Full-Time National Servicemen Can Get Free Unlimited Access To Online Courses From 1 Nov
A new initiative by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will provide full-time national servicemen (NSFs) with free access to an online platform with 75,000 courses.
MINDEF and MHA announced their partnership with NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) on Wed (21 Sep).
Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF) on Facebook
The initiative aims to support NSFs in transitioning from National Service (NS) to pursuing employment or higher education.
Replaces E-PREP system from 2003
In a press release, MINDEF explained that the new initiative, SkillsFuture@NS Learning eXperience Platform (SF@NS LXP), will replace the existing Electronic Pre-Release Employment Programme (E-PREP).
E-PREP was introduced in 2003 and offered only 3,000 courses.
With E-PREP, NSFs are only given a fixed amount of credits to use, capped at S$350.
It was only available to them in their last 12 months of full-time NS and for use for up to a year.
NSFs can access a variety of free online courses
In comparison, SF@NS LXP will give NSFs unlimited access to over 75,000 online courses.
NSFs may activate their account at any time during their full-time NS. The account will be valid for two years from the day they activate it.
According to The Straits Times (ST), there will be around 135 categories of courses to choose from.
Source: Lianhe Zaobao via The Straits Times
NSFs can learn various skills such as software coding, management skills training, cybersecurity, digital photography, and more.
Some courses may even be used for credit exemptions for several programmes at polytechnics and universities.
In addition, NSFs can track their learning journeys with personalised recommendations based on their preferred job scope and skills.
The initiative also includes an online database with information from government agencies, industry partners, and private educational institutions.
For example, information on career fairs and workshops hosted by NTUC LHUB can be found in the database.
Quarterly SkillsFuture@NS Fairs will also be held for NSFs and include a more extensive range of potential employers and educational institutes.
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Featured image adapted from MINDEF on Facebook & Lianhe Zaobao via The Straits Times.
