The Best Courses to Help Singaporeans Develop Their HR Career

For many, the human resources industry is a great place to forge a rewarding career. As a manpower agency in Singapore, our motto is to help educate the next generation of working adults.

Currently on the lookout for courses and training sessions to further develop HR specific skills? Check out some human resources available in Singapore below: 

Diplomas  

A. Specialist Diploma in Human Resource Management (Nanyang Polytechnic)
Full course fees: S$2,340 (SkillsFuture claimable)
Schedule: (Part-time) 12 months 

Working professionals looking to switch careers or get their foot in the door of the HR industry, here is the course for you! Attendees who complete this specialist diploma will be awarded two certificates — HR Talent and Management as well as Performance and Compensation Management.

This is a great course for those looking to jump into the public sector. Currently, three of the course modules have received accreditation from Singapore’s Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP). Created by MOM, NTUC, and SNEF, the IHRP is set up to strengthen and audit HR practice in Singapore.

Recommended for: Working professionals in Singapore with or without HR experience. 
More information on Nanyang Polytechnic’s Specialist Diploma in Human Resource Management here. 

B. Diploma in HR Leadership with Business Partnering (SHRI Academy)
Full course fees: S$5,585.40   
Schedule: (Part-time) 16 months 

SHRI Academy is an EduTrust certified institute widely known within the HR circle in Singapore. According to the curriculum, the program covers the three main pillars of HR; Financial Acumen, Technology, and People Management. If you’re someone who benefits from back-to-basics, traditional forms of studying, you’d be glad to hear that written assessments and tests make up the bulk of this diploma. Candidates will be able to affix the title “DipHRLBP” after their name as soon as they’ve completed this program. 

Recommended for: Support staff looking to jump into the HR industry, and HR professionals.
More information on SHRI Academy’s Diploma in HR Leadership with Business Partnering here. 

C. WSQ Higher Certificate in Human Resources 
Full course fees: S$5,800
Schedule: (Full-time) 4 months
                  (Part-time) 8 months 

WSQ qualifications allow HR professionals to upgrade their skills and develop their career. However, the courses are also relevant for non HR working professionals who wish to pick up people management skills or switch to a career in the HR industry. All WSQ courses are awarded by SkillsFuture Singapore and recognized by Workforce Singapore and the internationally recognized Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). 

Recommended for: Mid-career HR executives and support staff looking to transition into the HR industry.
More information on WSQ Higher Certificate in Human Resources here. 

D. HR Graduate Certificate (SMU) 
Full course fees: S$5,800 (SkillsFuture Claimable)
Schedule: Visit website for more information

This is the course for HR working professionals and/or business executives looking to broaden their skills and knowledge in the HR industry. Topics covered in this course include “Human Resource Planning”, “Job Analysis and Design”, “Recruitment” and “Selecting Effective Employees”. What makes this course stand out from the others available is that it is practice oriented. This is so attendees will be able to develop their skills to counteract the evolving nature of labour policies and bureaucracy. 

Recommended for: Working professionals, HR professionals, and business executives. 
More information on SMU’s HR Graduate Certificate available here. 

E. Certified Human Resource Administrator - CHRA®
Full course fees: S$3,550 - S$3,680 
Schedule: 8 days

This is the first professional HR certification program in Singapore. Throughout the course, participants will learn about the latest employment laws as well as important HR functions. Attendees who undertake this course will provide participants with a strong foundation in the fundamentals of Human Resource. Upon the completion of this course, attendees will be able to affix the word “CHRA®” to signify that the participant is a Certified Human Resource Administrator. 

Recommended for: HR professionals in Singapore. 
More information on Certified Human Resource Administrator - CHRA® available here.

Skills  

It takes more than just courses to be a successful HR associate. Skills maketh the right HR executive. Here are some of the top skills we believe every successful HR associate should have:

A. Communication skills  

The role of an HR executive is to be a source of information to all the employees in the organization. Which is why communication skills are one of the most sought after soft skills in the industry. As someone who works in HR, you’re working to maintain the happiness of both the employees and your employers. Which is why excellent communication skills are required. 

Developing great communication skills might be tough to some. Especially to fresh graduates looking to just start out in the HR field. However, one thing to remember is, always try to define and state the purpose and/or objectives clearly both in written and verbal forms of communication. Keep your words simple and try to communicate with individuals accordingly.

Pro-Tip: Learning to interpret non-verbal communication (e.g. body language) is also important. Our HR recommends reading the book, “The Definitive Book of Body Language: The Hidden Meaning Behind People’s Gestures and Expressions”. Click here to learn more about the book. 

B. Open-mindedness and intercultural sensitivity 

As someone who is responsible for handling any form of workplace discrimination (i.e. cultural, racial, sexual harrassment). This is especially true for HR teams working in larger multinational companies. In fact, open-mindedness is a soft skill in high demand. Open-mindedness is critical to being a successful HR. You’ll need to be open minded in order to learn and understand the perspectives of all the different people working in the company.

Some relevant articles to read are: 

• Why You Should Consider Diversity and Inclusion in Your Next Hire

• Know Your Rights: Workplace Sexual Harassment in Singapore

• How to Identify and Utilize HR's Best Weapon: Employee Personas

Click here to learn more about the soft and hard skills every HR executive needs to supplement their career.

As a recruitment agency in Singapore, it is in BGC Group’s interest to keep up to date with the latest courses and jobs available in the HR industry. Learn more about the jobs we have on BGC Singapore’s job portal here. Or click here to learn more about our HR services on offer. 

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