An Affiliate of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC)
Seniors
Join NICA’s Senior Market Roadmap to gain the essential skills and qualifications to work with seniors. Be recognized as an AAC-Robust Senior Ready instructor by NICA in this growing field! NICA members enjoy exclusive access and discounted rates on these courses, with potential buyers like AACs seeking qualified instructors.
Benefits of joining the Roadmap
Increased job prospects within the growing Senior Market
Be accredited as “AAC-Robust Seniors Ready” by NICA
Supported by the Agency of Integrated Care which oversees the Active Ageing Centres in Singapore
Gain visibility and an online presence through U FSE Directory
Upcoming course dates:
| Date & Time | Course |
|---|---|
| 30 September, 9am-1pm | Enhancing Training and Coaching for Senior Learners by NTUC LearningHub |
Disability
Interested in Teaching in the Disability Sports Scene?
…but unsure about where to start? Find out more by reading the Disability Sports Master Plan.
What is SportSG’s Disability Sports Master Plan (DSMP)?
We have attached an introductory deck prepared by SportSG to provide you with more information on the DSMP.
How Can You Get Started in Disability Sports?
Republic Polytechnic has launched a new course: Introduction to Disability Sports (IDS) – a 5-hour Continuing Education and Training (CET) course endorsed by the Disability Sports Master Plan.
About the IDS Course
In the “Introduction to Disability Sports” course, participants will:
Gain an understanding of disability awareness and the sports delivery system in Singapore for disability sports.
Identify the barriers and facilitators faced by persons with disabilities (PWDs) in sports.
Learn to use practical tools designed to adapt and modify coaching programs/activities to be more inclusive.
Discover various ways to impact coaching practices for PWDs using these inclusive tools.
Participants will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the course and the theory examination.
Special Savings for NICA Members!
You could pay as little as $16 after subsidies! NICA members can also apply for the UTAP subsidy, which covers an additional 50% of unfunded course fees!
Find out more about UTAP here.
Ready to get started?
Other Opportunities
NICA members enjoy exclusive job opportunities through our mailing list, receiving tailored updates on openings that match their skills and experience, giving them a competitive edge.
Not a member yet? Sign up now!
U FSE Directory
The U FSE Directory showcases the skills and achievements of freelance coaches and instructors. By joining, you’ll increase your visibility to government agencies, social organizations, and companies looking to hire professionals like you. Get onboard today and connect with potential clients!
How do I get on the U FSE Directory?
There are 2 ways that you can onboard yourself:
1. Attend UFSE’s monthly Profile Builder workshops
Attend UFSE’s free monthly Profile Builder workshops for NICA members. Learn to craft a polished, discoverable professional profile and master online marketing and sales etiquette!
2. Set up your own profile
Already have an active LinkedIn account or your own website? You can set up your profile here.
For any further questions, please contact fseprofiles@ntuc.org.sg.
Training support
NICA supports coaches and instructors in upgrading and re-skilling by partnering with industry leaders to offer relevant workshops, conference, and masterclasses.
Members can enjoy training support through:
1. Union Training Assistance Programme (UTAP)
2. NICA-Sponsored Courses
Union Training Assistance Programme (UTAP)
What is it?
Under UTAP, NICA members get a 50% subsidy on unfunded* course fees, up to $250/year, and those 40 and above can get up to $500/year.
*Unfunded course fees are the remaining amount after applying any government subsidies.
Example of UTAP Utilisation:
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| Full course fees (before subsidy) | $2,000 |
| Less government subsidy (e.g., 90%) | -$1,800 |
| Course fee payable (after subsidy) | $200 |
| Less UTAP funding (50% of the course fee payable after subsidy) | -$100 |
| Amount You Pay | $100 |
For more information about UTAP, including the eligibility criteria and submission of claims, please head to this page.
Who Can Apply?
All NTUC members and NTUC Starter members can apply for UTAP and UTAP-Lite, respectively. However, the following criteria must be met to be eligible:
The member must...
commence the course or complete the assessment within the UTAP-approved period.
The member must...
submit claims via the UTAP system within 6 months after course or assessment completion.
The member must...
have a paid-up NTUC membership before course/assessment commencement, throughout the course/assessment duration, and at the point of claim.
The member must...
submit a certificate of completion of training and assessment or training attendance sheets showing at least 75% attendance and sit for all prescribed examinations, if any.
The member must...
not claim full funding through company sponsorship or other types of funding.
How to Submit a UTAP Claim?
Step 1:
Check for UTAP-supported courses from this website.
Step 2:
Register for a course with a training provider and attend training. For course information and enrollment, please contact the training provider.
Step 3:
Login using Singpass and submit your UTAP/UTAP-Lite claim within 6 months after course completion. Note that late claims will be rejected.
Supported Courses
Check out industry related courses that are supported by UTAP.
Scroll down to find out the courses!
