Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Leon Perera, Aljunied GRC
Question
To ask the Minister for Education (a) what surveys or research are currently undertaken to assess the job impact of training courses that are supported by Government funds; (b) whether the Government will publish the findings of such studies; and (c) whether the Government will consider extending funding support to trainers based on the outcome of the studies.
Response
1. MOE and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) adopt a range of approaches and metrics to evaluate the quality and outcomes of Skills-Future funded programmes.
2. SSG runs the Training Quality and Outcomes Measures (TRAQOM) survey on all SSG-funded programmes, to collect trainee feedback on the quality of training, and whether training has enabled them to improve their work performance and take on enhanced job roles. This is a useful dimension because not all training necessarily leads to an immediate wage increase. Training benefits workers who were otherwise at risk of displacement, to stay employable and keep their jobs. The TRAQOM results are published on the MySkillsFuture portal to help individuals make informed training choices, and SSG uses these results when assessing training providers for continued funding.
3. In addition, we work with partners such as MTI to monitor wage and employment outcomes through programme-specific surveys and studies. Economic studies that have been published include evaluations of the Work-Study Post-Diploma programmes in 2019 and Singapore Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) training in 2018. Both showed trainees graduating from these programmes with positive wage outcomes. Regular surveys such as the Work-Study Programme Outcomes Survey, also collect information on employment outcomes six months after the completion of the programme.
4. SSG is continually enhancing our methods of assessment and evaluation of the outcomes of training courses. This is to enable us to better channel our subsidies to courses that deliver the strongest enterprise transformation and manpower development outcomes for Singaporeans.