immense truth as digitalisation, along with the rapid growth of our landscape, has enforced the need for lifelong learning.
Adapting and evolving is key for one to remain relevant and thrive in our ever-changing landscape. This has become especially prominent in the workforce, where businesses across industries are constantly on the lookout for new skills and talent acquisition. Versatility and a desire for learning at every stage of life has become attributes for one to effectively navigate and succeed in an environment that demands constant change. HappyDot.sg’s online survey in Singapore found that 52% of those who took part in the poll enrolled themselves in part time training courses to upgrade themselves. More importantly, beyond advancing in the workforce, lifelong learning should stem from within ourselves – as a desire to improve, broaden our horizons and grow as individuals.
Today, learning has become much more accessible and convenient with the variety of courses and learning materials available online.
Enrichment Programmes in Singapore
As a first world country that prioritises learning, education is one of the current affairs in Singapore that we tend to focus on. Singapore has rolled out several national programmes to encourage citizens to develop new skills and realise their full potential.
SkillsFuture SG
SkillsFuture SG is a national movement enabling Singaporeans to achieve their full potential, regardless of age. This initiative features a myriad of courses and programmes to encourage the skills, passions and contributions of Singaporeans, which will eventually fuel the economy and foster a more inclusive society.
SG United Traineeship and SG United Mid-Career Pathways Programme
The SG United Traineeship programme is for recent graduates or those who will be completing their tertiary education in 2019 to 2021. It provides fresh graduates with traineeship opportunities across various industry sectors. Equipping them with valuable industry skills and experience helps increase their employability in the current weak hiring climate. In addition, the SG United Mid-Career Pathways Programme was also introduced to support mid-career individuals in expanding their professional networks and acquiring new, in-demand skills for more permanent employment.
Online Course Providers
Apart from the enrichment programmes in Singapore, online course providers also help to facilitate lifelong learning. As digitalisation has made online learning more accessible, online courses have been growing in popularity over the past few years. The pandemic has rendered the need for stay-at-home restrictions and safe distancing measures, further boosting the prevalence of such online courses.
Some great examples of popular online course providers today include Udemy, Skillshare and FutureLearn, where thousands of online courses across a plethora of topics are offered. From work related courses including marketing and design to personal interests such as music or baking, anyone can easily find their course of choice on online course provider platforms.
The best part of signing up with online course providers is the convenience and flexibility of learning. Often, education is associated with strict schedules and timetables, which can take the fun out of learning. Rather than working your schedule around learning, why not work learning into your schedule? As some online courses consist of pre-recorded tutorials and training, studying and learning can now happen in the time frame that best works for you.
Learning through Social Media
There is no denying the prominence of social media in this day and age. Often, we relate social media to entertainment and news about Singapore’s current affairs. However, did you know that social media can be leveraged for learning too? YouTube is an especially useful tool for learning! With a platform that has over millions of videos, finding tutorials or instructional lessons is just a click away. According to a research study, 51% of participants rely on YouTube to figure out how to do new things.
Other social media platforms such as TikTok have also empowered self-learning. Besides entertainment, TikTok content also consists of short videos that provide tips, tricks and hacks when it comes to learning how to use popular software including Microsoft Office Suite, Photoshop and much more. Furthermore, learning through these platforms is free!
Learning and growing no matter our age is an important part of life. This is apparent in HappyDot.sg’s online survey in Singapore, revealing that 64% of respondents feel that whatever they learnt in school is relevant to their lives now. Ultimately, lifelong learning helps us adapt better to our ever-changing world and allows us to enrich ourselves with fulfilling experiences.
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