The Workforce Development Applied Research Fund (WDARF), a national-level research fund offered by the SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), aims to foster high quality and rigorous applied research in workforce development and lifelong learning to support the SkillsFuture Singapore's key thrusts and national-level policies. It encourages inter-disciplinary research and seeks to strengthen research capabilities, through leveraging both local and international expertise. The WDARF Grant Call is administered by the Institute for Adult Learning (IAL) on behalf of the SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). The grant is awarded through an open, competitive bidding approach, where submitted proposals go through a technical expert review and evaluation, before they are presented to a Research Committee for approval.
Workforce Development Applied Research Fund (WDARF) 2025 Grant Call
The WDARF 2025 Grant Call is now closed for Expression of Interest (EOI) submission.
Previous Result
Grant Call 2019
From classroom training to workplace practice: Understanding workers’ learning motivation, skill acquisition and skill utilisation in the context of Continuing Education and Training (CET)
Dr Lee Ai Noi, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University
Continuous education and training (CET) opportunities available to workers is crucial to ensure a relevant and resilient workforce. Using a three-time point design of data collection, this study aims to examine the influence of individual and workplace situational factors on workers’ learning motivation, skill acquisition and skill utilisation before and after completion of a CET course; and whether a more structured workplace learning context can increase the likelihood of individual skill utilisation.
Grant Call 2019
Challenge-Learn: Developing and Assessing an Andragogical Programme and System based on Co-Skilling to Enhance Employability and Learning
Asst Prof Pee Loo Geok, Nanyang Technological University
Co-Skilling is a practical approach to adult learning by co-creating ideas and solutions with relevant career stakeholders. It offers systematic guidance to connecting learning to current or future career advancement, as well as demonstrating usable learning outcomes. This research project develops an online system that implements Co-Skilling principles in institutes of adult education. The impacts of Co-Skilling on employability and learning are also assessed.
Grant Call 2019
Preparing PSEI Learners for Changing Working Lives
Dr Chue Shien, Nanyang Technological University
This project seeks to: (a) Understand the challenges of how Singapore Post-Secondary Education (PSEI) students can learn to be ready for working life (b) Understand the mechanism of how education institutions and business organisations afford work-learn opportunities for young adults.
Grant Call 2019
Identifying the Motivational Tipping Point for Lifelong Learning: One Size Does Not Fit All
Dr Cheong Kang Hao, Singapore University of Technology and Design
This project broadly aims to apply an opinion dynamics model in the context of adult education. Specifically, it aims to apply an opinion dynamics model to explore motivation and structural factors for taking up lifelong learning courses in Singapore.
Grant Call 2019
Measuring Employability & Life-Long Learning Mindsets Needed for Careers in the 21st Century
A/Prof Ringo Ho Moon-Ho, Nanyang Technological University
We aim to develop a suite of psychological measures of the new, more proactive and entrepreneurial “employability-oriented” career mindsets and behaviours and the spirit of lifelong learning that are needed for greater career resilience in Singapore’s future century workforce. In doing so, we seek to provide a baseline measure for subsequent profiling/monitoring of our pre-workforce, tertiary students’ new career mindsets and lifelong learning attitudes.
