ST Headstart: How to choose your SkillsFuture course

Choosing the right SkillsFuture course

Welcome to the latest edition of ST Headstart, bringing you the best of The Straits Times’ career, personal finance and lifestyle coverage every Tuesday noon. Sign up here to get weekly tips right into your inbox.


I have a confession to make: I tried so hard to use my $500 SkillsFuture Credit top-up in 2025 before it expired. But alas, I couldn't decide which course to take. Ironically, having a whole buffet of course choices ended up worsening my decision paralysis. 

One of my criteria was the course had to help in my current job or future career, instead of just being something fun like pottery or baking or painting. But how do I determine which course is going to be the most useful? It turns out that many others face this exact dilemma. This column dives into the struggle of picking the right course and what more can be done to link training to tangible job outcomes. 

Meanwhile, keep reading to find out about the risks of playing the stock market as well as how to plan a wedding that prioritises your own desires over others’ expectations. 

Stay hydrated!

Can a firm enforce a non-compete clause after laying me off?

Not all such clauses are enforceable, particularly if they are unreasonable.

READ MORE HERE


Watch: Overworked, bullied and burnt-out. Is being a lawyer still a dream job?

These issues have been raised for decades, but a study now offers substantive data on conditions driving attrition.

READ MORE HERE


Planning my wedding taught me to spend on what matters, not what is expected

Its lavishness won’t be what will be remembered, but the joy that was felt, says the writer.

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Trading S’pore for KL: One couple’s search for a slower, more affordable life

The couple say their average monthly expenditure has decreased by at least 30% since relocating.

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Why meme-stock mania keeps happening

Trading meme stocks is risky because the rise in its share prices has almost nothing to do with the performance.

READ MORE HERE


Is youth hub *Scape still cool?

It relaunched in November with new tenants, programmes and a looser approach.

READ MORE HERE

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