ELP supports the local entrepreneurship ecosystem in talent recruitment, and offers enterprising polytechnic graduates the opportunity to pick up relevant entrepreneurial skills by working in a start-up environment. 

Launched last year, the SkillsFuture Work-Study Degree Programmes have to-date enrolled 116 university students who are keen to pursue careers in selected growth sectors. 

New SkillsFuture Work-Learn Bootcamp 

SSG will be piloting a new variation of work-learn programme known as the SkillsFuture Work-Learn Bootcamp. This programme will equip fresh graduates and mid-career individuals with the relevant job-role specific behavioural, mind-set and technical skills in sectors with acute demand. 

The SkillsFuture Work-Learn Bootcamp is a three-year collaboration between SSG, the five polytechnics, ITE and Generation. Generation is a US-based global non-profit organisation founded by McKinsey & Company. It develops and implements short, focused bootcamps to train and place young people in jobs. 

Participants in the SkillsFuture Work-Learn Bootcamp will undergo 8 to 12 weeks of intensive training bootcamp delivered by the polytechnics and ITE before seeking employment. The SkillsFuture Work-Learn Bootcamp involves employers extensively throughout the process, from developing industry-relevant curriculum to identifying suitable participants for the programme and recruitment. As an illustration, the polytechnics and ITE will, together with Generation, work with employers to identify skills found in peak performers in the specific job role, and design a bootcamp-style programme to train participants in those skills. 

Republic Polytechnic and the Singapore Institute of Retail Studies under Nanyang Polytechnic have commenced the first run of the programme for the Digital Marketing job role in July 2018. This will be followed by Ngee Ann Polytechnic later this year. Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic will also be rolling out another programme for a job role related to engineering and big-data in Q4 2018. Please refer to Annex A for more information on the SkillsFuture Work-Learn Bootcamp.

New SkillsFuture Earn and Learn programmes

SSG has also been working with the IHLs and employers to launch new ELPs. Six new ELPs in the areas of Applied Artificial Intelligence, Healthy Ageing and Community Care for Seniors, Biomedical Engineering & Services, Building Information Modelling, Business Development in Technology, and Lighting Design were launched by Republic Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic at the ELP Carnival. Please refer to Annex B for more information on the new programmes.

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