SkillsFuture Credit: How to Use for AI Training

SkillsFuture Credit is a lifelong learning fund provided by the Singapore government to every Singaporean aged 25 and above. It is personal (not tied to any employer), portable across jobs, and can be used on a wide range of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)-approved courses, including AI and other future-ready skills.

CREDIT STRUCTURE

• Age 25: One-time opening credit of $500, auto-credited.
• Age 40: Additional $500 top-up (total cumulative $1,000 if untouched).
• Age 60: Additional $500 top-up (total cumulative $1,500 if untouched).
• Special top-ups: Occasional one-off credits announced by the government (e.g., $500 in 2020, $4,000 in 2024 for 40–60 year olds). Some special top-ups may have expiry conditions.

KEY FEATURES

1. No Expiry (for base credits)

• Core SkillsFuture Credit does not expire.
• Belongs to you personally and follows you across employers, career breaks, and into retirement.

2. Portability

• Credit remains available regardless of job changes or employment status (employee, freelancer, self-employed, retired).

3. Wide Course Coverage

• Usable on 20,000+ SSG-approved courses from:
  • Universities, polys, and ITE
  • Professional training providers (e.g., Pertama Partners)
  • Industry associations
  • Selected online and overseas programmes (if SSG-approved)

4. Stackable with Other Subsidies

• Can be combined with:
  • MCES (Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy, typically 40+): up to 90% subsidy.
  • Company sponsorship.
  • SFEC and other enterprise schemes.
• In many cases, this allows near- or full-coverage of course fees.

HOW TO USE YOUR CREDIT (STEP-BY-STEP)

Step 1: Check Your Balance (≈5 minutes)

1. Go to MySkillsFuture.gov.sg.
2. Log in with Singpass.
3. On your dashboard, view:
   • Current SkillsFuture Credit balance.
   • Transaction history.
   • Any special top-ups and their conditions.

Step 2: Browse and Select AI Courses (≈30–60 minutes) A) Directly on MySkillsFuture:

• Use “Browse Courses” and search for terms like “Artificial Intelligence”, “AI”, “Prompt Engineering”, etc.
• Filter by course type, duration, delivery mode, provider, and price.

B) Research providers first:

• Search online for “AI training Singapore SSG-approved”.
• Review provider sites (e.g., Pertama Partners) for:
  • Detailed course outlines.
  • Learning outcomes.
  • Trainer profiles.
  • Schedules and delivery mode.
• Then locate the exact course on MySkillsFuture to apply your credit.

What to look for:

• Clear, specific course outline and learning outcomes.
• Trainer with real industry experience.
• Practical assessments and application focus.
• Reasonable pricing and positive reviews.

Red flags:

• Vague descriptions, no trainer info, extremely low prices, or no clear outcomes.

Typical AI course tiers:

• Foundation ($400–$600): AI fundamentals, prompt engineering basics, AI tools for productivity.
• Intermediate ($800–$1,200): AI strategy, governance, workflow automation.
• Advanced ($1,500–$2,500): ML for business, AI product management, industry-specific AI.

Step 3: Calculate Your Net Cost Examples:

• Scenario A (Credit only):

  • Course: $600, Credit: $500 → You pay $100.

• Scenario B (Credit + MCES, 40+):

  • Course: $1,200, MCES 90% = $1,080, balance $120.
  • Use $120 credit → You pay $0.

• Scenario C (Credit + Company):

  • Course: $1,000, Credit: $500, Company: $500 → You pay $0.

• Scenario D (High-fee course with MCES):

  • Course: $2,000, MCES 90% = $1,800, balance $200.
  • Use $200 credit (remaining credit stays) → You pay $0.

The MySkillsFuture portal will compute the exact subsidy and credit usage for you.

Step 4: Register and Apply Credit A) If registering via MySkillsFuture:

1. On the course page, click “Register”.
2. When prompted, choose to use SkillsFuture Credit.
3. System automatically applies subsidies and shows:
   • Course fee.
   • Subsidy (e.g., MCES).
   • Credit amount applied.
   • Net payable.
4. Confirm and pay any remaining amount (if any) via card/PayNow/bank.
5. Receive confirmation email.

B) If registering directly with provider:

1. Contact the provider and state you want to use SkillsFuture Credit.
2. Provider registers you and triggers a MySkillsFuture notification.
3. Log in to MySkillsFuture to approve the credit usage.
4. Pay any remaining balance directly to the provider.

Important: You must apply credit before or during registration; retroactive claims after course completion are not allowed.

Step 5: Attend and Complete the Course Before:

• Block your calendar, review pre-course materials, set clear learning objectives.

During:

• Meet minimum attendance (often ≥75%).
• Participate actively, take notes, and network.

After:

• Complete assessments.
• Give feedback.
• Apply what you learned quickly (ideally within a week).
• Share key takeaways with your manager/team.

Step 6: Certificates and Records

• Digital certificates are usually issued upon completion and stored in MySkillsFuture.
• You can download them as PDFs and add them to LinkedIn.
• Your SkillsFuture Credit deduction and remaining balance will update in 1–2 days.
• Your Skills Passport in MySkillsFuture tracks all completed courses and can be shared with employers.

MAXIMIZING YOUR CREDIT: STRATEGIES

Strategy 1: Combine with Company Funding

• Use your credit first; ask employer to cover the rest.
• Position it as a cost-saving way for the company to upskill staff.
• Offer to share learnings with your team.

