A Jobseeker’s Guide to Benefits, Funding and Claims in Singapore

We all know the importance of training programmes in finding and building our careers. But did you also know that there are support programmes available to make it more affordable for Singaporeans?

Whether you are a mature PMET (Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians), looking for a change in industry or career, or are on a low income, read on and discover the many funding schemes that can support you in realising your career goals.

Mature PMETs

Skills Development Fund (SDF) for Individuals

Are you a PMET who is hungry for continual learning and growth?

Available to both self-sponsored and company-sponsored Singapore Citizens and PRs, the SDF offers up to 95% of funding for SSG-funded courses at both PME and non-PME level.

The programme also gives employers further incentive to invest in their mature employees by offering up to 95% of absentee payroll funding.

Learn more about applying for the  SDF as an individual.

CITREP+ Microsoft On-Demand

Keeping up with all the latest shifts in the ICT industry can be expensive. Fortunately, CITREP+ helps you do it effectively and affordably.

Through proactive training and funding support, CITREP+ offers up to 100% of the nett payable certification fees (capped at $500 per trainee) for the following two courses.

• NICF – Project Management Professional (PMP)®
• NICF – ITIL® Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management

To apply for CITREP+, you must be a self-sponsored Singapore Citizen or PR, or a trainee who has been sponsored by an organisation that has been incorporated or registered in Singapore (Local Government Agency employees can only apply through self-sponsorship).

Don’t let your ICT skills fall behind – learn more about  CITREP+.

Mid-Career Switchers

SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy

In need of training to keep up with the changing workplace?

Open to Singapore Citizens aged 40 and above, the Skills Future Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy supports upskilling and reskilling by offering up to 90% off course fees for SSG-supported certifiable courses.

Of course, if you are already under the Workfare Training Support (WTS) Scheme (which we’ll discuss later), you will continue to receive 95% course fee funding support.

To learn more about the subsidy  Skills Future Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy.

Infocomm Technology (ICT) Professional Conversion Programme (PCP)

Been wanting to shift into  Singapore’s booming ICT sector but don’t know how to make the jump?

NTUC LearningHub has partnered with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and  Workforce Singapore (WSG) to offer a place-and-train PCP that enables mid-career switchers to become qualified ICT professionals. While there are many different career paths in ICT, area include software, web and mobile app development.

To apply for the ICT PCP, you’ll need to be a Singapore Citizen or PR who meets one of the following:

• Currently employed in ICT but seeking to acquire new skills and/or switch careers to another ICT sub-sector
• Currently employed in industries other than ICT but seeking to acquire new skills and switch careers to ICT
• Currently unemployed but seeking to enter the ICT industry

Find out more about shifting into the ICT sector.

Career Support Programme (CSP)

Are you a mature PME who has been actively looking for jobs for a considerable period of time?

The CSP supports mature PMEs in finding work by offering  up to 18 months of wage support (capped at $42,000) to employers who are offering suitable job opportunities. New hires can also be sent for SSG-funded courses with fee support depending on prevailing SSG rates and existing processes.

To be eligible for the CSP, you must adhere to the following:

• Individuals
  • Singapore Citizens aged 40 years and above who have been made redundant or unemployed and actively looking for jobs for 6 months or more
  • Singapore Citizens aged below 40 years who have been unemployed and actively looking for jobs for 6 months or more

• Employers
  • Company is registered or incorporated in Singapore
  • Employs eligible PME job seeker(s) with a permanent job or employment contract duration of at least 12 months and a monthly gross salary of at least $4,000 (basic salary plus allowances attracting CPF contribution)
  • Provides eligible PME job seeker(s) with approved structured  On-The-Job training (OJT) or sends him/her for external SSG-approved training

Low-Income Workers

Workfare Training Support (WTS)

Skills training is not just for business owners and managers – it’s for everyone, including low-income workers seeking to increase their earning potential.

If you are a Singaporean Citizen aged 35 and above (or are 13 years and above with Disabilities) and  earn not more than $2,000 per month, Workfare Training Support (WTS) can help you upskill and improve your career prospects.

WTS offers:

• 100% funding support for selected basic skills training such as foundational skills in numeracy
• 95% course fee funding and absentee payroll for a wide range of courses
• Training allowance of $4.50 per training hour (for those who meet criteria)
• Cash awards of up to $400 per year under the Training Commitment Award (TCA), and up to $1,200 under the Continuing Education and Training Qualification Award (CQA)

Interested? Learn more about the WTS Scheme.

General Public

UTAP (for NTUC members)

Are you a NTUC member? If so, you also have access to the Union Training Assistance Programme (UTAP)!

This unique training benefit  offers NTUC members up to $250 in training benefits per year, which can be used on a whole range of UTAP-supported courses ranging from manufacturing to construction to infocomms and management (see the full list  here).

To be eligible, NTUC members must meet the following conditions:

• Paid-up union membership before course commencement, throughout whole course duration and at the point of claim
• Course by training provider is supported by UTAP and training must commence within supported period
• UTAP funding is only applicable on the course fee not funded through company sponsorship or other types of funding
• Unfunded course fee must be S$20.00 and above
• Achieved a minimum of 75% attendance for each application and sat for all prescribed examination(s), if any
• UTAP application must be submitted online within 6 months from the course end/exam date.

Get more out of your NTUC membership today with UTAP.

Enterprise Training Support (ETS) Scheme

Running an organisation and want to get the best out of your employees?

The Enterprise Training Support (ETS) Scheme helps you raise employee skills and productivity, develop Human Resources (HR) and management systems and practices tied to training, as well as benchmark compensation and benefits to market rates.

Available to all organisations, companies, societies and non-profit organisations registered or incorporated in Singapore, the ETS Scheme offers a whole range of grants, which can extend to up to  as much as $200,000 per organisation.

There is a caveat though – those who have tapped into government assistance schemes in the past, for similar funding components, may not qualify for some specific grant components.

Learn more about the  ETS Scheme.

That brings us to the end of our roundup of funding and claims programmes in Singapore! There are however even more and if you’d like to learn about them,  click here.