Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Partnerships with IHLs and Local Farms

Question:

To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what progress has been made in SFA’s partnerships with Institutes of Higher Learning and local farms to develop diploma courses and internships that equip students and adult job seekers with relevant skills for meaningful careers in the local agri-food sector; (b) in view of the sector's volatility, what safeguards or support are available to mitigate risks for individuals entering the industry. 

 Answer:

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) partners with Institutes of Higher Learning and local farms to develop Pre-employment Training (PET) and Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes, to equip students and adult learners with skillsets that will enable meaningful careers in the local agri-food sector. As part of the PET programme, polytechnics match their students to the agri-food sector, including farms, for structured internship opportunities, giving them first-hand experiences of working in the industry while putting to use their knowledge and practical skills. As of October 2025, there are eight PET and CET programmes and a range of SkillsFuture short courses to meet industry needs.

In addition to building skills for the agrifood sector, these programmes are developed to provide students with cross-disciplinary skills. These programmes help graduates to stay adaptable and open up employment opportunities across sectors.