How to be a SkillsFuture Training Provider

What is a SkillsFuture Training Provider

SkillsFuture training providers are training organisations accredited by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). These training providers are known as Approved Training Organisations (ATO in short) or Registered Training Provider (RTP in short). ATOs can provide training in either WSQ courses or Non-WSQ courses.

What are WSQ Courses and Non-WSQ Courses

Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) is a national credential system that trains, develops, assesses and certifies skills and competencies for the workforce. WSQ adopts the skills and competencies covered in the Skills Frameworks for WSQ courses. The WSQ programmes are funded and quality-assured by SkillsFuture Singapore, which awards the WSQ certifications. WSQ courses are eligible for both SkillsFuture Subsidy and SkillsFuture Credit use.

Non-WSQ courses are broad based, non certifiable courses, with a different set of eligibility criteria to WSQ courses. Non-WSQ courses are not eligible for SkillsFuture subsidy but students can use their SkillsFuture Credit for the course fee.

WSQ Skills Framework

SkillsFuture training provider applicants need to identify the Skills Framework they would like to offer courses in. Skills Framework provides key information on sector, career pathways, occupations/job roles, as well as existing and emerging skills required for the occupations/job roles. Under the contained Skills and Competencies Descriptions, there are technical and generic skills and competencies (TSCs and GSCs) drawn up for each job role. Training providers can use this information to plan the courseware and curricula, and research on ways to embed suitable pedagogies to achieve the learning outcomes. More information for each stakeholder can be found in the FAQ.

Types of Approved Training Organisation

There are 3 types of ATOs a SkillsFuture training provider can choose to be:

Public ATOs / Training Provider

An institution that offers training to the general public, including corporate clients and/or public walk-ins.

In-House ATOs / Training Provider

A company that conducts training for its own employees only.

Public and In-House ATOs / Training Provider

An institution that offers training to the general public and its own employees.

A) What are the OR pre-requisites and documents to submit in TPGateway?

To become a SkillsFuture training provider ATO, an organisation must meet the following criteria.

A.1) Legal Entity

A Training Provider must be a legal entity registered in Singapore with the relevant authorities (e.g. Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), Registry of Society (ROS), etc. A Training Provider who is a registered society needs to provide the constitution list that contains the list of Management Committee members as registered with ROS.

A.2) Legal Entity Name

A Training Provider must not use proscribed terms such as ‘National’, ‘University’, ‘Singapore’ and any derivative of these terms and misleading terms such as ‘Ministry’ in their name. The name of the Training Provider should also be the same as the name of the legal entity as registered with the relevant authorities such as ACRA and ROS.

A.3) Organisation/ Management staff and Adult Educators must be free from contractual breach and other offences in the last 5 years

A Training Provider will need to make the following declarations to SSG through TPGateway when submitting the OR application:

• Organisation/ Management staff and Adult Educators are free from contractual breach and other infringements in the last 5 years relating to Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ), Enhanced Registration Framework (ERF), EduTrust Certification scheme (EduTrust), Private Education Act (PE Act), Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.
• Organisation/ Management staff and Adult Educators are free from criminal offences in the last 5 years relating to dishonesty, fraud, sexual, child physical, drug abuse leading to imprisonment in Singapore or elsewhere.

A.4) Financial Records

A Training Provider must demonstrate sound financial health through the submission of the latest and final *Notice of Assessment (NOA) from IRAS showing positive trade income and submission of key financial figures. Please note that an NOA showing Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI) will not be accepted.

*From May 2021 onwards, Training Providers may view and retrieve their digital NOA on myTax Portal.

A.5) Training Track Records

A Training Provider must have at least one year training and education track record. The training track record should be regular and conducted ‘at least four times in a year’ or ‘once in each quarter of the year’. A write-up on the training and education activities conducted in the preceding one year with the following mandatory fields is to be submitted:

• Course Titles
• Duration (No. of hours)
• Course Commencement and End Dates of each run
• Age profile of trainees for each run (e.g. 20 – 25 years old)

In addition to the write-up, a Training Provider must provide proof of actual training and education activities conducted in the preceding one year e.g. invoices billed to trainees, attendance records, communication records to trainees on confirmation of course registration and essential course information and video recordings of trainings (for trainings conducted online).

