SDF - Funding Mechanism

The following categories of skills training are supported under the Skills Development Fund (SDF). Please click on each of the categories to view the detailed funding rates.

WDA Accredited Courses

Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Courses

Employability Skills (ES) Courses

National Skills Recognition System (NSRS) Courses

Non-WDA Accredited Courses

WDA ACCREDITED COURSES

Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Courses

From 1 April 2007, the funding rates for all WSQ courses, except for WSQ courses for Retail and Training Industries, have been revised to be aligned to our funding support for certifiable skills training under the SDF. The funding rates for WSQ courses for Retail and Training industries was revised from 1 June 2007 to be aligned to the same funding rates too. See Table 1 below.

Table 1

Type of Training	Conducted by	Current Funding Rates
		Below 40	40 and above^*
WSQ Certificate/ Higher Certificate / Advanced Certificate / Diploma Including Statement of Attainment (SOA)	External training providers	80% of course & assessment fees subject to $7 per trainee-hour	90% of course & assessment fees subject to $11 per trainee-hour
	In-house own instructors	$7 per trainee-hour

Employability Skills (ES) Courses
See Table 2 below.

Table 2

Type of Training	Conducted by	Current Funding Rates
		Below 40	40 and above^*
Employability Skills Training Courses	External training providers	90% of course & assessment fees subject to $11 per trainee-hour	90% of course & assessment fees subject to $16 per trainee-hour
	In-house own instructors	$11 per trainee-hour

For Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (WPLN) training, trainees will be funded up to 3 times for Beginner and Intermediate modules and up to 2 times for Advanced module. Training Providers should only submit claims for trainees who have not been funded more than the prescribed number of training attempts.

National Skills Recognition System (NSRS) Courses
See Table 3 below.

Table 3

Type of Training	Conducted by	Current Funding Rates
		Below 40	40 and above^*
NSRS Courses	External training providers	80% of course fees subject to $7 per trainee-hour	90% of course fees subject to $11 per trainee-hour
	In-house own instructors	$7 per trainee-hour

NON-WDA ACCREDITED COURSES

As part of WDA’s review of our resource allocation, and move to focus on worker-based and outcome-based programmes the hourly funding rates for certifiable and non-certifiable skills training was revised from 1 April 2007. See Table 4 below. Please click here to download the FAQs on Revision of Funding Support under SDF for further details.

Certifiable Skills Training/ Non-Certifiable Skills Training/ Overseas Training

1. Certifiable skills training refer to training that leads to national or industry-wide certification.
2. Non-certifiable skills training refer to training that does not lead to national or industry-wide certification.
3. Overseas training refers to training which is conducted outside Singapore/Malaysia/Indonesia. It is currently not supported under the SDF EasyNet. Companies need to submit Application Form 1 to WDA at least one working day before commencement of training. For overseas training, commencement date is taken as the day trainee departs Singapore.

Table 4

Type of Training	Conducted by	Current Funding Rates
		Below 40	40 and above^*
Certifiable Skills Training Courses	External training providers	80% of course fees subject to $7 per trainee-hour	90% of course fees subject to $11 per trainee-hour
	In-house own instructors	$7 per trainee-hour
Non-Certifiable Skills Training Courses^#	External training providers	$4 per trainee-hour for SMEs^{^} $2 per trainee-hour for non-SMEs
	In-house own instructors
Overseas Training Courses	Location Within Asia **	$80 per trainee-day ***
	Location Outside Asia	$120 per trainee-day ***

^* Higher funding is applicable to workers aged 40 and above, and holding ‘A’ level qualifications and below.

^# Funding for non-certifiable skills training courses conducted by external training providers is capped at 100% of course fees.

^{^} Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are defined as companies with at least 30% local ownership, with fixed asset investments of not more than $15 million and,
if in the services sector, employment size of not more than 200. In addition, higher funding for the SMEs is given under the SME Upgrading for Performance programme (SUPER).

**Any country within Asia but excluding Malaysia and Indonesia.

***The maximum supportable training period is up to 6 weeks or 30 days.

More about SUPER !

A WDA initiative, SUPER provides holistic training assistance to encourage training among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
If you are an SME, you can receive funding support at:

- $4 per trainee per hour up to 100% course fees when you send your staff for non-certifiable skills training. Examples of programmes include customer service and computer courses.
- 50% of course fees subject to $20 per trainee per hour for executive/managerial training (Terms and conditions apply)⁺

Funding support will also be provided for workforce training projects undertaken by industry associations to promote training to their SME members.
Application for SUPER

If you are applying under the SDF EasyNet, a higher funding will automatically be computed if you have been accorded an SME status during your registration with us. Other forms of application include submitting Application Form 1 to us.

⁺ Either of the following must be met:

The SME has offered 20 vacancies or more in Place and Train Programmes or have employed at least 20 Singaporean Workers within a one-year time frame; or
The SME has developed a training plan committed to the training of at least 30% of its rank and file workers.

Note:- SUPER includes support for structured On-the-Job Training (OJT) that is non-certifiable.

Definition of Employer-Based, Worker-Based and Outcomes-Based Programmes

Employer-based funding programmes are those whereby employers decide who to send for training, and for what training. Employers can then claim for reimbursement through the SDF EasyNet system, and co-pay the unsupported training fees. The design of such programmes is based on the premise that employers are best placed to decide what kind of training will benefit their organisation and raise productivity.

Worker-based programmes are those whereby workers can participate without having to always rely on employers' sponsorship. For such programmes, the individual worker can assess the training subsidy directly, and will also co-pay the cost of training. The design of such programmes is based on the premise that workers must have some control over their own employability and careers. An example is the public walk-in scheme for the Employability Skills System which allows workers without company sponsorship to access ESS literacy and numeracy foundational training at affordable rates that have been pre-subsidised by WDA. Another example is the Place and Train programme (PnT), where workers and job seekers can decide if they would like to apply and seek job opportunities in the growing industry sectors, and be trained for the job thereafter.

Outcome-based programmes can be both employer-based as well as worker-based. They are programmes with a pre-determined set of outcome indicators agreed between WDA and its programme implementation partners in return for funding. The outcomes go beyond trainee satisfaction, passing rates or number of certifications issued, to tangible business and application outcomes such as placements of workers, productivity improvements, or better performance verified by audits. Our programme partners will be required to put in place the necessary mechanisms to track and measure the outcomes. Examples of such outcome-based programmes are the CareerLink Plus centre to help the long-term unemployed; the Advantage! Scheme to encourage companies to hire and retain older workers; and Job Re-creation Programme (JRP) to enhance the productivity and pay of low wage workers.