SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) would like to thank Youth Forum writer Azza Zhafira Badaruddin for her feedback (Age should not be an obstacle to achieving one's dream through a mid-career switch, Sept 12).

We agree that age should not be a barrier to learning. Given the fast pace of change in the workplace, lifelong learning is needed not just to open up new opportunities, but also to stay relevant and progress in one's career.

At the same time, we recognise that it takes commitment and confidence to understand a new field, or pick up a new skill.

In particular, the mid-careerist has to balance family and job commitments.

Going into a highly specialised field like law is even more challenging, though not impossible.

What is important is that family members, colleagues and supervisors support the mid-career learner fully.

The Government is committed to supporting the training and lifelong learning needs of mid-careerists.

The SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package supports mid-career workers in their 40s and 50s, and opens up career transition opportunities, especially into growth sectors.

Programmes in this package include SSG's train-and-place SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme, Workforce Singapore's Career Conversion Programme, and sector-specific programmes.

Besides these programmes, the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy gives mid-career workers additional subsidies for SSG-supported and Ministry of Education-subsidised courses.

Singaporeans aged 40 to 60 (as at Dec 31, 2020) also received an additional SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career Support) top-up of $500.

More information can be found in the MySkillsFuture portal.

Patricia Woo

Director

Corporate Marketing and Communications Division

SkillsFuture Singapore