A complete guide to leveraging SkillsFuture Singapore for your online training programs

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) is a government movement in Singapore that promotes lifelong learning and skill development among Singapore citizens and enhancing their workforce competitiveness. It is part of the government’s broader effort to build a resilient economy and a future-ready workforce.

Launched in 2015, the SSG is managed by SkillsFuture Singapore Agency under the Ministry of Education. It encourages the citizens of Singapore to take ownership of their personal and professional development by providing resources, funding, and structured learning pathways.

In this blog post, let's take a closer look at the key initiatives under the SSG, and how Training and Adult Educators in Singapore can leverage this initiative to reach more learners.

Key initiatives under the SkillsFuture Singapore

There are several initiatives under the SSG that empower individuals who are early and mid-career, as well as students, employers, and even the training providers. Here are a few key initiatives under SkillsFuture Singapore are designed to promote lifelong learning, enhance skills, and ensure that Singapore’s workforce is future-ready.

1. For individuals   

SkillsFuture credit   

• Purpose: Provides Singaporeans aged 25 and above with an initial SGD 500 credit to offset course fees for SSG-approved training programs. Additional top-ups are provided periodically.
• Benefit: Encourages individuals to pursue lifelong learning.

SkillsFuture work-study programmes   

• Purpose: Combines classroom training with on-the-job experience, allowing participants to gain industry-relevant qualifications while working.
• Examples: Earn and Learn Programme, Work-Study Degree Programmes.

SkillsFuture career transition programme   

• Purpose: Tailored to mid-career individuals, providing industry-relevant training to support career shifts or progression.
• Benefit: Includes career advisory services and job placement assistance.

Mid-career enhanced subsidy   

• Purpose: Provides individuals aged 40 and above with higher subsidies (up to 90%) for SSG-funded courses.
• Benefit: Encourages mid-career workers to reskill and stay employable.

SkillsFuture fellowships   

• Purpose: Recognizes individuals with outstanding achievements in skills mastery and encourages them to inspire others.
• Award: Each fellow receives SGD 10,000 for skills upgrading.

2. For students

Education and career guidance (ECG)   

• Purpose: Offers advisory services to help students make informed decisions about their education and career pathways.
• Delivered by: Trained ECG counsellors in schools, polytechnics, and ITEs.

SkillsFuture work-study post-diploma programmes  

• Purpose: Offers ITE and polytechnic graduates a head start in their careers through structured training.
• Benefit: Blends classroom learning with industry training.

3. For employers 

SkillsFuture enterprise credit (SFEC)  

• Purpose: Provides eligible enterprises with a one-off SGD 10,000 credit to cover workforce and enterprise transformation initiatives.
• Eligibility: SMEs and enterprises investing in employee upskilling.

Enhanced training support for SMEs  

• Purpose: Offers higher course fee subsidies (up to 90%) and absentee payroll support.
• Benefit: Reduces financial barriers for SMEs to train their workforce.

4. For training providers

Training and adult education industry transformation map  

• Purpose: Guides the development of training providers to meet evolving workforce needs.
• Benefit: Supports innovation and digital transformation in the training industry.

Training quality and outcomes measurement 

• Purpose: Measures and improves the quality and outcomes of training programs through participant feedback.

Adult educator professionalisation 

• Purpose: Recognizes and develops professional adult educators to uplift the quality of training delivery.

How training providers in Singapore can leverage the SkillsFuture Singapore

The SSG can be a great way for training providers offering WSQ and other SSG-funded courses. Let's take a look at how training providers can register themselves under the SSG and offer courses in both physical and virtual premises.

To register as a SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) Training Provider and meet the requirements for offering SSG-funded claimable courses, you need to follow these steps systematically. This includes the exact submission process, criteria, and appendices outlined in SSG documents.

Step 1: Understand the requirements.

Before you begin, ensure that your training organization meets the eligibility criteria:

1. Legal entity: Must be registered in Singapore (ACRA/ROS certification).
2. Training track record: At least one year of conducting training, with proof of at least four sessions in the past year.
3. Compliance: No breaches related to WSQ, ERF, EduTrust, PE Act, or manpower acts in the last five years.
4. Financial health: Positive trade income shown in the latest Notice of Assessment (NOA) from IRAS.

Step 2: Prepare the documentation.

You’ll need the following documents:

1. Company information:
   • ACRA/ROS certificate.
   • NRIC/Passport details of directors and management.
2. Training evidence:
   • Training schedule for the past year.
   • Supporting documents (invoices, attendance sheets, course materials).
3. Course proposal:
   • Course syllabus, outcomes, and assessment methods.
   • Trainer qualifications and profiles.
4. Financial records:
   • Latest NOA from IRAS showing positive trade income.

