SINGAPORE - Lifelong learning is about staying relevant as an employee in a fast-paced and modern economy , Dr Yaacob Ibrahim told students on Saturday.

To promote a culture of learning across all ages , institutional support must be "stronger" and "unstinting".

The Minister for Communications and Information, and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, said: "Sense addresses the critical need by providing programmes that would prepare them for the various leadership roles in their career, while workers too, recognise this need to continuously upgrade themselves."

Dr Yaacob was speaking at Mendaki Sense's graduation ceremony at ITE College East, which saw the first batch of 58 Sense trainees receive their qualifications in leadership and people management, and service excellence.

Sense was formed in 2004 as a social enterprise arm of Yayasan Mendaki - a self-help group set up by the Malay/ Muslim community with the Government - and aims to empower the community through learning and development.

Since it launched the WSQ Leadership and People Management Framework and Service Excellence Competency Framework in 2013, almost 4,600 training places have been secured.

The ceremony is a celebration of the trainees' "education and skills upgrading pursuit", added Dr Yaacob.

For operation support officer Kalliselvi Muthusamy, achieving the Diploma in Leadership and People Management has given her newfound confidence to communicate better with her colleagues at work.

The single parent of two children, who had to juggle between night classes and work at Saint Andrew Junior Primary School, believes "education has no age limit" and hopes to strive further to be a better leader .