Best SGUnited Programmes for Jobless Singaporeans

Just how bad is the unemployment situation in Singapore? Well, according to MOM (Ministry of Manpower), there are 0.57 jobs to every unemployed Singaporean in June! With more retrenchment news surfacing in the months since June, we would be lying if we say we aren’t afraid that we can’t find jobs to help us tide through the recession.

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has been stepping up its efforts to help those who are unemployed by rolling out SGUnited Skills (SGUS) programmes. SGUS works on the basic principle: Since we can’t find a job, why don’t we learn a new skill, so that when the economy recovers 6 to 9 months down the road, we’ll have skills that employers want to recruit?

Read More: Top 10 Industries With the Highest Demand for Talents in 2021, based on data released by MOM

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We’re almost a year into the pandemic and training providers have come up with more than 200 SGUS programmes (and counting) to soak up the labour market. That being said, it’s half a year or more of our time we are going to invest in, so we should also be prudent in choosing which SGUS programme to participate in.

There are many ways to look for the best SGUS you should be enrolling yourself in. “What you really want” ranks highest. After all, we’re supposed to be devoting a good part of our working lives in the industry after completing the training, so it would be pointless to join an industry that we have no affinity in. However, there are still some “recommendations” to be given, based on some objective criteria. Hopefully, these recommendations can help narrow down your choices to find the programmes that really suit you.

Read More: What is SGUnited Skills and SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways – Company Training, and what is in store for 2021?

SGUnited Skills & SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme Budget 2021

Best Paid SGUnited Programme – IBM i.am.vitalize

i.am.vitalize is a 6-month SGUnited programme with 2 learning tracks – AI and Cybersecurity. IBM is a large company with a stellar track record in the tech industry. However, the most striking aspect of its programme is that it is the only programme that offers a $1,500 monthly allowance.

Perhaps this is the reason why IBM had to stagger the first round of applicants into a few batches. And I’ve heard that competition to get into this programme is stiff.

Having said that, the technical aspect of the programme should not be taken lightly. I had written a reflection about my application to the IBM i.am.vitalize SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways programme. Read more about the programme to consider if it’s worth spending the time to get into the waitlist!

Read More: What’s in store for jobseekers in 2021 under the SGUnited scheme?

Most “Worth It” SGUS Programmes

What do you do during a sale? Do you just buy the cheapest item on offer, or do you look at the item’s original price to see if you’re picking up a good bargain? Although this method of comparison is unprofessional, it is undeniable that Singaporeans swear by this selection process!

And since the SGUnited Skills (SGUS) Programmes are somewhat on offer (SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) is subsidising the programmes, so that learners only pay $500 – $1,000 course fees, depending on the duration of the programme), it really makes one wonder which programmes offer the “best bargain”.

NUS SGUS Programme in International Financial Technology (FinTech) for non-Technical Executives

The “NUS SGUS Programme in International Financial Technology (FinTech) for non-Technical Executives” ranks first, with a full course fee at $39,201.91 for its 9-month course. 

Don’t be fooled by its name. It’s a course for non-technical persons, but it is meant to help non-technical persons to be technical savvy. When I looked at the modules, they included basic and intermediate training in the likes of Business Analytics, Power BI (which requires an intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel), and programming (Python, Azure and Java; deploying a website). One does need to have a good foundation in using computers to be successful in this programme.

Read Also: Top skills to have in 2021 and how to acquire them

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SGUS – Video Editing Training Programme

The next SGUS programme on this list is the “SGUS – Video Editing Training Programme” by Singapore Media Academy. Although this programme requires intensive use of computers, it is less technical than the one by NUS. There’s more focus on digital marketing and making use of software to produce videos, instead of understanding hardcore programming. This is definitely a good programme for those who are artistically inclined.

SGUnited Skills Business and Digital Transformation Programme

Singapore Management University’s (SMU) “SGUnited Skills Business and Digital Transformation Programme” came in at 3rd place. At $3,996.89 a month, its full course fee is the 2nd highest after NUS’ $4,355.77 a month. This makes this course more value for money than “SGUS – Video Editing Training Programme”.