Strategy 2: Leverage MCES (Age 40+)

• MCES can subsidize up to 90% of course fees.
• Use your credit to cover the remaining 10% → many courses become effectively free.
• Prioritize higher-value courses ($1,500–$2,500) to maximize the benefit.

Strategy 3: Stacked Learning Path

• Build a progression: Foundation → Intermediate → Advanced.
• Example for marketing:
  • Year 1: AI fundamentals.
  • Year 2: AI for marketing (with MCES if 40+).
  • Year 3: Prompt engineering and advanced application.

Strategy 4: Career Transition

• Use modular courses to pivot into new roles (e.g., admin → data analyst).
• Combine Excel, SQL, BI tools, and Python over 1–3 years.
• Use company sponsorship and MCES where possible.

Strategy 5: Time Around Milestones (40 & 60)

• If you are close to 40 or 60, plan usage around upcoming top-ups.
• Avoid draining your last small balance right before a top-up if you can wait.
• After top-up + MCES, you can often take expensive courses at zero cost.

COMMON SCENARIOS

• 28-year-old with $500:

  • Better to take multiple shorter AI courses to explore and build breadth rather than one expensive course.

• 42-year-old with $1,000 + MCES:

  • Can access several thousand dollars’ worth of executive and leadership training at no personal cost.

• 55-year-old with $1,000+:

  • Use for advanced AI and coaching/mentoring courses to stay relevant and lead.

• 38-year-old returning from career break:

  • Use existing $500 now, then leverage the 40-year top-up + MCES for more substantial upskilling.

BEST PRACTICES Do:

• Check your balance before planning.
• Focus on high-impact, career-relevant courses.
• Combine with company funding and subsidies.
• Maintain updated records on MySkillsFuture and LinkedIn.
• Plan multi-course learning paths.

Don’t:

• Wait indefinitely for the “perfect” course.
• Burn credit on very cheap, low-value courses.
• Forget to indicate credit usage at registration.
• Delay all learning just to wait for top-ups.
• Take courses that don’t align with your goals.

ADVANCED FUNDING OPTIONS

• SkillsFuture Study Awards: Up to $5,000 for deeper skills in selected domains (competitive, application-based).
• SkillsFuture Fellowships: Up to $10,000 for senior professionals with strong industry leadership and mentoring track records.
• Work-Study Programmes: Combine employment with part-time study; SkillsFuture Credit can cover your share of fees.

FOR EMPLOYERS

• Encouraging employees to use SkillsFuture Credit reduces training costs and boosts engagement and retention.
• Good practices:
  • Provide paid training time.
  • Co-fund remaining fees after credit.
  • Curate role-relevant course lists.
  • Recognize and reward learning.

TRACKING YOUR LEARNING

• Use MySkillsFuture’s Skills Passport to track all courses, skills, and certifications.
• Explore AI-driven recommendations for next courses and career paths.
• Monitor your credit usage, course history, and time invested in learning.

NEXT ACTIONS

1. Log into MySkillsFuture.gov.sg and check your balance.
2. Clarify your learning and career goals (especially around AI and digital skills).
3. Shortlist 2–3 SSG-approved AI courses.
4. Use the portal to calculate your net cost with subsidies and credit.
5. Register, apply your SkillsFuture Credit, and commit to completing the course.

If you want structured, SSG-approved AI training and help maximizing your SkillsFuture Credit, you can contact Pertama Partners:

• Email: partners@pertamagroup.com
• Phone: +60 11-1107 8568
• Website: pertama-partners.vercel.app/funding/singapore-skillsfuture-credit

SkillsFuture Credit Expiry: What You Need to Know

One of the most common questions about SkillsFuture Credit is whether it expires. Here is what you need to know:

• Initial $500 Credit — The original SkillsFuture Credit of $500 does not have an expiry date
• Top-up Credits — Subsequent top-ups may have specific validity periods, which are shown in your MySkillsFuture portal
• Government Extensions — The Singapore government has historically extended credit validity when expiry dates approach
• Check Your Portal — Always log in to MySkillsFuture to see your specific credit breakdown and any expiry dates

How to Check Your SkillsFuture Credit Balance

Follow these steps to check your balance:

1. Visit www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg
2. Click "Log in with Singpass"
3. Authenticate using your Singpass credentials
4. Your credit balance appears on the dashboard
5. Click "View Details" to see a breakdown of credits and claims

You can also check your balance through the SkillsFuture app available on iOS and Android.

SkillsFuture Credit Expiry: What You Need to Know

One of the most common questions about SkillsFuture Credit is whether it expires. Here is what you need to know:

• Initial $500 Credit — The original SkillsFuture Credit of $500 does not have an expiry date
• Top-up Credits — Subsequent top-ups may have specific validity periods, which are shown in your MySkillsFuture portal
• Government Extensions — The Singapore government has historically extended credit validity when expiry dates approach
• Check Your Portal — Always log in to MySkillsFuture to see your specific credit breakdown and any expiry dates

How to Check Your SkillsFuture Credit Balance

Follow these steps to check your balance:

1. Visit www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg
2. Click "Log in with Singpass"
3. Authenticate using your Singpass credentials
4. Your credit balance appears on the dashboard
5. Click "View Details" to see a breakdown of credits and claims

You can also check your balance through the SkillsFuture app available on iOS and Android.