Step 3: Register for access to Training Partners Gateway (TPGateway).

1. Visit the Training Partners Gateway (TPGateway).
2. Create an account for your organization.
3. Once registered, log in to access the application forms.

Step 4: Submit the training provider registration form.

1. Log in to TPGateway.
2. Navigate to the Apply to Become a Training Provider section.
3. Complete the registration form with:
   • Organization details.
   • Course information for at least one course.
4. Upload all required documents (PDF format preferred).
5. Pay any applicable application fees online (if required).

Step 5: Meet the criteria from Appendices B and C.

Appendix B: RTP (Registered Training Provider) criteria   

1. Concurrent course application: You must submit at least one course for approval alongside your RTP application.
2. Facilities and resources: Demonstrate access to suitable training facilities or online platforms.
3. Instructor standards: Trainers must meet qualification and experience benchmarks set by SSG.
4. Quality assurance framework: Submit documentation on how you ensure course quality, trainer performance, and learner outcomes.

 Appendix C: Course accreditation   

1. Proposal form: Fill out the Course Proposal Form with:
   • Learning objectives and duration.
   • Breakdown of topics and assessments.
2. Assessment plan: Describe how learners will be evaluated (e.g., quizzes, assignments).
3. Supporting materials: Include sample lesson plans, slides, and participant handouts.

Step 6: Respond to inspections and quality checks.

1. After submission, SSG may inspect your facilities (physical or virtual).
2. Be prepared to provide live demonstrations of how you deliver training.

Step 7: Wait for approval.

1. SSG will review your RTP and course applications.
2. You may be asked to provide additional information or clarify certain points.
3. Approval timelines vary, so check your TPGateway dashboard for updates.

Step 8: Maintain compliance.

Once you have registered:

1. Adhere to all SSG guidelines.
2. Submit regular updates or reports if required.
3. Participate in Training Provider Quality Assessments (TPQA).

What type of courses are eligible for SSG funding?

To offer SSG-funded claimable courses, training providers need to design and deliver courses that align with the objectives and guidelines set by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). Here’s a detailed breakdown of the types of courses eligible for funding and the key considerations for training providers.

1. Types of courses eligible for SSG funding.

Skills-based courses:   

1. Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) courses:

   ➤ Competency-based training programs aligned with the Skills Framework.
   ➤ Examples include courses in leadership, digital skills, customer service, and workplace safety.

2. Non-WSQ certifiable skills training:

   ➤ Skills training that is not part of the WSQ framework but meets industry needs.
   ➤ Examples: Software certifications, specific technical skills, or job-specific training.

3. Sector-specific training:

   ➤ Courses tailored to specific industries such as healthcare, IT, logistics, and hospitality.

Modular courses   :

• Short-term courses focusing on specific skills or competencies.
• These can be standalone modules or part of a larger program.

Emerging skills and digital skills:   

• Courses related to emerging technologies and future skills, such as:

  ➤ Artificial intelligence (AI).
  ➤ Data analytics.
  ➤ Cybersecurity.
  ➤ Digital marketing.

Continuing education and training (CET):   

• Lifelong learning programs for adults to upgrade their skills or transition to new careers.
• Examples: Part-time diplomas, specialist certifications, or professional conversion programs.

Literacy and foundational skills   :

• Programs to improve language proficiency, numeracy, and digital literacy.

Company-specific training   :

• In-house training programs that improve employee skills and contribute to organizational goals.

2. Criteria for SSG-funded courses.

For courses to qualify for SSG funding, they must meet the following criteria:

Relevance to the skills framework:

• The course content should align with the Skills Framework, addressing specific job roles, career progression, and emerging skills.

Measurable outcomes:   

• Clearly defined learning outcomes and objectives that benefit individuals and organizations.

Quality of training:

• Courses should be delivered by qualified trainers with adequate resources and support.

Assessment and certification:

• Include assessments to measure competency and issue certifications upon successful completion.

Accessibility:

• Courses should cater to various learner needs, such as part-time or online formats.

3. Key considerations for training providers.

Design courses for the target audience:   

• Employers:

  ➤ Design industry-specific training programs that meet company needs.
  ➤ Focus on productivity and workforce development.

• Individuals:

  ➤ Offer flexible and modular courses for individuals to upgrade their skills.
  ➤ Ensure alignment with SkillsFuture Credit eligibility.