Truth be told, I did not register for this programme, even though I was tempted to do so. I had taken SMU’s professional courses before and thought the calibre of the lecturers, who are industry practitioners themselves, to be rather high. SMU also has a strong reputation as a university that is well rooted in the industry.

However, the modules in this programme were too ambiguous for my comfort. They sounded more academic than practical. I also could not imagine an employer who would value these courses. They are good for existing PMETs to enhance their current skills. SGUS programmes are meant for jobseekers who are switching their careers, so learners will find it hard to understand the concepts and most important of all, and it doesn’t make sense for employers to hire someone who’s new to the industry with such complementary knowledge and skill sets.

Most Popular SGUS Programmes

None of the training providers publicly release their application numbers. However, we are able to have a sensing of how popular programmes are, by looking at the number of views for these programmes on SkillsFuture Singapore’s (SSG) Training Exchange. (Read more about how to look for SGUS programmes on SSG’s Training Exchange in my other post.)

SGUS Programme in Healthcare Management and Digital Health

The “SGUS Programme in Healthcare Management and Digital Health” by Singapore Management University (SMU) had the highest views at 28,240. To be honest, I was surprised to see SMU offering training in Healthcare. SMU was known for its business oriented programmes like Data Analytics, Digital Marketing and Management. Despite their modules focusing on the management of healthcare operations, I am rather skeptical of this “cross over”.

However, I may be wrong. Healthcare is one of the sectors that are facing the worst labour crunch (even during this recession), and they do need people to take up jobs in roles supporting the frontline professionals. This included the managers that SMU’s programmes seem to try to cultivate.

SGUS Industry Certificate in Baking

The 2nd SGUS programme on this list will definitely suit one who is totally not technically savvy – “SGUS Industry Certificate in Baking” by Shatec Institutes. With the pandemic changing the ways people shop, many people are turning to home-based baking and cooking. It is no wonder that this course is also highly searched. 

Although nobody can live without food, it does make me wonder if this niche area is already saturated. Many F&B establishments are closing down. And coupled with the increase in the number of home-based food production, the competition in this area looks set to be tough.

Associate Data Analyst

NTUC LearningHub’s “Associate Data Analyst” is an “all-time favourite”. The Singapore government has been pushing hard for training in Data Analysis with its SkillFuture initiative for many years. Media outlets have been raving at how companies are fighting for talents trained in Data Analysis. Therefore, it seems like this is a logical choice for Singaporean jobseekers.

In my opinion, though, getting a job in data analysis does not guarantee a job offer (despite all the rosy pictures painted by everyone). I have a friend who completed a Professional Certificate in Data Analysis by SMU in 2019 – way before the pandemic hit the economy hard – but he has yet to find a job in this field. 

Many employers are looking for people doing data analysis tasks, but they require candidates to have a degree or Master in data analysis. Even now, when I scanned through job listings, employers are not changing their requirements in this challenging climate. Like the “SGUnited Skills Business and Digital Transformation Programme” by SMU I mentioned earlier, data analysis training – due to job market forces – have become complementary training, rather than a skillset one can just take on and enter an industry.

In other words, you take data analytics courses to expand your capabilities in your current job. Or at least this is how employers are treating training in data analytics.

Least Popular SGUS Programmes

If we look at the SGUS programmes that are most viewed, we will be competing with many other people. However, as all business people (or stock players) know, the best opportunity is the one that has the least competition. Therefore, to round off my suggestions, I’m taking a reverse psychology approach. 

Since all SGUnited Skills (SGUS) programmes are endorsed by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), who in turn are supporting training for jobs in high demand or in emerging areas, there is no harm in taking up the least viewed courses. They are assessed by SSG to be training for industries who need such talents, and these programmes are seeing a lot less competition than the other SGUS programmes.

