Singapore companies to close gaps in workplace learning

Through this certification scheme, Singapore-based companies will be able to have progressive workplace learning practices and capabilities and, in turn, elevate workers’ performance and raise retention rates. 

Education minister Lawrence Wong said firms should not solely rely only on formal training. “Instead, we need to maximise the workplace as a significant place of learning, where workers continue to learn on the job, day in, day out,” he said. 

He added that companies with this new certification, developed by the National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning (Nace) led by Nanyang Polytechnic and supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), will become preferred employers. 

The new certification will assess companies in six areas – strategy, leadership, planning, training needs analysis, environment, and implementation and processes. 

Interested companies will first be given free consultation to help them improve their workplace learning systems and work towards certification after an initial self-evaluation. 

Once a company has successfully applied for the scheme, Nace, in partnership with the Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, will assess the firm’s workplace learning culture, capabilities and efforts during site visits. 

A committee comprising industry leaders will then review and approve the assessment, and if the company passes the review, it will earn one of four certification levels. It can apply for a higher certification level after two years. 

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SSG is considering the use of the new certification as validation of quality workplace learning capabilities and could become another criterion that SSG can use to assess the in-house training providers that it funds. 

The certification cost, which is payable to Nace, will range between S$2,800 (US$2,097) and S$7,100 (US$5,318) depending on the size of the company.