Debated in Parliament on 5 Oct 2020.
Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Education how is the success of SkillsFuture and related Continuing Education and Training programmes measured in providing Singaporeans with opportunities for new careers and employability.
Since the launch of SkillsFuture movement in 2014, the Government has adopted a range of approaches to evaluate the outcomes of training.
We closely monitor placements for all placement-related training programmes. Since 2016, we have achieved 5140 placements via Professional Conversion Programmes, and 9554 placements via SSG's Train-and-Place programmes.
The longer-term impact of training on outcomes such as employability and wages are also reviewed via longitudinal studies conducted every few years. A 2018 MTI study found that individuals who underwent Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) training were more employable and enjoyed a real wage premium of 5.8% in the year after training. A 2019 MTI study found that recent graduates of the SkillsFuture Work-Study post-diploma programme enjoyed a sustained wage premium of about 10% over polytechnic diploma graduates.
Additionally, we conduct surveys to collect feedback from key stakeholders such as employers. In the 2019 SkillsFuture Public Perception Survey, 77% of employers indicated that SkillsFuture training programmes had helped their employees take on more responsibilities, and 75% of them felt that SkillsFuture training programmes could help their company recruit and retain valued employees.
One of the ways we ensure better alignment of training to industry needs, is through training led by companies themselves. Companies such as Google, IBM and PBA Robotics have come on board the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme, to equip individuals with industry-relevant skills to boost their employability. We have also engaged SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies to train beyond their own needs and support skills upgrading for other companies in their industry and value chains, in particular for SMEs. These SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies help transfer their knowledge and impart their capabilities to employees of smaller companies, by co-creating industry-led skills and training solutions/programmes with SSG.
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