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Career Conversion Programmes

What if I told you that rather than learning something from school, you can in fact learn/train on-the-job, and even receive training allowance?

This means that not only do you not need to spend money to study and hope to get a job, you can directly get a job and even receive training allowance!

Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) cater to mid-career professionals aiming for a switch in their career trajectories. They facilitate skills conversion for individuals, enabling them to transition into promising occupations or sectors with promising growth potential.

Types of CCPs:

• Place-and-Train: Here, an individual is hired first and then trained for the new job role.
• Attach-and-Train: The individual first receives training and work attachments before formal job placement, associating with industries showcasing promising future job opportunities.
• Redeployment / Job Redesign (JR) Reskilling: This caters to businesses undergoing transformative shifts. Employees facing potential redundancy due to these changes receive training for new or redesigned job roles within their current company.

 Coverage of CCPs:

• Nearly 100 CCPs cover about 30 sectors to aid mid-career professionals in adapting to new job roles.
• Developed in collaboration with key stakeholders such as Sectoral Agencies and Industry Partners.
• WSG's Redeployment/JR-Reskilling CCPs support businesses during their transformation, allowing companies to retain and reskill their current workforce.

 Eligibility Criteria:

• Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident.
• 21 years or older.
• Graduation or National Service completion of at least 2 years.
• The new role under CCP should significantly differ from prior roles.

 *If you are interested, you can read more about CCP here.

 

SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme (For Mature Mid-Career Individuals)

Unlike CCP, which offers a wide range of reskilling options spanning 3 to 24 months, the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme specifically targets mature individuals above 40 with a 4 to 6-month attachment and a training allowance. While CCP provides both salary support and course fee subsidies, SGUnited focuses on short-term attachments for older professionals.

Objective:

• The programme supports mature individuals aged 40 and above.
• It aids them in expanding their professional networks and acquiring relevant industry skills and experience.
• This is achieved through full-time attachment to host organisations with development plans tailored for the participants.

Duration:

• Attachments will last between four to six months.

Potential Outcomes:

• Upon satisfactory performance, trainees may be offered a full-time role (either permanent or a contract of at least 12 months) with their host organisation.

Funding Details:

• Trainees will receive a monthly training allowance ranging from $1,800 to $3,800, depending on the scope of the attachment set by the host organisation.
• The government will co-fund 70% of this training allowance. The remaining amount will likely be covered by the host organisation, although this is not explicitly stated in the factsheet.

Eligibility:

• The programme is available to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents aged 40 and above.

Application Process:

• Interested mature mid-career individuals can apply through the MyCareersFuture portal starting from 1 April 2022.

*If you are interested, you can read more about SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme.

 

SkillsFuture Courses

SkillsFuture is an initiative by the Singapore government to support lifelong learning. The SkillsFuture Credit can be used by Singaporeans to offset course fees.

For those contemplating a career pivot, SkillsFuture serves as a valuable resource. The availability of a diverse range of courses means that individuals can acquire new skills or deepen existing ones in sectors they are keen to transition into. With the landscape of work constantly shifting, SkillsFuture courses provide the necessary training and re-skilling opportunities to stay relevant, competitive, and adaptable in the job market.

• Coverage: There's a vast array of courses from IT skills, data analytics, design thinking, to business management.
• Flexibility: A notable feature of SkillsFuture courses is their modularity. Instead of committing to lengthy academic programs, participants can opt for shorter modules that cater to their immediate learning needs. Over time, these modules can be stacked progressively, allowing individuals to work towards a full qualification at their own pace. This feature is especially beneficial for mid-career professionals considering a career change. By enrolling in these modular courses, they can acquire new skills in a phased manner without the need for an extended hiatus from their jobs.

* Check out the full list of skillsfuture courses here.

 

Work-Study Programmes (WSPs)

The Work-Study Programmes (WSPs) serve as an excellent bridge for those in Singapore aiming to transition seamlessly into new sectors or advance in their current fields. Through its "earn and learn" model, WSPs integrate structured academic learning with real-world work experience, presenting an opportunity for individuals to gain both knowledge and practical skills simultaneously.

Coverage: WSPs cover a broad spectrum of sectors, from aerospace and biomedical sciences to games development. Whether it's the Work-Study Certificate (WSCert) for those fresh out of school or the Work-Study Degree (WSDeg) targeting Polytechnic, Junior College students, and working adults, these programmes are tailored to meet the diverse needs of participants.

Key benefits:

1. Immediate Monetary Benefit: Participants can receive a sign-on incentive of S$5,000 upon starting.
2. Sponsored Education: The WSDeg program may provide students with tuition fee sponsorships, stipends, and potential sign-on bonuses from partner companies.
3. Competitive Salary: WSDip participants enjoy a competitive starting salary, ensuring immediate employment with income.
4. Post-Programme Advancement: Possibilities of skills-based wage increments and career progression after program completion.
5. Structured Agreements: Some WSDeg sponsorships come with binding agreements, offering clarity on roles, responsibilities, and potential career pathways.
6. Employer Integration: Companies get trained, industry-ready employees, aligning educational training with practical job needs.

