Wednesday 27 June 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Invest in Yourself: Lifelong Learning with the British Council Singapore at SkillsFuture Festival 2018

  

Singapore, 27 June 2018 - British Council in Singapore is pleased to participate in this year’s SkillsFuture Festival 2018. 

SkillsFuture is a national movement aimed at inspiring young learners, working professionals and active agers to develop their skillsets throughout life. The month-long SkillsFuture Festival 2018 will bring awareness of the benefits of lifelong learning through experiential learning experiences, interactive workshops, talks, exhibitions and more. 

From 30 June to 1 July 2018, British Council will be participating in the SkillsFuture Festival 2018 launch event at the Lifelong Learning Institute to offer Singaporeans the opportunity to learn how to prepare for a better and successful future, no matter the starting point. 

For more than 30 years, the British Council Professional Development Centre (PDC) has facilitated intensive courses for improvements in specific areas for working professionals. The PDC trains more than 8,000 employees a year in the public and private sectors, and courses are designed to put new skills into action with immediate results. 

Individuals looking to develop their careers and learn how to effectively face the challenges of the modern workplace will have the chance to talk to the British Council PDC representatives about their workshops, which are eligible for SkillsFuture Credit and cover over 30 different topics, from Written Communication – Business Writing Essentials, Interpersonal Communications – Handling Difficult Colleagues and Customers, Interpersonal Communications – Effective Public Speaking to many more.

Those seeking to improve their English language skills can explore courses such as Business Confidence, and the Business English Skills Training (BEST). Individuals looking for a career in education can speak to the British Council about the Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) course; the internationally recognised teaching qualification.

The #SketchYourSkills interactive exhibition by British Council at SkillsFuture Festival 2018 will engage and educate the visitors curious about British Council courses through illustrations created by Idea Ink. Visitors will be encouraged to write their skills onto a post-it note for the illustrators to develop into a picture-worthy canvas. At the booth, visitors can also take a quiz on skills and standard English for a chance in a lucky draw. 

“SkillsFuture is an excellent movement and we are excited to be a part of SkillsFuture Festival 2018, to provide Singaporeans with beneficial courses to strengthen their communications skills and progress in personal and professional advancement,” said Roland Davies, Country Director, British Council Singapore. 

In conjunction with the month long SkillsFuture Festival 2018, the British Council will be hosting public lunchtime interactive talks which include topics from their popular 90-minute professional workshops, Bitesize90, as well as a talk on becoming an English teacher.

  • Mindfulness (2 July, 12 noon - 2 p.m., British Council, Toa Payoh Centre) What is mindfulness, why is it important in today’s workforce and how can you apply it in the workplace and your personal life to achieve success
  • The Multi-Generational Team (24 July, 12 noon - 2 p.m., British Council, Toa Payoh Centre) Bridging the generation gaps between your colleagues in the office, and how to best communicate with them
  • How to become an English teacher (26 July, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. British Council, Napier Road Centre) An informative session for those wishing to teach or tutor English, in Singapore or abroad
  • Say it clearly (30 July, 1.30 p.m. - 3.30 p.m., British Council, Napier Road Centre) This workshop will focus on clear and precise spoken English, improving pronunciation 

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Notes to Editor

For more information, please contact:
Name: Yasmine Najib
Email: yasmine@aka-asia.com

Name: Francesca Geary 
Email: francesca@aka-asia.com

About the British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We work with over 100 countries in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society. Last year we reached over 65 million people directly and 731 million people overall including online, broadcasts and publications. We make a positive contribution to the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust. Founded in 1934 we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body. We receive 15 per cent core funding grant from the UK government. www.britishcouncil.org

About the SkillsFuture Festival 2018

The inaugural SkillsFuture Festival 2018, organised by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), is a month-long festival aimed at inspiring Singaporeans to develop a passion for learning and pursue skills mastery. From 30 June to 4 August 2018, there are more than 350 learning activities island-wide catering to Singaporeans of all ages. Singaporeans can look forward to panel discussions, workshops, talks, exhibitions, and innovative learning and lifestyle events during this period. For more information on SkillsFuture Festival 2018, visit www.myskillsfuture.sg/festival/.

APPENDIX

SkillsFuture Festival 2018: British Council Bitesize 90 Lunchtime Talks and Public Talk

Bitesize 90 Lunchtime Talk: Mindfulness - 2 July 2018, 12 noon – 2 p.m., British Council, Toa Payoh Centre

This highly practical session will allow you to gain some ‘headspace’, which should be beneficial to your mental and physical well-being. Mindfulness is a type of meditation, which focuses on achieving a relaxed and non-judgemental awareness of your thoughts. Being more mindful will allow you to engage and connect with the present moment, calmly acknowledging your feelings and thoughts and becoming more aware of them.

Bitesize 90 Lunchtime Talk: The Multi-Generational Team - 24 July 2018, 12 noon – 2 p.m., British Council, Toa Payoh Centre

This session will help you to work more effectively with colleagues from different generations. You will learn more about the different generations in your team and the challenges this creates. You will also explore ways to bridge the gaps between generations and come up with a set of guidelines about how your colleagues can best communicate with you. This should lead to increased empathy, understanding and respect for your multi-generational colleagues.

Public Talk: How to become an English teacher - 26 July 2018, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. British Council, Napier Road Centre

Providing you with more information on how you can become a qualified English teacher. The talk will cover what English teaching entails and how to get qualified as an English teacher. There will also be an opportunity to hear tips and advice from a British Council educator on what it is like to teach English locally and abroad in a variety of contexts from tutoring, pre-schools, government-funded schools, International schools and volunteering overseas. 

Public Talk: Say it clearly - 22 July 2018, 1.30 p.m. – 3.30 p.m., British Council, Napier Road Centre

This workshop will focus on clear and precise spoken English, delivered in an engaging, interactive learning environment.  Participants will improve awareness of standard pronunciation and overcome common communication errors.

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