The amount you get to offset the course you choose to take is $500 credit.

All Singaporeans above the age of 25 years old will get $500 in credit.

You don’t have to apply for it and it does not expire.

There are over 16,000 courses, from Chinese cuisine cooking class to 3D animation at LaSalle College of the Arts to a Master’s in nursing. You can also go for floral arrangement, baking or even learn how to DJ in a club.

It is best to check if the organisation is legitimate or whether the institution specialises in that subject matter. Find out more about the credentials of the people teaching the course and whether that company is well-known in the industry.

If the course you are interested in costs more than $500, you will need to pay the balance. But if you’re an NTUC union member for instance, you can tap on the Union Training Assistance Programme (UTAP) to help defray some of the costs.

SkillsFuture credit is for personal use only. This means your employer cannot use it to offset any company training costs.

The Government will make periodic top-ups to the account, although the timing and amount of the next top-up has yet to be decided.

Visit www.skillsfuture.sg for more information.

Text/Video: The Straits Times / Additional Reporting: Sean Tan