Debated in Parliament on 3 Nov 2020.
Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education under the SGUnited Skills programme, what provisions have been made to cater for potential applicants who are not conversant in English and whether some of the courses and training schemes can be offered in mother tongue languages.
As SGUnited Skills (SGUS) courses are designed to help trainees acquire industry-relevant skills, they require a functional understanding of relevant technical terminology in English.
To cater for jobseekers who are less proficient in English, the SGUS programme includes bridging modules on Workplace Literacy. These modules range from one to three months, and cover skills like reading and writing at the workplace.
SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) is prepared to work with training providers to offer SGUS courses in other languages, if there is sufficient demand, and if the industry and designated job roles allow for it. SSG currently supports courses conducted in other languages. For example, basic courses on hygiene and food safety, as well as on information and communications technology are conducted in Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.
PAPERCUTS