FirstCom Academy to be suspended for flouting SkillsFuture marketing guidelines

Training provider FirstCom Academy will be suspended for three months for using a referral programme for marketing which goes against terms for training providers by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG).

- Shermaine Ang

The company, which provides courses in areas ranging from digital marketing to people management, will be suspended from Jan 1, 2025, to March 31, 2025.

This means that funding subsidies for all its courses that start within this period will be suspended. These courses will not be eligible for government course fee subsidies or SkillsFuture Credit usage.

In a statement on Nov 27, SSG said it has been investigating FirstCom Academy's marketing practices and course quality since early 2024, following "numerous public feedback".

The agency will also terminate two of FirstCom Academy's Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) courses due to lapses in ensuring course quality.

During the suspension period, FirstCom Academy cannot start WSQ courses, said SSG, which coordinates the implementation of the national SkillsFuture movement.

On Nov 27, FirstCom Academy said on Instagram and Facebook that its WSQ course curriculum will be undergoing an improvement process in the first quarter of 2025 to provide a better learning experience.

No WSQ courses and course funding will be available from January to March 2025, it said.