NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) has announced the launch of the NTUC LHUB Thinking Academy, Singapore's first training academy focused on equipping Professionals, Managers, and Executives (PMEs) with essential thinking skills for the Generative AI (GenAI) era. The academy offers courses in critical thinking, design thinking, and creative thinking. Officially launched by Mr. Ng Chee Meng, Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), the NTUC LHUB Thinking Academy introduces a targeted approach to developing thinking skills, enabling PMEs to navigate the complex business landscape, make ethical, data-driven decisions, and foster innovation in the digital-first world. This initiative is part of NTUC’s ongoing commitment to supporting PMEs in their careers, particularly in adapting to emerging workplace technologies.
Mr Ng Chee Meng, NTUC Secretary-General said, "The rise of GenAI brings both challenges and opportunities, making it vital for workers and PMEs to acquire GenAI skills and essential thinking skills to navigate complex business environments and stay competitive. Through the NTUC LHUB Thinking Academy, we hope to equip PMEs with some tools and knowledge needed to adapt and thrive in the digital age. NTUC remains committed to expanding our suite of innovative solutions to better support PMEs in their career progression, ensuring that our workforce is future-ready and resilient".
According to NTUC LHUB's Special Report 2024 on Thinking Skills in a Digital Age[1], nearly all business leaders surveyed (47% very important, 49% somewhat important) view thinking skills as crucial for augmenting or supplementing employees' technical skills in the face of emerging technologies like AI. However, more than four in five of them (28% to a large extent, 57% to a moderate extent) acknowledged that there is a gap in thinking skills in their organisation to a certain degree. Despite this, less than half of business leaders (43%) have sent their employees for thinking skills training in 2024.
The NTUC LHUB Thinking Academy addresses this need for training in thinking skills today. By integrating interactive learning experiences and AI-powered tools, the courses under the Academy aim to enhance learners' ability to analyse complex problems and make informed, data-driven decisions. Course participants will utilise GenAI to assess industry trends and evaluate business scenarios, facilitating strategic decision-making that considers cost implications, audience engagement, and competitive dynamics in real-time. The Academy will also emphasize ethical AI application, guiding learners to critically evaluate AI-generated insights for potential biases and ensure that their decisions are aligned with ethical standards.
The NTUC LHUB Thinking Academy has updated three of its existing thinking skills courses with GenAI content, incorporating prompt engineering and AI-powered decision-making to equip professionals with the critical skills needed for the future workforce. The updated courses include: (1) Design Thinking Fundamentals, which introduces a human-centric approach to innovation and leverages GenAI for enhanced ideation and problem-solving, (2) Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Display Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills Powered by Wiley, designed to help professionals master logical inquiry, stakeholder engagement, and AI-enhanced problem-solving, and (3) Critical Thinking, aimed at senior professionals to help them utilize AI tools like ChatGPT to improve decision-making and reduce cognitive biases. For more details, refer to Annex A.
In addition to these refreshed courses, the academy is developing new courses in systems thinking, creative thinking, and strategic thinking, expected to launch by the third quarter of this year.
