SINGAPORE: SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) is aiming to level up the quality of its educators through a new national registry.
The lifelong learning statutory board said these efforts are part of an initiative called the Training and Adult Educator Professional Pathway (TAEPP).
The initiative is developed by the Institute for Adult Learning (IAL) with the support of SSG to improve the professionalism of the training and adult education sector.
Educators delivering SSG-supported training will be required to be on the new registry from Apr 1 next year. The registration process will commence from the fourth quarter this year.
The TAEPP aims to ensure those on the registry continuously upskill and improve lesson content to stay relevant.
The initiative intends to upgrade the skills of about 11,000 adult educators, according to SSG. It also allows employers across sectors to tap a stronger training ecosystem to benefit employees.
“(Adult educators) are the linchpin in terms of enabling our industry to transform … The students are the adult learners. Adult learners are the ones who are working in the industry with all the changes that's happening so rapidly,” said Dr Samson Tan, director of learning and professional development at the IAL.
“A competent, current adult educator with the right skills for delivering and enabling them to perform in the workplace is important and essential.”
Dr Tan told CNA that the TAEPP will shift the focus from one-off certifications for educators towards continuous professional development.
The TAEPP will also recruit industry practitioners to serve as registered educators. For a start, it is identifying suitable experts in the healthcare and legal sectors.
To remain on the SSG registry, educators will need to renew their status every two years through clocking at least 40 hours of continuing professional development and 80 hours of teaching.
NTUC LearningHub's assistant chief executive and chief sector skills officer Tay Ee Learn said that the pathway allows training providers a broader and more sustainable access to trainers.
“(It can) help us to scale our supply of training to meet (current and future) demand,” he added.
Mr Tay noted that NTUC LearningHub also offers online platforms to help make training and skills upgrading more accessible to educators in fulfilling the required practice hours.
Ms Clare Poon, who teaches weekly classes for learners seeking to become trainers, is among those who welcomed the initiative.
She said that being listed in the new registry will boost her credibility as an adult educator and will help with getting more clients.
“Our work is pretty competitive, so having that recognition can be an added advantage when we look for training opportunities or project engagement,” she said.
“It is also a reminder for us to keep track of our own professional development.”
Ms Poon uses a blend of lesson types – online, face-to-face classes and workplace learning – to teach her students how adults learn and how artificial intelligence can be used in lessons.
She noted that trainers like herself play a role to create meaningful learning experiences and spaces for students to discuss, participate and actively engage in the learning process.
Adult learners attend a class at NTUC LearningHub.
Education Minister Desmond Lee noted that such efforts go a long way in preparing the workforce for the challenges ahead.
“Global trade tensions and eroding global norms are creating a lot of economic (and) job uncertainties. This can be unsettling for our businesses who will find it challenging to plan ahead,” Mr Lee said at the opening of the SkillsFuture Festival on Monday (Jul 7).
He added that as technology continues to evolve, jobs and livelihoods could be transformed or disrupted.
Hence, the government is committed to work with Singaporeans, industries and training providers to ensure workers remain relevant, he said.
“We must invest even more in our people, ensure that Singaporeans can adapt to change, retain our competitive advantage and remain a valuable partner to the rest of the world,” he added.
Continue reading...
The lifelong learning statutory board said these efforts are part of an initiative called the Training and Adult Educator Professional Pathway (TAEPP).
The initiative is developed by the Institute for Adult Learning (IAL) with the support of SSG to improve the professionalism of the training and adult education sector.
Educators delivering SSG-supported training will be required to be on the new registry from Apr 1 next year. The registration process will commence from the fourth quarter this year.
The TAEPP aims to ensure those on the registry continuously upskill and improve lesson content to stay relevant.
TRAINING THE TRAINERS
The initiative intends to upgrade the skills of about 11,000 adult educators, according to SSG. It also allows employers across sectors to tap a stronger training ecosystem to benefit employees.
“(Adult educators) are the linchpin in terms of enabling our industry to transform … The students are the adult learners. Adult learners are the ones who are working in the industry with all the changes that's happening so rapidly,” said Dr Samson Tan, director of learning and professional development at the IAL.
“A competent, current adult educator with the right skills for delivering and enabling them to perform in the workplace is important and essential.”
Dr Tan told CNA that the TAEPP will shift the focus from one-off certifications for educators towards continuous professional development.
The TAEPP will also recruit industry practitioners to serve as registered educators. For a start, it is identifying suitable experts in the healthcare and legal sectors.
To remain on the SSG registry, educators will need to renew their status every two years through clocking at least 40 hours of continuing professional development and 80 hours of teaching.
NTUC LearningHub's assistant chief executive and chief sector skills officer Tay Ee Learn said that the pathway allows training providers a broader and more sustainable access to trainers.
“(It can) help us to scale our supply of training to meet (current and future) demand,” he added.
Mr Tay noted that NTUC LearningHub also offers online platforms to help make training and skills upgrading more accessible to educators in fulfilling the required practice hours.
Related:
A MARK OF CREDIBILITY
Ms Clare Poon, who teaches weekly classes for learners seeking to become trainers, is among those who welcomed the initiative.
She said that being listed in the new registry will boost her credibility as an adult educator and will help with getting more clients.
“Our work is pretty competitive, so having that recognition can be an added advantage when we look for training opportunities or project engagement,” she said.
“It is also a reminder for us to keep track of our own professional development.”
Ms Poon uses a blend of lesson types – online, face-to-face classes and workplace learning – to teach her students how adults learn and how artificial intelligence can be used in lessons.
She noted that trainers like herself play a role to create meaningful learning experiences and spaces for students to discuss, participate and actively engage in the learning process.
Adult learners attend a class at NTUC LearningHub.
INVESTING IN THE WORKFORCE
Education Minister Desmond Lee noted that such efforts go a long way in preparing the workforce for the challenges ahead.
“Global trade tensions and eroding global norms are creating a lot of economic (and) job uncertainties. This can be unsettling for our businesses who will find it challenging to plan ahead,” Mr Lee said at the opening of the SkillsFuture Festival on Monday (Jul 7).
He added that as technology continues to evolve, jobs and livelihoods could be transformed or disrupted.
Hence, the government is committed to work with Singaporeans, industries and training providers to ensure workers remain relevant, he said.
“We must invest even more in our people, ensure that Singaporeans can adapt to change, retain our competitive advantage and remain a valuable partner to the rest of the world,” he added.
Related:
Continue reading...