Skills Framework for Arts

The Skills Framework is a SkillsFuture initiative developed for the Singapore workforce to promote skills mastery and lifelong learning. Jointly developed by the National Arts Council and SkillsFuture Singapore, together with employers, industry associations and unions, education and training providers and individual arts practitioners, the Skills Framework for Arts provides useful information on:

• Sector Information
• Career Pathways
• Job Roles and their Key Tasks and Functions
• Existing and Emerging Skills
  

With the Skills Framework, individuals are equipped to make informed decisions about career choices, as well as take responsibility for skills upgrading and career planning.

Here are some examples on how you can use the framework as an individual:

I just graduated and I am interested to join the workforce as an Arts Educator. However, I have no idea what to expect. Where can I go to find information on this sector?

You may start by looking at Career in the Arts, which provides information on the arts workforce, range of work available and key trends to look out for. You may then look at Arts Education which provides an overview of the sector, and details the key skills, trends, job roles and desired attributes.

Arts Educators typically operate as Self Employed Persons (SEP). You may also browse the SEP webpage to find out more about what it is like to work as an arts SEP and the additional skills you might need to build a sustainable career.

I have a broad overview, but I am interested to find out more, especially how I can be prepared for a particular job. Where can I get more details?

Taking a look at the Job Prospectus for an Arts Educator would provide you with a good sense of what are the responsibilities of the job and the key skills needed. If you are looking for greater details, you can download the Guide to Occupations and Skills which outlines five job roles in the Arts Education sector. Information include Critical Work Functions, Key Tasks as well as Technical Skills and Competencies needed for the job.

Now I know the different job roles and have decided that I want to start off as an Assistant Arts Instructor. What’s next and is there any support for me?

You may wish to take a closer look at the list of Technical Skills and Competencies to see which ones you have acquired, and which ones you need further training on. Not all skills can be learnt in a formal classroom setting, and some can only be acquired through experience and on-job-training. You can consider looking for gigs/employment to kickstart your career or look to upskill through short courses. 

NAC currently has schemes which provide course fee subsidies and training allowance for SEPs. You may also refer to NAC’s Arts Resource Hub for more support and resources for SEPs.

I’ve been in my current role as a Sound Technician for close to a decade and would like to take my career further. I am open to try out new things and take on new responsibilities. How can the information here help me?

You may start by looking at Career in the Arts, which provides information on workforce profile and key trends. You can take a closer look at the 6 job occupation categories and the range of work available, to weigh options for your career transition. You can further explore the Production Design, Technical and Specialist Services and Arts Education pages to find out more about each sector and the available job roles as well as key skills for those roles. With this information, you may narrow down your areas of interest and highlight the new job roles that you would like to explore.

After much thought, I would still like to stay in the Technical Theatre & Production sector as I enjoy the satisfaction of being part of a production. However, I would like to consider a role in the Production Track. What are my options? 

The Technical and Specialist Services webpage would provide you with information on key skills and desired attributes needed. There is also a job prospectus for a Stage Manager, including its responsibilities and skills needed. If you would like to find out more, you can download the Technical Skills and Competencies which outlines in greater detail the job roles available under the Production Track. You should compare the Technical Skills and Competencies needed for the desired job with your current skills profile, to see where you need to upskill yourself.

I’m interested to switch to Stage Management as I have assessed that some of my current skillsets lend well to this role. However, I know that I need to go for some training. Where can I go for training information and what support do I have?

You can consider enrolling in Continuous Education and Training (CET) courses by tertiary institutions or training programmes by arts organisations. These courses and programmes would provide you with the basic know-how in this area of expertise. Workplace-based learning is also crucial for this role. You can explore some training opportunities such as apprenticeships to apply skills to the relevant operating context and develop yourself. 

NAC currently has schemes which provide course fee subsidies and training allowances for SEPs. You may also refer to NAC’s Arts Resource Hub for more support and resources for SEPs.

Apart from individuals, the Skills Framework can also be utilised by:

Download the Skills Framework for Arts – Guide to Occupations and Skills (Technical Theatre & Production)

For more information on the Skills Framework, visit https://www.skillsfuture.gov.sg/skills-framework/arts

Quick Links

• Arts Education Programme (NAC-AEP)
• Arts Resource Hub
• Capability Development Grant
• Scholarships
• Toolkits and Guides
• Training Opportunities