Learning institute to operate fully by this year

Early childhood educators looking to improve their skills or workers wanting to test their literacy levels will be able to do so at the Lifelong Learning Institute.

Managed by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), the campus at Paya Lebar will house at least eight training providers when it starts full operations in the next half of the year.

The eight-storey building has facilities that include a lecture theatre that can accommodate 300 people, four event halls and eight training rooms.

These shared facilities are a draw for information and communications technology trainer Lithan Hall Academy, one of the tenants of the institute.

Chairman Leslie Loh said that in the past, it would have had to book a hotel function room if it needed a big space, and that was not cost effective. "So these shared facilities are really attractive," he added.

Visitors will also be able to access career advisory services and a specialised library carrying adult learning materials.

The Lifelong Learning Institute is one of two new Continuing Education and Training campuses.

The other is the Devan Nair Institute of Employment and Employability at Jurong East, which is operated by the Employment and Employability Institute.

WDA set aside $300 million to develop both campuses, which were first announced in 2009.

This article was published on April 16 in The Straits Times.

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