UOB is SkillsFuture's new 'Queen Bee'

It is committed to growing more 'Queen Bees.'

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) announced that UOB had joined its list of “Queen Bee” companies, which are firms that provide industry-relevant training and guidance on training practices to smaller companies.

At the annual SkillsFuture Festival held at Raffles City Convention Centre, SSG committed to growing more Queen Bee companies. As of March 2025, a total of 37 Queen Bees have provided training to about 5,770 participating companies. 

As the latest Queen Bee firm to join the initiative, UOB will focus on skills development in AI, digitalisation, and sustainability, as part of a three-year appointment.

UOB also signed memoranda of understanding with three institutes of higher learning – the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, and Ngee Ann Polytechnic – to design training programmes for small and medium enterprises.

Aside from strengthening the commitment of employers to training their workforce, measures to improve the quality of adult educators who provide SSG training are also being rolled out.

To elevate the quality of training they provide, adult educators for SSG courses must register, upgrade skills, and clock practice hours, said Education Minister Desmond Lee.

Lee also said that a national registry of qualified educators will be set up. The government requires that from 1 April 2026, educators must be registered to deliver training supported by SSG. 

At least 40 continuing professional development hours and 80 practice hours every two years are required from educators to stay certified. 

Currently, educators only have to complete a certification programme by the Institute for Adult Learning.

Lee said that this one-off certification, though still mandatory to join the registry, will not be enough because educators should continue to upgrade and keep up with industry developments and new training methods.

The online registration process for the new registry will start in the fourth quarter of 2025.