*Read more about Work-Study Programmes (WSPs) here.

 

Courses and Online courses

Online learning platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and edX are pivotal tools for those considering a career change. Their vast array of courses, specializations, and degrees provide an accessible avenue to acquire new skills and knowledge without the need for traditional classroom-based learning.

This makes it very suitable for the busy working adult who do not have time to travel, and do not want to commit too much financially to learn a new skills/knowledge.

From several cases we’ve witnessed, there are working adults who successfully leveraged online courses to acquire substantial skills and knowledge that allowed them to excel in skills-based interviews, facilitating a successful career transition."

Flexibility: These platforms are particularly advantageous for mid-career professionals. The flexibility to learn at one's own pace means that even those with demanding jobs can upskill or reskill. This self-paced model ensures that career-changers can balance current job demands while preparing for a new career trajectory.

Coverage: From data science to digital marketing, these platforms cover a myriad of fields, enabling individuals to transition into various sectors. For example, a marketing professional can easily pivot to data analytics by enrolling in relevant courses. Moreover, the credibility of these platforms and the institutions they collaborate with ensures that the certifications or degrees obtained are recognized and valued by employers.

 

Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ)

WSQ is a national credential system that trains, develops, assesses, and recognizes individuals for the key competencies that companies look for in potential employees. The system is based on national standards set by employers, unions, and professional bodies.

WSQ courses are especially valuable for individuals seeking a career switch because they are competency-based. This means they focus on the tangible skills needed for specific job roles. Completing relevant WSQ courses can significantly enhance an individual's employability in a new sector.

Coverage: WSQ offers a wide range of courses, from leadership and people management to service excellence, health and safety, and more. These courses are spread across various industries such as retail, healthcare, finance, tourism, and many others.

• Flexibility: Many WSQ courses are designed to be modular and cater to the needs of working adults. They can be taken as standalone modules or stacked towards more advanced qualifications.
• Funding: Most WSQ courses are highly subsidised for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, making them an affordable option for upskilling or reskilling.

*You can find the complete list of WSQ courses here.

 

Professional Certifications

Professional certificates differ from standard academic qualifications like degrees or diplomas. These are specialized credentials awarded by recognized institutions, emphasizing the acquisition of specific skills or knowledge in a given field. Unlike broader academic courses, these certifications have a clear focus on practical, skill-based learning.

It can help you get a job in the specific field easily, especially since you have the skills and competency to perform well in the new field.

Coverage:
Professional certificates cover a wide range of industries and roles. Examples include:

• ACCA Qualification (for accountancy)
• Certificate in Practical Counselling (for counseling roles)
• WSQ-Operate Forklift (for equipment operation in logistics and warehouses)

Relevance to Career Change:
Professional certificates can be pivotal for those eyeing a career change due to the following reasons:

1. Specialization: These programs equip candidates with a distinct set of skills pertinent to particular industries or roles. Such specialization makes candidates attractive to employers in those sectors.
2. Efficiency: With the ability to complete some programs in mere weeks or months, aspirants can quickly gain the necessary skills and transition faster compared to traditional degree routes.
3. Cost-Effectiveness: Given their condensed nature, these courses are often more affordable, making them accessible for many looking to shift careers without incurring hefty educational debts.

Flexibility:
Professional certificates offer significant flexibility, beneficial for working adults and those looking to transition careers:

1. Duration Flexibility: Most programs are shorter, allowing candidates to balance learning with other responsibilities.
2. Financial Flexibility: Their cost-effective nature means less financial burden, enabling more people to consider them as a viable option for skill acquisition.
3. Scope Flexibility: While they provide specialized skills, multiple certificates can be pursued to broaden one's skill set if required.

However, it's vital to understand the potential limitations. Some industries might still prioritize traditional degrees, and the narrow focus of some certificates might limit broader career opportunities. As always, due diligence is recommended before embarking on any career change route.

 

Academic Qualifications

Academic Qualifications is usually not recommended if you are looking for a career switch.

Specifically, if you already have a degree and the career intend to switch to does not require a specific type of degree, then getting a degree may be very expensive and even a waste of time.

Rather, you should try going for courses instead.

If a degree is indeed needed, such as a Degree in Civil engineering is needed to be a civil engineer, then a degree will obviously be mandatory for a career switch.

Generally, we wouldn’t recommend getting an academic qualification for a career switch. It is a significant financial commitment (most degree programs start at $20,000) with no guarantees of job placement. In fact, only 60.9% of fresh graduates from private universities secured full-time permanent jobs.