SkillsFuture courses from Jan to Mar 2020

Image credit (right): @thesmartlocalsg

The age of 25 means many things. To some of us, that sacred number signifies the sudden realisation that we’re actually in our mid-20’s. Cue the complaints of “sian, I damn old already,” or the start of a quarter-life crisis.

But every dark cloud has a silver lining, and for this one, turning 25 means we’re finally able to utilise our SkillsFuture credits. In this rapidly-changing society, picking up new skills is necessary to stay ahead of the game. And at Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) School of Business Management, you’ll be able to do just that with the variety of short courses they have.

If you’re interested in beefing up your resume, here are some courses you can take early in the coming year:

1. Coffee & business – the nitty-gritty of F&B operation and coffee brewing 

Most of us think of coffee as a means to stave off lethargy and food comas. But if your passion for it goes beyond daily morning coffee runs, you can convert that passion into a business with NYP’s own coffee-related courses. 

Image credit: @thesmartlocalsg

Arm yourself with the basics over at the Introduction To The Coffee Business, where you’ll learn everything from business operations and the coffee brewing process. 

For the more practical elements of making coffee, sign up for Starting Your Coffee Business instead. Things you’ll learn include crafting your own latte art, handling the espresso machines, and developing a menu that’ll contribute to a successful business. Whether you’re an aspiring cafe owner or a seasoned veteran in the F&B business, this is a great avenue for you to brush up on your coffee-making expertise.

Introduction To The Coffee Business
Duration of course: 1 day
Date: 2nd March 2020
Find more information on the course here.

Starting Your Coffee Business
Duration of course: 2 days
Date: 16th – 17th January 2020 | 5th – 6th March 2020
Find more information on the course here.

2. Crafting your digital stories & news writing – go behind-the-scenes to find out how to create engaging content

Learn how to use Adobe InDesign to create your own beautiful newsletters
Image credit: @danritosadesign

Those in the marketing industry would know that trends change faster than you can blink. Since a majority of people rely heavily on digital platforms to function day-to-day, it’s only natural that marketers need to hop on the digital bandwagon lest they get left behind. 

To keep your marketing knowledge fresh and up to speed, enroll yourselves in courses such as Crafting Your Digital Stories, where you’ll learn to create engaging content using different storytelling techniques that includes imagery and audio.

Alternatively, those in the media business should try out Feature Writing and Digital Newsletter Design. Skills you’ll pick up from this course include the know-how of using Adobe InDesign to craft newsletters, as well as the basics of news writing. 

Considering how marketing folks need to work hand-in-hand with professionals from these industries, these tips would be especially useful to give you first-hand experience on what goes into crafting successful campaigns.

Crafting Your Digital Stories
Duration of course: 1 day
Date: 13th March 2020
Find more information about this course here.

Feature Writing and Digital Newsletter Design
Duration of course: 2 days
Date: 12th – 13th March 2020
Find more information about this course here.

3. Search advertising – deciphering Google, CTR and ad copywriting

After Googling a certain phrase, Google usually pulls up ads related to your search at the top and bottom of the page
Image credit: Farzana Fattah

Everyone lives and breathes Google these days, so while you’ve been busy searching up something, there’s no way you would’ve missed the ads dotted throughout each page.

If you’re an entrepreneur or business exec, it’s not too late to jump in and make your ads stand out amidst a sea of content. Sign up for the 1 Day Hands-On Pay Per Click Search Advertising course – apart from gaining an understanding of the platform, you’ll also learn about essentials like keywords research, campaigns and ad copy through hands-on activities.

1 Day Hands-On Pay Per Click Search Advertising
Duration of course: 1 day
Date: 20th March 2020
Find more information on the course here.

4. Social media & branding – utilise social media to maximise impact for events and campaigns

Learn ways to make your brand’s persona stand out using social media

These days, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t nose-deep in their phones. When we’re either reading up viral stories, or scrolling through social media, it’s only natural for marketers to use mobile platforms to spread awareness for their events and products.

To fully maximise social media’s full potential, you can join courses like Event Branding and Social Media Marketing. It’ll arm you with the necessary know-how on using social media to elevate your branding campaign to be as effective as possible.

Event Branding and Social Media Marketing
Duration of course: 1 day
Date: 13th March 2020
Find more information about the course here.

5. Financial analysis – track how you fare against your business competitors 

Image credit: @sya.mace

Keeping track of a company’s financial health is crucial for business owners to know if they’re on the right track. But to do so would require a strong foundation in financial analysis, which you’ll be able to hone at Digital Health Checks on Public Listed Companies: A Basic How To.

Some of the skills you’ll be taught include how to retrieve financial information through online platforms and use spreadsheets and easy-to-use data visualisation tools for analysis.

Digital Health Checks On Public Listed Companies: A Basic How To
Duration of course: 1 day
Date: 10th January 2020
Find more information about the course here.

6. Hospitality & tourism – a crash-course on critical skills to stay relevant

We’ve seen enough robot movies like The Terminator and I, Robot to know that a robot invasion is entirely possible. But while machines are already able to carry out manual jobs like kitchen work at Hai Di Lao, they can never replace the human touch, which is sorely needed for front-line service jobs. 

Changi Airport already has its own contingent of robot cleaners that work alongside human staff.

With courses like Survive The Robots! Preparing Hospitality and Tourism Professionals, you’ll learn more about the potential disruptions robots and artificial intelligence can bring to essential hotel jobs like housekeeping and front reception.

You won’t just be gaining deeper knowledge – you’ll also be arming yourself with relevant human skills to keep you safe should (or when) robots actually take over.

Survive The Robots! Preparing Hospitality and Tourism Professionals
Duration of course: 1 day
Date: 27th March 2020
Find more information on the course here. 

SkillsFuture courses at Nanyang Polytechnic

Image credit: @nanyangpoly

Learning doesn’t simply stop after you graduate from school. Society’s evolving at a breathtaking speed, and we have to constantly teach ourselves new things in order to keep up. 

With the wide range of SkillsFuture courses over at NYP’s School of Business Management, you can easily enhance your resume by picking up new skills to keep yourself in the know. 

Aside from the courses listed above, you also have the option to delve into specialised courses like E-payments Made Easy, Engaging F&B Customers on Social Media, HR Analytics and Improving Customer Retail Experience, to name a few.

Between introductory classes to professional fields and using tech to stay ahead of the game, you’ll definitely be able to stick it out no matter what changes come your way.

Sign up for NYP’s School of Business Management SkillsFuture courses here

Address: 180 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8, Singapore 569830
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 8.30AM-6PM, Fri 8.30AM-5.30PM
Telephone: 6451 5115

This post was brought to you by Nanyang Polytechnic.