Other Entries

I will be using my SkillsFuture top-up to sign up for a basic to intermediate barista course. I already grind my own coffee beans daily (using a manual grinder) as my own drip coffee costs less than a dollar compared to the commercial rip-off in the cafes.

The benefits of coffee have also been recently backed by an article in CNA Lifestyle in February 2020. The National Cancer Institute has brought forward evidence that shows an association of coffee drinking with a lower risk of mortality. Such studies have thus cemented my belief that learning the proper techniques to brewing a cuppa will only improve my health in the long run. I can also practise some form of social distancing as I keep away from crowded hipster cafes, at least for the next couple of months.

Carol Lim, MOE

I will use my $500 SkillsFuture top-up to sign up for language courses (e.g., Malay, Japanese and Spanish). In fact, I’m already halfway through my Bahasa Melayu course and it’s interesting to know how one can learn about a community’s customs and behaviour through learning the language. I came across a quote by Federico Fellini: “A different language is a different vision of life.” Indeed, it helps us to learn another culture from the inside.

Wendy Zhuo, ICA

I am thinking of attending a short course to pick up some digital skills that might come in handy for my work, such as learning SQL. Another idea would be creating digitalised content. I frequently receive emails from PSD Engage and PSD Challenge, and I like how the information is presented in a poster format with illustrations – it makes reading more engaging for me.

Should I still have remaining credits available for non-work related interests, I might consider learning about botany or playing the harmonica. I enjoy visiting the parks and the Botanic Gardens during my free time, so knowing more about plants might be a plus. Last year, my sister bought me a harmonica and I am still trying out how to play it on my own. Playing a musical instrument that looks simple is not as easy as it seems!

Tan Keng Guang, Nanyang Polytechnic

I am looking forward to learning about the aspects of setting up a café at home, making bread and offering Asian food. The cafés in Singapore are very hip but they are always so crowded. I will be using the SkillsFuture top-up to learn how to start my own “cafe” at home by attending the course “101 of Setting up a Cafe” from Nanyang Polytechnic.

Thereafter, I hope to learn how to make bread from the National University of Singapore Society’s “Artisan Bread Elementary” course and complement that with “Asian Cooking–Fundamentals” from the Institute of Technical Education. It would be a fantasy come true to be able to create my own special cafe and host friends after a hard day of work. Cheers, SkillsFuture!

Huang Jingfeng, Republic Polytechnic