Work-Study Fair 2025 Celebrates 10 Years of SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes
About 16,000 individuals and 4,000 companies have benefitted since launch in 2015
The SkillsFuture Work-Study pathway, which aims to give Singaporeans a head start in their careers by integrating classroom learning with real-world work experience, marks its 10th anniversary this year. Since its launch in 2015, about 16,000 participants and some 4,000 companies have benefitted from the programme.
This milestone was commemorated today at the annual SkillsFuture Work-Study Fair 2025 (WSF25), organised by Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) in collaboration with the other Polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), and supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) as part of the ongoing SkillsFuture Festival. The event was graced by Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment.
Themed “Empowering Careers, Bridging Education and Industry”, WSF25 is an opportunity for interested learners to explore career pathways, engage industry partners, and discover opportunities in the Work-Study landscape. This year’s Work-Study Fair celebrates the 10-year milestone with a series of physical and online engagements, including webinars, partner booths, and an awards ceremony recognising exemplary employer partners of the SkillsFuture Work-Study Programme (WSP).
Growth of the SkillsFuture Work-Study Programme
Since its launch in 2015, the SkillsFuture WSP has evolved from 15 programmes to about 150 today, spanning a wide range of industry sectors. This expansion has been driven by the strong partnership between the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and employers, to keep programme offerings aligned to industry needs while supporting meaningful, skills-based employment. Employers come from a diversity of sectors such as Hospitality, Information Technology, Logistics, Healthcare, and Engineering, and range from Small and Medium Enterprises to Multi-National Corporations and Government agencies.
By participating in WSPs, companies can tap on a ready talent pool and benefit from training that can better addresses the company’s needs, with support from IHLs. In turn, learners gain work experience while pursuing higher qualifications and have seen positive outcomes such as high employment rates and good wages. The IHLs also gain insights into industries’ evolving needs by co-developing and delivering the WSP curriculum with companies, supporting institutions’ curriculum design and applied research.
New SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes
This year features five new programmes, focusing on emerging needs ranging from youth mental wellness to data science. These programmes are:
Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP)
- SkillsFuture Work-Study Post-Diploma (Specialist Diploma in Youth Development & Mental Wellness) – To commence in October 2025
Republic Polytechnic (RP)
- SkillsFuture Work-Study Certificate leading to Diploma in Digital Media and Communication – Commenced in June 2025
- SkillsFuture Work-study Certificate leading to Diploma in Accounting and Corporate Secretarial Practice – Commenced in June 2025
- SkillsFuture Work-Study Certificate leading to Diploma in Music and Sound Production – Commenced in April 2025
Singapore Polytechnic (SP)
- SkillsFuture Work-Study Post-Diploma (Specialist Diploma in Data Science (Artificial Intelligence)) – To commence in October 2025
For more information on the new SkillsFuture WSPs launched this year, please refer to Annex A. You may also visit https://skillsfutureworkstudyfair2025.polite.edu.sg/ for more details on WSF25.
ANNEX A: LIST OF NEW SKILLSFUTURE WORK-STUDY PROGRAMMES LAUNCHED IN 2025
|
INSTITUTE |
PROGRAMME |
DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
|
Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) | SkillsFuture Work-Study Post-Diploma (Specialist Diploma in Youth Development & Mental Wellness) | The SkillsFuture Work-Study Post-Diploma (Specialist Diploma in Youth Development & Mental Wellness) equips learners with essential skills to support and work with youth in the education and social service sector. It combines theoretical understanding with practical application, preparing graduates to comprehend youth development and foster emotional resilience among youth through programme development, communication, and behavioural management strategies. Through this work-study pathway, participants can immediately apply their learning in real-world settings while engaging effectively with families, educators, and community partners, meeting Singapore's growing need for qualified youth development professionals. |
|
Republic Polytechnic (RP) |
SkillsFuture Work-Study Certificate leading to Diploma in Digital Media and Communication
|
The SkillsFuture Work-Study Certificate leading to Diploma in Digital Media and Communication prepares students for the dynamic media and communication industry. Learners gain a competitive edge by mastering communication through multiple perspectives: business strategy, emerging technologies, data analytics, and corporate sustainability. This comprehensive programme develops analytical and problem-solving capabilities essential for thriving in digital business environments, both locally and globally. Graduates emerge ready to tackle complex communication challenges with innovative solutions, backed by practical skills and strategic thinking. |
|
SkillsFuture Work-Study Certificate leading to Diploma in Accounting and Corporate Secretarial Practice |
The SkillsFuture Work-Study Certificate leading to Diploma in Accounting and Corporate Secretarial Practice aims to provide adult learners with accessible pathways to pursue careers in accounting or corporate secretarial practice, addressing the sector’s talent gap and ensuring a continuous pipeline of skilled professionals to support future growth. | |
|
SkillsFuture Work-Study Certificate leading to Diploma in Music and Sound Production
|
The SkillsFuture Work-Study Certificate leading to Diploma in Music and Sound Production develops professionals who can excel in today's digital audio landscape. Through hands-on workshops and industry-standard training, students master audio content creation while building expertise in live sound, studio recording, sound design, and media production. The programme emphasises creative innovation and technical proficiency, preparing graduates for diverse roles in entertainment, broadcasting, and digital media. Students graduate with a robust portfolio of work, practical industry experience, and the versatile skills needed to shape compelling audio content across broadcast, digital platforms, and live performances. | |
|
Singapore Polytechnic (SP) |
SkillsFuture Work-Study Post-Diploma (Specialist Diploma in Data Science (Artificial Intelligence))
|
The SkillsFuture Work-Study Post-Diploma (Specialist Diploma in Data Science (Artificial Intelligence)) supports fresh local graduates from the Polytechnics in acquiring and deepening their skills in AI application and machine learning. Participants can look forward to equipping themselves with knowledge and skills on Statistics and Programming for Data Science, feature engineering, machine learning model training and inferencing, enabling human and AI interactions through virtual/conversational agents, deep learning models for computer vision and natural language progressing, etc. |