Please note that the nature of the training and education activities conducted by a Training Provider to form the one-year track records will be subjected to SSG’s assessment on a case-by-case basis.

B) What are the OR pre-requisites and documents to submit in TPGateway?

B.1) Information Disclosure

A Training Provider is required to disclose information on the following on their website or brochures:

• Course title
• Course training duration
• Course fees
• Funding validity period
• Modes of training
• Course objectives
• Name of TP Senior Management staff and trainers
• Organisation Structure
• Facilities & Equipment used by TP to conduct training

Training Providers are not allowed to use any logo belonging to SSG, or any SkillsFuture logo, in your advertisements which include but not limited to, notices, brochures, circulars and website. Please refer to the Marketing Guidelines in the Terms for Training Providers for more information.

B.2) Define Roles and Responsibilities of Management Team and Staff

A Training Provider needs to provide the organisation chart of their management team and staff and a write-up of individual roles and responsibilities for the management team and  staff responsible for education-related functions.

Sufficient Line-up of Adult Educators

Organisation has access to sufficient line-up of qualified trainers, assessors and curriculum developers who are subject matter experts with significant number having Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment (ACTA) or the new WSQ Advanced Certificate in Learning and Performance (ACLP), which has replaced ACTA. The course developers must also have WSQ Diploma in Design and Development of Learning for Performance (DDDLP), which has replaced DACE.

Systems and Capabilities in Place to Support Fulfilment of the Roles and Responsibilities of an ATO

Organisation can establish systems and capabilities to support the following duties:

• Marketing function
• Designing and delivering training and/or assessment effectively
• Developing and maintaining an effective training and assessment system
• Monitoring, evaluating and reporting on outcomes of training
• Recruiting, monitoring, training and developing adult educators
• Submitting training and assessment records to WDA
• Issuing Statement of Attainment (SOA) or Full Qualification certification
• Making continuous improvements

Organisation/ Management staff and Adult Educators must be free from contractual breach and other offences in the last 5 years

B.3) Premises

A Training Provider needs to provide documentary proof on the following:

• Write-up to show adequate facilities and equipment to meet trainee’s needs and training/assessment delivery.
• Photos of training/assessment rooms and proof of training location and administrative office e.g. latest rental invoice and lease agreement.

The premises of the training provider should not be a P.O. Box.

B.4) Student Contracts

A Training Provider needs to sign a student contract or agreement with the trainees that show the following:

• Registered course title with commencement and end dates of the course
• Amount of SkillsFuture Credit (SFC) and other SSG funding to be applied
• Balance of fees to be paid by trainees directly

B.5) On-site Assessment

There will be a half-day on-site assessment conducted by SSG officers to assess on the Training Provider’s systems and capabilities. The systems and capabilities section covers three main areas i.e. Course Administration, Training Quality and Training Outcomes. The requirements and documents to be submitted prior to the on-site assessment for systems and capabilities are outlined in the following documents:

• Requirements for Systems and Capabilities
• Document Preparation for On-site Assessment

For the full requirements, please refer to these Apply for Organisation Registration (OR).

SkillsFuture Training Provider Application Steps

How to apply for WSQ Courses?

1. Organisation Registration (OR)
   Organisation Registration is for SSG to evaluate the organisation’s suitability to enter and provide training/assessment under WSQ.
   • Applicants will need to identify the WSQ framework they would like to offer courses in.
   • Applicants will need to ensure that their adult educators meet the Qualifications Requirements.
   • Applicants will need to determine the type of ATOs they are applying for.
   • Applicants must have the Course Proposal ready.
2. Course Proposal (CP) to get Courses Accreditation (CA)
   The organisation registration must include a Course Proposal for evaluation to become a WSQ course. SSG will determine your organisation’s subject matter, expertise and quality assurance capabilities from your course submission. The quality of your course submission(s) will affect the outcome of your course accreditation.