A new outfit will focus on conducting research and innovation in adult education and training, as part of a national push to equip Singaporeans for changes in the workplace.

Enterprises, adult educators and learners themselves can look forward to more opportunities to explore adult education through dedicated upskilling projects and sharing sessions at the Adult Learning Collaboratory (ALC), the newest initiative rolled out by the Institute for Adult Learning (IAL).

This was announced at IAL’s Adult Learning Xchange 2024 by Education Minister Chan Chun Sing. The event, which seeks to promote dialogue and sharing on adult and lifelong learning, was held at Raffles City Convention Centre from Jan 18 to 19.

Supported by SkillsFuture Singapore, the ALC aims to collaborate with partners from different industries and institutions to address and overcome obstacles faced in adult learning through multiple rounds of research, brainstorming and tests, as well as promote a wider adoption of successful adult education approaches, to benefit more Singaporeans.

Mr Chan described the ALC as a “catalyst” in bringing together the strengths of the respective partners and stakeholders to address issues pertaining to adult education, such as creating appropriate content for learning.

The new 3,500 sq ft facility will be built at the Lifelong Learning Institute in Eunos Road, and is set to be launched in the second half of 2024. It will serve as a facility for demonstrations, showcases and engagements in adult learning.

The ALC will start off by focusing on three pilot projects, where partner organisations conduct research to address relevant workplace issues.

One such project is the “Enabling employees to be co-pilots in enterprise transformation” project, which aims to teach enterprises proven approaches they can take to raise workers’ morale and their willingness to learn, and increase their skill sets and value.

This can be done through coaching and training sessions, as well as the introduction of new management practices.

Ms Tan Yen Yen, senior director of the Business and the Creatives cluster at Singapore Polytechnic, is one of the partners involved in the project. She said that helping businesses unlock the full potential of their workforce is paramount to ensure that educational initiatives will have a lasting impact on various stakeholders and society.

“Through our strategic alliance with the ALC, we aspire to actively contribute to and elevate Singapore’s training and adult education standards,” she added.

The other two projects the ALC will initiate involve teaching mature workers how to embrace and navigate their way around artificial intelligence and how to create effective programmes within the training and adult education sector.

IAL’s executive director, Associate Professor Yeo Li Pheow, said the ALC serves as a hub for different stakeholders to come together and discuss the many different challenges, both present and new, faced by Singaporeans in the workspace.

“We have never had a platform where multiple stakeholders can come together to discuss. (The ALC) is an excellent opportunity to bring different stakeholders together, creating a platform for dialogue, the exchange of ideas and sharing, allowing for the formation of faster solutions.”

Prof Yeo said he hopes to see more companies and even smaller organisations come on board and share their challenges.

“The goal is to use this platform to better prepare adult educators,” he said.