More than 105,000 people took up SSG-supported AI training in 2025

Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary said SSG will continue to review how it signposts, directs and curates courses for workers.Follow our Parliament live coverage here.SINGAPORE – More than 105,000 people had taken up 137,000 training places related to artificial intelligence in 2025 on the SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) platform, which offers around 1,600 AI-related courses.The figures were provided in Parliament on Feb 3 by Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary, in reply to questions from Mr Ng Chee Meng (Jalan Kayu).Adding that the Government does not set targets specifically on the number of workers attending AI training, Dr Janil said: “We encourage all Singaporeans to pursue upskilling and lifelong learning to stay relevant, including by keeping abreast of AI and other developments.”He also said that SSG will continue to review how it signposts, directs and curates courses for workers.This includes working with the industry to develop the list of AI-related tasks and mapping them to the AI courses, so that “there is a sense of where the journey should take them, as they develop their AI skills”.The Government will continue to support Singaporeans in their upskilling journey through substantial course fee subsidies and SkillsFuture credits to offset out-of-pocket costs, he added.Mr Ng had raised the concern that many workers may find the number of courses quite daunting to survey and determine which ones they should be embarking on to be AI-ready.He was not the only person who touched on the technology’s impact in Parliament.Associate Professor Terence Ho Wai Luen (Nominated MP) asked about the impact of AI adoption on the employment prospects of fresh graduates from institutes of higher learning (IHLs).Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Shawn Huang said that while AI is reshaping the labour market, its specific impact on entry-level professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) remains uncertain.The Ministry of Manpower is currently monitoring and getting feedback from employers.Working together with NTUC, the ministry will consider, from a tripartite perspective, whether more needs to be done to help abate these trends, he said.Mr Huang added that the employment rates of fresh graduates from IHLs have remained broadly stable over the past decade.Even so, there are some year-to-year fluctuations due to cyclical changes.“These fluctuations reflect a combination of factors, including broader economic uncertainty, geopolitical developments and changing career aspirations of graduates,” said Mr Huang.Calling on students to remain adaptable, he said the IHLs are working closely with sector agencies and industry partners to keep their curriculum relevant.This includes integrating AI competencies, domain specific training and core skills like critical thinking, creativity and communication.Students also have opportunities to apply AI skills in real workplace settings, he said, through programmes like AI apprenticeships.In view of the heightened economic uncertainties in 2025, Mr Huang said the graduate industry traineeship programme was introduced to support young graduates to obtain industry relevant experience and facilitate their transition to permanent employment.Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproductionDiscover how to enjoy other premium articles here