Comply with SSG guidelines   :

• Adhere to the SSG's Terms for Training Providers (e.g., quality assurance, trainer qualifications).
• Include robust course evaluation methods.

Funding application process:   

1. Submit the course proposal via the TPGateway.

2. Provide details on:

   ➤ Course syllabus and outcomes.
   ➤ Assessment structure.
   ➤ Trainer profiles.
   ➤ Industry relevance and demand.

Course fees and funding cap:   

• Ensure transparency in course fees and funding eligibility.
• Keep course costs within the SSG funding caps to maximize subsidy benefits.

Leverage SkillsFuture credit:   

• Training providers must understand how learners can use their SkillsFuture Credit to pay for courses and guide them through the claiming process.

Reporting and compliance   :

• Maintain detailed records of training, attendance, and assessments.
• Submit reports to SSG for audits or inspections when requested.

Step-by-step explanation of the SSG funding process

Here’s a step-by-step explanation of the SSG funding process in detail:

1. Learners pay upon enrolment.

• When learners enrol in your course, they pay the course fee upfront.

• Payment sources can include:

  ➤ Out-of-pocket payment.
  ➤ SkillsFuture Credits (claimed directly by the learner).

• This ensures you receive some payment before delivering the course, helping with immediate cash flow.

2. Conduct the course.

• Deliver the course according to your plan and comply with SSG requirements

  ➤ Track attendance: Use SingPass e-attendance for classroom or synchronous e-learning courses.
  ➤ Assess learners: Conduct the required assessments and maintain proper records.
  ➤ Issue certificates: Provide learners with certifications upon completion.

3. Submit funding claims.

• After the course is completed, you'll file claims with SSG through the Training Partners Gateway (TPGateway).

• Documentation to submit:

  ➤ Attendance records: To prove learner participation.
  ➤ Assessment results: To verify course completion.
  ➤ Invoices: Clearly showing the fees and payments made by learners.

4. SSG processes the claims.

• SSG reviews your submission to ensure:

  ➤ The course adhered to SSG guidelines.
  ➤ Learners met attendance and assessment requirements.
  ➤ All records are accurate and complete.

• If everything is in order, SSG reimburses the subsidized portion of the course fee directly to you.

5. Timing of claims and reimbursements.

• You only receive the subsidy after course completion and after SSG verifies your documentation.

• For example:

  ➤ If your course fee is SGD1,000, and SSG offers a 70% subsidy, learners initially pay SGD300.
  ➤ After your claims are approved, SSG reimburses the remaining SGD700.

Key takeaways for training providers

• You must plan for delayed reimbursement and ensure sufficient cash flow to cover operational costs until SSG funding is processed.
• Use clear communication with learners about their payments and subsidies to avoid confusion.

Are online or virtual courses conducted using an LMS be SSG eligible for reimbursement?

Yes. You can deliver SSG-funded courses virtually using an LMS or an online training platform like TrainerCentral.

While there are no direct requirements under SSG that an LMS or an online training platform need to satisfy, here are some key relevant requirements to the LMS you may use.

 1. Compliance with attendance and reporting.

• SingPass attendance: For SSG-funded courses, training providers must track attendance via SingPass for classroom and synchronous e-learning courses. Your LMS must support this functionality to ensure compliance. You can use platforms like TrainerCentral to integrate it with SingPass and mark attendance automatically.
• Record keeping: Your LMS should be able to store and manage learner records, such as course registrations, attendance logs, and assessment results for at least three years.

2. Course delivery and assessment. 

• Course delivery features: The LMS must support different delivery modes, such as online, blended, or classroom training, depending on the course status.
• Assessments: The system must allow for assessment management, including quizzes, exams, and practical tests, which are part of the Assessment Fees.

3. Data security and privacy.

• Confidentiality: Since SSG may inspect the records, your LMS must ensure data security and confidentiality to comply with data protection laws (e.g., Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act).

4. System integration and documentation.

• Integration with SSG systems: It may need to integrate or align with SSG’s platforms, such as TPGateway or other relevant systems, for course approval and claim submission.
• Documentation submission: Ensure that the LMS can generate reports, certificates, and attendance records that are aligned with SSG’s requirements for documentation submission and audits.

5. Training management features.

• The LMS should support the management of courses (e.g., course details, duration, fees) and tracking learner progress to ensure compliance with SSG’s funded course status.

Can an LMS or any platform fee be claimed in SSG funding? 

No! Platform or software charges are considered excluded fees, which means they cannot be included in your SSG funding claim.

What does this mean?

