Singapore’s path towards sustainable economic growth and a flexible, adaptable workforce is championed by two key agencies- SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG).

SSG, as the national skills authority, coordinates the SkillsFuture movement, fostering a culture of lifelong learning and strengthening the education and training ecosystem.

WSG oversees the transformation of the local workforce and industry to meet ongoing challenges, promoting the development, competitiveness, inclusiveness, and employability of a strong, inclusive Singaporean core in all sectors of the economy.

Leading the charge to build a more robust workforce are Angelique Chia Rui Yi from SSG and Valli Letchumanan from WSG. They are both recipients of the SSG-WSG Joint Undergraduate Scholarship and share a common passion for shaping the landscape of learning and employment in Singapore.

Angelique graduated with a Bachelor of Business Management from SMU. She currently serves as a Manager in SSG’s Strategic Planning Division. Her role involves advancing the agency’s research agenda, integrating insights on emerging trends, translating research findings into policies, and providing support for their implementation.

Valli holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Accountancy) from NUS and works as a Manager in the Planning and Design Division at WSG. Her responsibilities span a wide range, from reviewing and analysing employment facilitation policies and programmes to managing communication with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and other agencies on Committee of Supply (COS)-related matters.

Their collective efforts are pivotal in fortifying the very foundation of Singapore’s thriving economy, setting the stage for a prosperous tomorrow. We had the privilege of sitting down with Angelique and Valli to find out what it takes to forge a career with SSG and WSG.

What made you apply for the scholarship?

Angelique: I applied for the SSG-WSG Joint Undergraduate Scholarship as I felt that lifelong learning is something I have always held close to my heart. Being able to help people from a government agency perspective also sounded appealing to me. Furthermore, the fact that it was an SSG-WSG Joint Scholarship meant that I would be exposed to different areas of work within SSG and WSG upon graduation, providing me with ample exposure to both agencies.

Valli: I applied for the scholarship as SSG’s and WSG’s visions and missions resonated with me. A strong and positive organisational culture that supports employees, which in turn will benefit the organisation, is very important to me. SSG and WSG are doing meaningful work in ensuring individuals have meaningful careers with opportunities for upskilling alongside supportive employers. I felt that such work is important in ensuring Singapore’s relevance in a fast-changing global economy, and I wanted to be part of it.

Interesting! Can you tell us more about how the scholarship impacted your academic experience, Angelique?

Through the scholarship, I had the opportunity to embark on internships during the summer and winter breaks of the university term. I did my internship at the Partners and Operations Division in WSG and the Strategic Planning Division in SSG, which I coincidentally work in now!

Additionally, the scholarship greatly enhanced my experience while in university by supporting my exchange to Copenhagen Business School, where I was able to attend classes at one of the top business schools in Europe and learn more about the business culture in the Scandinavian countries. I even took a free elective module titled “Doing Business in Europe” which gave me an insight into the different fiscal and economic policies in the European Union which differs greatly from Singapore.

Valli, you have a degree in Business Administration. How have you been able to apply what you learnt to your job?

The concepts I have learnt in the classroom have helped me better understand the work that I do. For instance, I am the Risk Management representative for my division and what I learnt in school has allowed me to better support the division and organisation’s risk management efforts.

I’ve also been able to apply many of the soft skills learnt during my studies at work – for instance, I am able to harness my collaboration skills when working on intra- and inter-division projects. I’ve also been able to apply critical thinking skills to find effective solutions in my work.

Can you elaborate more on your roles and responsibilities at work?

Angelique: I work in the Research Office (RO) arm of the Strategic Planning Division. The Research Office’s goal is to advance SSG’s Research Agenda. Through Research Ecosystem Development, Research Synthesis, and Research Ideation Workshops, RO seeks to identify the gaps in our current research in the Continuing Education and Training (CET) landscape and furnish them through research findings. Through correspondences with MOE as well as different researchers, RO seeks to build up the quality of research and deepen knowledge in the adult learning and skills development sphere and gather insights to inform CET policies, programmes and practices to grow a vibrant and responsive CET ecosystem.

Valli: I work with divisions to coordinate inputs on WSG-related initiatives and liaise with partners on programmes. As an officer in the Behavioural Analysis and Review Unit, I also work with divisions to implement behavioural insights projects to improve project outcomes. Behavioural insights allow us to better understand how our programmes can be designed to positively impact Singaporean job seekers and businesses. Additionally, I perform secretarial duties for committees such as the Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation.

Angelique, what do you find most fulfilling about your work?

In a personal capacity, I feel that the work I do in SSG delves deep into the motivations behind engaging in adult learning and the research agenda in the Strategic Planning Division is specially curated to address the gaps fleshed out by divisions’ lines of inquiries. Each division caters specifically to different aspects of lifelong learning and cares about different stakeholders. Thus, taking into consideration the different angles of the various divisions, we can look into different aspects and needs of the various stakeholders in SSG, which is then mapped to possible research studies – making it especially meaningful.

What do you hope to achieve through your work, Valli?

I hope to improve people’s lives in a tangible manner. I want to be able to design policies that address people’s needs and improve their quality of living.

What possibilities are there for people working at SSG and WSG?

Angelique: Apart from the chance to embark on internships in both SSG and WSG in our undergraduate years, scholars are intentionally assigned portfolios which allow us to dabble in both the policy and operations aspects of work. Furthermore, we have the ability to embark on cross-teams projects and expose people to diverse opportunities.

Valli: There are many possibilities available for all staff of SSG and WSG. For instance, staff can explore internal job rotations to work in different divisions. Scholars are also tagged to mentors who provide guidance, which is useful, especially in the early stages of their careers.