SGUS JOE for Research & Project Management in Advanced Manufacturing

Take for example the least viewed SGUS programme “SGUS JOE for Research & Project Management in Advanced Manufacturing” by Singapore Institute of Management (SIM). It only had 77 views, compared with the 28,240 views for “SGUS Programme in Healthcare Management and Digital Health” by Singapore Management University. The competition is 370 times less intense for this SIM’s course.

In fact, SIM’s courses made up the top 3 in this list. They are: “SGUS JOE for Compliance Management in Advanced Manufacturing” and “SGUS JOMAN for Compliance Management in Advanced Manufacturing”.  (The former is pegged at Executive level, while the latter is at Managerial level)

SIM is one of the more established training providers for SGUS programmes. And SIM has produced many graduates in the past for the working world. When I looked at its course details page, I noticed these courses are only approved as SGUS programmes in mid-September. Compared with the most viewed course that was approved and listed on SSG’s Training Exchange since 1 July, I can only deduce that they are low in views because they are new, not because SIM is not a trusted school.

That being said, this still indicates that competition in these programmes is low. Coupled with SIM’s track record, taking on these 3 least viewed programmes may give one a greater chance at securing employment.

More importantly, these 3 courses are in the Advanced Manufacturing area. As I had mentioned in my earlier post analysing recent reports from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Manpower and SSG, Advanced Manufacturing is a strong sector that is also highly supported by the Singapore government. This means that companies in Advanced Manufacturing are only going to grow and hire more people than other industries.

Therefore, even though Advanced Manufacturing is a niche, the job prospects for one graduating from an Advanced Manufacturing SGUS programme is also higher than the rest of the training areas.

Parting Words

With about 147,000 unemployed Singaporeans, getting enrolled in one of the 217 SGUnited Skills (SGUS) programmes will just be as tough as applying for a job. However, SGUS is definitely one of the better ways for Singaporeans to tide through the bad times and prepare for when the Singapore economy recovers from the pandemic recession.

All SGUS training providers have been “recognised” by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to be credible and their SGUS programmes vetted and approved by SSG. Therefore, even if you are not sure which programme to register for, any of these programmes are bound to help you upskill or reskill for the future. 

Comparing these SGUS programmes by the training allowance given, by their popularity or by how low the competition will be are just one of the many ways that we can narrow our choices down and determine which programme we want to register for. 

SGUnited Skills (SGUS) Programme	Training Provider
Best Paid SGUS Programme
i.am-vitalize	IBM
Most “Worth It” SGUS Programme
NUS SGUS Programme in International Financial Technology (FinTech) for non-Technical Executives	National University of Singapore (NUS)
SGUS – Video Editing Training Programme	Singapore Media Academy
SGUnited Skills Business and Digital Transformation Programme	Singapore Management University (SMU)
Most Viewed SGUS Programme
SGUS Programme in Healthcare Management and Digital Health	Singapore Management University (SMU)
SGUS Industry Certificate in Baking	Shatec Institutes
Associate Data Analyst	NTUC LearningHub
Least Viewed SGUS Programme
SGUS JOE for Research & Project Management in Advanced Manufacturing	Singapore Institute of Management (SIM)
SGUS JOE for Compliance Management in Advanced Manufacturing	Singapore Institute of Management (SIM)
SGUS JOMAN for Compliance Management in Advanced Manufacturing	Singapore Institute of Management (SIM)

At the end of the day, you must still consider other intrinsic factors (Do I have interest in this area? Do I have prior knowledge that will make my learning curve smoother?) and pragmatic factors (When Singapore opens up and classroom training resumes, will I be able to make it for the classes every day? Does this SGUS programme lead to a PMET job (more prestige) or operation job (higher job security)?).

In fact, I hope this post can help inspire you to look at other ways to determine which SGUS programme is suitable for you. If you still feel lost, take a career interest assessment found on MySkillsFuture portal to help you find your bearings. You can also read about the ways you can make use of MySkillsFuture to manage your career in my other post, or how you can make use of Skills Passport to give your job search a boost.

Till then, stay curious and resilient!