• Excluded fees are costs that are not eligible for reimbursement through SSG grants.
• This includes fees for platform subscriptions (e.g., LMS, quiz maker tools, etc.), registration services, administrative fees, and any other non-training related charges like hardware or material costs.

What can be included?

• Course fees: These should cover the actual delivery of the course (trainer fees, training materials, etc.).
• Certification fees: Costs for issuing certificates to learners.
• Assessment fees: Costs associated with the development and administration of assessments (e.g., quizzes, exams, projects).

What can be done about LMS or quiz maker fees?

• LMS and quiz platform subscription fees cannot be included in the grant claims.
• You will need to cover these costs out-of-pocket or ensure that they are incorporated into the overall course fees. However, they should not be separately itemized as part of the qualifying fees for SSG reimbursement.

Possible approaches

Include LMS/Platform cost in course fees: 

You can spread the cost of your LMS or quiz platform across your overall course fees. Just ensure that you do not claim these as separate costs under certification or assessment fees.

Assess your pricing: 

If your LMS or other software costs are substantial, you may need to adjust your course pricing to cover these non-reimbursable costs, while still complying with SSG’s rules.

Steps to design a pricing strategy to cover platform fees and claim SSG grants

Here’s how you can design a pricing strategy that covers your LMS or quiz platform costs while adhering to SSG guidelines.

1. Calculate your total course costs.

Start by calculating all the expenses you incur to deliver the course:

• Trainer fees: Cost of the training providers or adult educators.
• Course materials: Any materials you provide to learners (e.g., PDFs, slides, etc.).
• Software/platform costs: Your LMS subscription, quiz maker platform, and other administrative tools.
• Other operational costs: Venue costs (if any), marketing expenses, and more.

2. Determine the cost structure.

Because software/platform costs cannot be claimed under SSG, you need to ensure they are covered within the course fees without explicitly itemizing them as "LMS or platform fees."

Example breakdown:

• Trainer fees: SGD500
• Course materials: SGD100
• Platform subscription fees (LMS/online training platform, quiz tools): SGD150
• Administrative costs: SGD50
• Total cost of the course: SGD800

3. Set the course fee for trainees.

You will need to structure your course fee in a way that covers all these costs, while ensuring that only course, certification, and assessment fees are eligible for SSG funding.

Total course fee: Set a course fee that includes all of your costs (e.g., trainer, materials, platform, etc.).

• Example course fee: SGD1,000 (including trainer, materials, software, etc.)

4. Handle SSG grants.

• For the first 350 learners (if your course is eligible for subsidies):

  ➤ Trainees can claim SkillsFuture Credits or other subsidies to offset the fee.
  ➤ If eligible for a 70% subsidy, SSG will pay 70% of the fee (e.g., SGD700).
  ➤ You receive SGD700 from SSG and the trainee pays the remaining SGD300 (out-of-pocket or via SkillsFuture Credits).

• For learners beyond 350:

  ➤ These learners must pay the full SGD1,000 fee (you no longer receive subsidies from SSG after the 350-cap).
  ➤ The learner pays the entire amount directly to you.

5. Make sure your pricing remains compliant.

While you can include the costs of your software and platforms in the course fee, you must not separate them as individual items in your claims to SSG. They should be part of the overall course cost, but not explicitly itemized for reimbursement.

• Course fee claim: Only claim the portion covered by SSG (after applying subsidies or funding). This is typically for the first 350 learners.
• No separate claims for software: You cannot claim LMS or quiz platform fees separately—these are built into your overall course fee.

6. Ensure transparency for trainees.

For transparency:

• Ensure that your invoices to trainees reflect the full course fee but make it clear that subsidies or SkillsFuture Credits will reduce the actual out-of-pocket payment.
• When advertising or providing details of the course, clearly list the full course fee and mention the SkillsFuture Credit eligibility or SSG funding availability.

Final example for your course fee:

• Total course fee: SGD1,000 (including everything—trainer fees, materials, LMS, and platform costs).

  ➤ SSG subsidy: SGD700 (if the course is eligible for 70% funding).
  ➤ Trainee payment: SGD300 (either out-of-pocket or via SkillsFuture Credits).

For learners beyond the cap (350+), they pay the full SGD1,000 themselves, without any further subsidy.

Wrapping up 

In this blog post, we covered the key initiatives under SSG, how training providers can leverage these initiatives, and how using an LMS or online training software can maximize the potential of offering SSG-funded courses.

If you want to use TrainerCentral to deliver virtual courses that adhere to SSG guidelines, we can provide you with a tailored demo on how the platform can help. You can also sign up for the platform and try the features yourself.