Background
SkillsFuture@NS is part of the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Ministry of Home Affairs' (MHA's) continuing efforts to recognise our Full-time National Servicemen's (NSFs') contributions to defence. MINDEF, the SAF and MHA seek to provide support for skills upgrading, career discovery and workforce readiness for NSFs as they transit to studies or work after they complete their full-time NS. This builds on existing efforts such as the accreditation of NS skills and competencies under the Workforce Skills Qualifications framework, Electronic Pre-Release Employment Programme (E-PREP) credits offered to NSFs for online courses, and the Enhanced Career and Education Fair for NSFs who are about to complete their full-time NS.
At the 2019 Committee of Supply Debate, MINDEF and the SAF introduced a suite of SkillsFuture@NS initiatives to support our NSFs' lifelong learning journey. MINDEF, the SAF and MHA are working with public and private sector partners to better enhance the NSFs' transition after their Operationally Ready Date (ORD). This includes: (i) extending NSFs' E-PREP credits of $350 from 200 to 3,300 selected courses, to help NSFs refresh, update or acquire new skills; (ii) working with Institutes of Higher Learning on modular courses for E-PREP that will grant NSFs credit exemptions for higher education programmes after their ORD; and (iii) providing a career orientation experience for NSFs near their ORD through the conduct of customised SkillsFuture Advice workshops.
Improvements to the Enhanced Career and Education Fair
The Enhanced Career and Education Fair (ECEF), held quarterly for NSFs who are in their last three to six months of National Service (NS), provides resources and information on future career and education opportunities and pathways. Introduced in 2015, the ECEF has expanded to include approximately 57 exhibitors from key economic sectors and 15 Institutes of Higher Learning. Under SkillsFuture@NS, improvements to the ECEF included:
Outline of SkillsFuture Advice Workshop for NSFs |
|
Introduction |
Activities to share the objectives of the workshop |
Career Success Factors |
Activities to explore concepts of Growth Mindset and Grit Attitude |
Moving on from the NSF Chapter |
Reflection about the NS journey and how it translates to the building of Growth Mindset and Grit attitude |
Making Choices |
A 3-step framework towards making choices for the future |
Exploring Resources |
Sharing about work and study resources such as E-PREP Credits, Work-Study programmes, Career Starter Pack, MySkillsFuture portal |
Closing |
Exploration of the Career and Education Fair |
Updates on Other SkillsFuture@NS Initiatives
E-PREP Credits. NSFs can now use their E-PREP training credits for 3,300 courses from Udemy [1], an increase from 200 online courses previously offered. In addition, NSFs are able to subscribe to a one-year access to Udemy's E-PREP online courses. NSFs can also continue to sign up for online courses from other E-PREP course providers [2]. In addition, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and Temasek Polytechnic (TP) have offered 26 credit-bearing courses, which allow NSFs to obtain course and/or credit exemption should they further their studies at SUSS or TP. MINDEF, the SAF and MHA will continue to expand the E-PREP course directory with new course offerings, including SkillsFuture Series courses, to be included by end-2019.
Participating Vendors at the Enhanced Career and Education Fair
Career Exhibition.
S/N |
Employers |
Industry |
1 |
Ernst & Young Singapore |
Accountancy |
2 |
GE Aviation Engine Services Singapore |
Aerospace |
3 |
ST Engineering Aerospace |
|
4 |
Scoot |
Air Transport |
5 |
Singapore Airlines |
|
6 |
Pepperl+Fuchs Asia |
Engineering Services |
7 |
ST Microelectronics |
|
8 |
Shell Eastern Petroleum |
Energy, Power and Chemicals |
9 |
ENGIE Services Singapore |
Environment Services |
10 |
ABR Holdings |
Food Services |
11 |
RE&S |
|
12 |
NTUC Health Co-operative |
Healthcare |
13 |
Yishun Health |
|
14 |
The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts |
Hotel and Accommodation Services |
15 |
Marriott International |
|
16 |
The Ritz-Carlton |
|
17 |
The St. Regis Singapore |
|
18 |
The Westin Singapore |
|
19 |
Pan Pacific Hotels Group |
|
20 |
Novotel Singapore on Stevens |
|
21 |
Resorts World Sentosa |
|
22 |
Singapore Hotel Association |
|
23 |
CrimsonLogic |
Infocomm Technology |
24 |
IBM |
|
25 |
Zenith Infotech (S) |
|
26 |
ALLIED CONTAINER SERVICES |
Logistics |
27 |
GKE Group of Companies |
|
28 |
Haulio |
|
29 |
Kim Soon Lee |
|
30 |
SG SAGAWA AMEROID |
|
31 |
SH Cogent Logistics |
|
32 |
Sin Chew Woodpaq |
|
33 |
Sin Hiap Hoe Transport |
|
34 |
YCH Group |
|
35 |
Yusen Logistics (Singapore) |
|
36 |
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore |
Marine and Offshore |
37 |
Sembcorp Marine |
|
38 |
Comfort DelGro Corporation |
Public Transport |
39 |
SMRT |
|
40 |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
Public Service |
41 |
Workforce Singapore |
|
42 |
UNIQLO Singapore |
Retail |
43 |
Legend Logistics (Asia) |
Sea Transport |
44 |
Penanshin Shipping |
|
45 |
PSA Singapore |
|
46 |
Spiral Marine |
|
47 |
AETOS |
Security |
48 |
Acestes |
|
49 |
Certis Group |
|
50 |
Singapore Customs |
|
51 |
Immigration and Checkpoints Authority |
|
52 |
Singapore Civil Defence Force |
|
53 |
Singapore Police Force |
|
54 |
Singapore Army |
|
55 |
SAF C4I |
|
56 |
Republic of Singapore Air Force |
|
57 |
Republic of Singapore Navy |
Education Exhibition.
S/N |
Institutes of Higher Learning |
Clustering |
1 |
SkillsFuture Singapore |
Work-Study Programmes |
2 |
SkillsFuture Singapore (CPE) |
|
3 |
Temasek Polytechnic |
|
4 |
Singapore Polytechnic |
|
5 |
Republic Polytechnic |
|
6 |
Ngee Ann Polytechnic |
|
7 |
Nanyang Polytechnic |
|
8 |
Institute of Technical Education |
|
9 |
Bright Spark |
Scholarship |
10 |
IMDA |
|
11 |
National University of Singapore |
Education Partners |
12 |
Singapore Management University |
|
13 |
Singapore University of Social Sciences |
|
14 |
Nanyang Technological University |
|
15 |
e-PREP |
[1] Udemy is an online course provider providing a wide range of online courses across ranging from business management to artificial intelligence to data analytics.
[2] These include Institutes of Higher Learning such as NTU, NYP, and SP.