Career Development
Singapore’s knowledge economy calls for adaptable, relevant workers, and this is where continuous education plays an important role – to keep us relevant and engaged with industry developments.
If you’re coming back to Singapore and looking to realign your skills with the needs of local organisations, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the wealth of training opportunities offered by both the public and private sectors.
Professional Development
The government is taking the lead in promoting continuous training. The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) has launched the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) as part of its efforts to provide comprehensive, sector-specific training. In particular, you may be interested in the Professional Skills Programme which is targeted at professionals, managers, executives and technicians who wish to upgrade their skills in a wide spectrum of industries or in generic skills such as Leadership and People Management.
Often, companies provide career training but if you wish to take a more proactive approach or pursue learning for self-fulfilment, study the range of professional development programmes offered by the private sector, for almost anything from executive training to life coaching.
Trainee Programmes
Management trainee positions are an attractive career track for young professionals. Many government organisations such as the Singapore Tourism Board and the Monetary Association of Singapore and private companies, including banks, take in management trainees in a bid to groom talents for future leadership positions. Taking on a management trainee role means you will be exposed to relevant working experience in the industry that you’re interested in.
Further Education
Upgrading your qualifications not only enhances proficiency and knowledge, it is also an invaluable tool in getting a leg up in the corporate world. Some 16 world-class private universities have set up campuses in Singapore, including the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, INSEAD, ESSEC Business School, Digipen Institute of Technology, SP Jain Center of Management, Tisch School of the Arts and University of Nevada, Las Vegas. These would be excellent avenues to garner your Masters degree or other qualifications.
SIM University is the only local tertiary education that caters exclusively to working adults and professionals. It offers a comprehensive buffet of programmes, from Masters and PhD programmes to short courses. Its sister institution, Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), offers degree and professional programmes in conjunction with premier overseas universities, such as RMIT, University at Buffalo, University of London and University of Sydney.
Although the three local autonomous universities – National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore Management University (SMU) – cater primarily to undergraduate education, you will find some high-quality post-graduate programmes here, which live up to the sterling reputation of these institutions. Research and scholarship opportunities are also available to post-graduate students.
Networking Platforms
Networking with industry experts is an integral part of garnering on-the-ground insights. The most targeted networking platforms tend to be those offered by professional associations, as they offer opportunities to meet leaders and peers in specific professions or industries.
These associations cater to a wide variety of interests and needs:
By nationality
Key chambers of commerce and other business networks
Career resources
Professional associations
In addition, the Singapore Professional Centre also maintains a list of professional associations in Singapore.
Alumni associations
Universities, too, provide first-rate networking opportunities, usually via alumni events – staying involved with your alma mater or the university that you’re furthering your education with may be the best avenue for networking.
Web Resource