Here Are 6 Things You Can Do With That $500 SkillsFuture Singapore Credit Top-Up

On 18 February 2020, our Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Heng Swee Keat delivered the Singapore Budget for the 2020 financial year. What caught my attention during this year’s Budget address was the announcement of the S$500 credit top-up to an individual’s SkillsFuture account.

If you’re a youngin and have no idea what SkillsFuture is, let me explain. SkillsFuture is the government’s initiative for those aged 25 and above to attain new skills via classes. May it be for personal passions or to aid career changes, this movement is to encourage life-long learning.

“Your skills. Your asset. Your future.”

While I still have two more years before I can utilise my SkillsFuture credits, as someone with an innate curiosity, I decided to take a look at the different courses offered. And with the recent top-up, if you’re 25 and have not used your credits before, you now have a cool S$1000 worth of credits to spend. Here are my six picks on what you can spend with those credits.

1. Be The YouTuber You Always Wanted to Be

If you’ve always been fascinated by the media space or want to give being a YouTuber a try, take a look at the How to be a YouTuber. Hosted by Singapore Polytechnic, you’ll be able to pick up skills on how to create creative original video ideas and understand the basics of how to market your YouTube channel. Who knows, you might just be the next JianHao Tan.

How to be a Youtuber (Content Creation for YouTube)
Cost: S$550 credits
Duration: 16 hours (2 days)

2. Finally, Conquer Excel

If you’re like me and you know for the sake of efficiency and having basic data logging skills—knowing how to operate any form of Microsoft Office software is important. If you’re not motivated enough to learn it on your own, take advantage of these credits and take the Microsoft MS Office Excel, Word and PowerPoint course. I imagine that most of us won’t go out of the way just to learn how to use excel specifically, so immerse yourself in this two-day course and come out an expert. With eight jammed packed lessons, this course is definitely worth your credits.

Microsoft MS Office Excel, Word and PowerPoint
Cost: S$480 credits 
Duration: 16 hours (2 days)

3. For the Wannabe Barista

Now, this is something I would sign myself up for. If you too run on caffeine, why not develop a deeper appreciation for this god-given drink and learn how to make some proper coffee. Hosted by the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), the SCA: Barista Skills Foundation course will not only teach you Expresso Basics but also how to handle milk with hands-on practice. Show off your barista skills after attending this eight-hour course and feel a sense of achievement the next time you make yourself a cuppa.

SCA: Barista Skills Foundation
Cost: S$446.40 credits 
Duration: 8 hours

4. Speak The Language And Meet Your Future French Lover

Say you speak English and your mother tongue well and am a linguaphile. Expand your language horizons and learn how to speak the language of love—French. Have a taste of the French sensibilities by dipping your toes into the French Adult Beginner 1 course. Learn how to spell, greet and introduce yourself and more in French with this eight-day course. Perhaps this basic knowledge of French may just motivate you to plan your next European escape.

French Adult Beginner 1
Cost: S$ 295 credits 
Duration: 8 days (20 hours)

5. Coding is The Future, Here’s Your Shot

Given the current advancement of technologies, more and more coding jobs are created which is the inevitable byproduct of industries integrating tech into their processes. If you’re looking to make a career switch or simply want to pick it up as a hobby. Get started with Coding for Beginners. Hosted by Nanyang Polytechnic, go from knowing nothing about coding to understanding the basics within seven hours. You never know, you might just wake that coding bug within you with this course.

Coding for Beginners
Cost: S$260 credits
Duration: 7 hours 

6. Be Your Own Music Producer

We all listen to music. From top 40 hits to instrumental music, at any given time, someone is listening to music. If you’ve ever wondered how these soundtracks of our lives are made—look no further. Hosted by Republic Polytechnic, Mobile Music Making is a two-day course that teaches one how to create studio-quality tracks with just your mobile phone. Learn the basics in music composition and immerse yourself in the magical process of producing a tune. I find that the beauty of this course is that you only need your mobile phone to create, nothing more—a convenient and user-friendly solution to your production woes.

Mobile Music Making
Cost: S$510 credits 
Duration: 14 hours 

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