Singaporeans are showing a greater interest in enriching themselves by embracing lifelong learning ("126,000 learn new skills using SkillsFuture Credit"; Jan 9).

As more people are tapping SkillsFuture, it is imperative that they are given proper guidance on courses before making decisions.

Those who fail to understand the courses and their value are likely to feel disenchanted, and may back out later on.

For instance, seniors who desire to enrol in courses such as social networking and digital photo management should first possess some basic IT knowledge, otherwise they will find it difficult to understand the technical aspects of the courses.

Likewise, it is better for salesmen to sign up for relevant subjects like total consumer service, effective communication skills and merchandise display, instead of, say, security and investigation.

It pays to take some time to plan carefully and obtain advice from reliable sources before embarking on a course of study.

As the $500 credit Singaporeans are given to pay for courses does not have any expiry date, we should not be in a rush to enrol in training activities.

What is more important at this juncture is for all learning institutions to have trained course counsellors to provide proper guidance to prospective students and help them make informed choices.

Jeffrey Law Lee Beng