Advancing Lifelong Learning in the Digital Age: A Narrative Review of Singapore’s SkillsFuture Programme
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. From Lifelong Learning to SkillsFuture
- Helping individuals make well-informed choices in education, training, and careers.
- Developing an integrated, high-quality system of education and training that responds to constantly evolving industry needs.
- Promoting employer recognition and career development based on skills and mastery.
- Fostering a culture that supports and celebrates lifelong learning.
- SkillsFuture Credit. The SkillsFuture Credit provides all Singaporean citizens aged 25 and above with an initial credit amount (SGD 500 as of August 2023) that they can use to offset the costs of a wide range of approved courses. The credit is periodically topped up, allowing individuals to pursue learning opportunities continuously throughout their working lives.
- SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programmes. Targeted towards individuals with diploma and technical certificates as their highest qualification, the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme was launched to provide fresh technical institute graduates, diploma graduates, and mid-career individuals with an alternative pathway to gain industry-relevant skills and work experience. Participants in the programme undergo structured on-the-job training with partner employers while completing a part-time diploma or post-diploma courses.
- SkillsFuture Work–study and Work–study Degree Programmes. Initially conceived as a work–study arrangement, which expanded to work–study degrees in 2020, this programme was originally a joint effort between SSG, the National University of Singapore, and Sea Limited, allowing working adults to pursue further degrees while remaining in their jobs. This has evolved into the Work–study Degree Programme, facilitating a smoother transition for students as they enter the workforce after graduation. These initiatives entail a collaborative effort between companies and universities to design and implement curricula that seamlessly integrate theoretical knowledge with practical experience. Additionally, both entities assess students’ performance jointly, incorporating classroom learning alongside structured on-the-job training.
2.1. Creating Parallel Paths to Career Development
2.2. Providing an Alternative to Supply-Driven Adult Education
2.3. Moving from an Industrial to a Knowledge Economy
3. From Barriers to Opportunities
3.1. Developing Skills Taxonomy for a Common Skills Language
3.2. Empowering Individuals in Tearing down Barriers
3.3. Lifelong Learning for Advancing Humanistic Aspects of Education
4. From Existence to Flourishing
4.1. Expediting Measurable Implementations of Blended Learning
4.2. Understanding Factors Affecting Participation
4.3. Advancing Research into Adult Education for Older Citizens
5. Concluding Remarks
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
1 | Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies. |
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Lim, Z.Y.; Yap, J.H.; Lai, J.W.; Mokhtar, I.A.; Yeo, D.J.; Cheong, K.H. Advancing Lifelong Learning in the Digital Age: A Narrative Review of Singapore’s SkillsFuture Programme. Soc. Sci. 2024, 13, 73. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13020073
Lim ZY, Yap JH, Lai JW, Mokhtar IA, Yeo DJ, Cheong KH. Advancing Lifelong Learning in the Digital Age: A Narrative Review of Singapore’s SkillsFuture Programme. Social Sciences. 2024; 13(2):73. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13020073
Chicago/Turabian StyleLim, Zhi Yong, Jun Hong Yap, Joel Weijia Lai, Intan Azura Mokhtar, Darren J. Yeo, and Kang Hao Cheong. 2024. "Advancing Lifelong Learning in the Digital Age: A Narrative Review of Singapore’s SkillsFuture Programme" Social Sciences 13, no. 2: 73. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13020073