SMU School of Economics Associate Dean (Faculty, Research) and Professor of Economics Hoon Hian Teck commented on the announcement that there will be 10,000 SkillsFuture courses on offer for more than two million people, who can start using $500 in credit from the government to pay for skills-based classes. The 10,000 approved courses were listed in an online directory last November to give all citizens aged 25 and above, who will receive their SkillsFuture Credit, time to decide on what they want. Prof Hoon said workers should take advantage of the scheme because Singapore is moving into its next phase of economic development in which workers need to constantly upgrade their skills to stay relevant.