Coursera’s 2021 learner trends study sees Singapore seek tech and data skills to thrive in the new economy

Coursera, Inc., one of the largest online learning platforms in the world, has released its annual study of learner trends across Singapore. The data, based on learner choices of over 750,000 registered learners, offers insight into the skills, competencies, and subject-matter most desirable to the Singapore population.

The 2021 data shows that Singapore learners were particularly enthusiastic about courses that provide high-demand technology and data science skills, indicating a keen desire to gain the competencies needed to thrive in the modern, digital economy. The second-most popular course among Singapore learners this year was Stanford University’s Machine Learning. This course is a perennially-popular choice for those seeking to adapt to a workplace increasingly defined by AI-driven automation.

There was also a rising uptake of courses related to Professional Certificates, which are designed to prepare learners without a college degree or technology experience for a wide range of high-demand digital jobs. Google’s Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere and Foundations of Project Management were ranked 4th and 9th respectively in Singapore, which form part of Google’s Data Analytics and Project Management certificates.

According to the study, Singapore Coursera learners also took courses that appealed to their personal interests. They explored the human brain through courses like Learning How to Learn from Deep Teaching Solutions and Introduction to Psychology from Yale while dipping their toes in Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, with Yonsei University’s First Step Korean.

“It’s inspiring to see learners make strong progress on their learning goals even as challenges persisted around the world. This year’s learner trends suggest that Singapore learners are recognizing the needs of the digital economy while simultaneously striving to gain control of their mental health,” said Raghav Gupta, Managing Director – Asia Pacific, Coursera. “Singapore learners are preparing themselves for success — seeking ways to build future-proof professional skills, especially across business, technology, and data science. This coming year, we look forward to working together to make online learning even more effective and equitable for learners by delivering new world-class content and tools.”