Sports and Outdoor Learning
- American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) Certification Course Level 1 and 2
- American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) Certification Course Level 3
- ISA Sports Rehabilitation Course Level 1
- American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) Dryland Training for All Ages & How to Write Goal-Based Workouts
- ISA Certificate in Basic Sports Massage
- ISA Sports Rehabilitation Course Level 2
- ISA-SLI Sports Coaching for Kids Certification Course
- ISA Strength and Conditioning Workshop
Fitness and Wellness
- Clinical Orthopedic Manual Therapy (COMT) for the Neck
- Clinical Orthopedic Manual Therapy (COMT) for the Thoracic Spine & Ribcage
- Clinical Orthopedic Manual Therapy (COMT) for the Lower Back and Pelvis
- Clinical Orthopedic Manual Therapy (COMT) for the Upper Extremity
- Clinical Orthopedic Manual Therapy (COMT) for the Lower Extremity
- ISA Certificate in Exercise Prescription for Special Populations (Youth, Elderly & Pregnant Individuals)
- ISA Certificate in Introduction to Fitness Nutrition
- WAKO Singapore Kickboxing Coach Level 1
- ISA Certificate in Exercise Prescription for Special Populations (Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disease Individuals)
- ISA Introduction to Kettlebell Course
- ISA Certified Personal Trainer Course (leading to ACE Certification) – Guided Live Edition
- ISA Certified Personal Trainer Course (leading to ACE Certification) – Independent Online Edition
- ISA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Course (leading to NSCA Certification)
- ISA Communication for Fitness Professionals Course
- ISA Strength and Conditioning Workshop
- AFAA Group Fitness Instructor Certification
- Applied Health and Human Performance Specialist
- Art of Living
- Autism Fitness Certification Level 1
- Behaviour Change Agent
- Brain Health Trainer
- Fat Loss Specialization
- FTI Master Functional Trainer
- Functional Fitness for Pregnancy & Postpartum
- Fundamentals of Kettlebells Level 1 & 2
- Fundamentals of Plant-Based Nutrition
- Fundamentals of Strength Training
- GPNI-ISSN Body Transformation Nutrition Coach
- GPNI-ISSN Endurance & Marathon Nutrition Coach
- GPNI-ISSN Sports Nutrition Specialist (Double Cert)
- Ignite Your Burn Instructors Certification
- Kettlebell Level 3 – Certified Kettlebell Trainer
- Maximising Running Performance
- Obesity and Weight Management Specialist
- Personal Trainer Development Program
- Personal Trainer Practical Competency
- PHA Level 1
- Rehab Essentials
- Rehab Express
- Safe Return to Exercise
- Science To Gym Floor
- Senior Fitness Specialist
- Senior Strength and Conditioning
- Sports Massage Therapy
- Suspended Fitness Training 1 & 2
- Training Pregnant and Post Partum Clients
- Trigger Point Level 1 & 2 – Regular
- Well coaches Core Coach Training
- Women Fitness Essentials
- Ybells Coaching Course
Business Essentials
- 5 Strategies to Win with People
- Grievances Handling
- People and Performance Management Level 3 powered by John Maxwell (Synchronous e-learning)
- People Development powered by John Maxwell
- Personal Effectiveness Level 3 powered by John Maxwell (Synchronous e-learning)
- Apply Emotional Competence to Manage Self at the Workplace (Synchronous e-learning)
- Develop Personal Effectiveness at Operations Level (Synchronous e-learning)
- Accelerating Teamwork
- Organisational Relationship Building powered by John Maxwell
- People and Relationship Management L1: Work in a Diverse Service Environment powered by John Maxwell (Synchronous e-learning)
- Implement a Business Plan (Synchronous and Asynchronous e-Learning)
- Monitor Income and Expenses (Synchronous and Asynchronous e-Learning)
- Setting up and Running a Business (Synchronous e-learning)
- Strategic Business and Marketing Plan
- WSQ Write Reports
- WSQ Present Information
- Implement Design Thinking (SF) (Synchronous e-learning)
- Contract and Intellectual Property Management (Synchronous e-learning)
- HR Business Savvy Skills Masterclass
- Solve Problems and Make Decisions at Operations Level (Synchronous e-learning)
- Portfolio Review (Synchronous e-learning)
- Living the laws of Leadership
- The 360 degree Leader
- The 5 Levels of Leadership
- Vision Leadership Level 3 powered by John Maxwell
- Service Leadership L1: Demonstrate the Service Vision (MSF)
- Solve Problems and Make Decisions at Managerial Level (Synchronous e-learning)
- Service Leadership L4: Lead with Service Vision (MSF)
- Adapt to Change (Synchronous e-learning)
- Communicate and Relate Effectively at the Workplace (Synchronous e-learning)
- WSQ Participate in Negotiations powered by Wiley (Synchronous e-learning)
- Service Challenges L1 (SF): Project a Positive and Professional Image (Synchronous e-learning)
- Develop Professional Image and Competence to Achieve Personal Career Goals
- How to pitch like a Pro (Synchronous e-learning)
- Implement a Continuous Improvement Culture (SF) (Synchronous e-learning)
Visual and Performing Arts
Our Partners
Supporting Partners
NICA works with the following organisations closely to fulfill its objectives.
Training Partners
We work with the following organisations to train our coaches and instructors.
NAC-NICA Training Support
The National Arts Council (NAC) is partnering with the National Instructors and Coaches Association (NICA) to support NICA arts educator-members by providing course fee subsidies and/or training allowances to reduce the cost of attending training.
The NAC-NICA Training Support i.e., “Training Support” will run from 1 October 2023 to 31 March 2025, and is in tandem with the Skills Framework for Arts (Arts Education and Technical Theatre & Production).
Interested self-employed arts educators must be/ sign up as a NICA member before applying for the Training Support.
NICA will also help members to apply for additional training fund (UTAP).
When NICA Arts Educator-Members attend and complete courses under the pre-qualified courses, workshops, and conferences, they can claim up to $500 Training Support as indicated below.
- Up to 90% of unsubsidised course fee subsidy and/or,
- Up to $10/hour of training allowance, based on the course duration;
- For courses/ conference/ workshops below $200, only training allowance will apply.
Application Process
- Apply via the online form HERE.
- Send the supporting documents in a password-protected zip file to nicatrainingsupport@ntuc.org.sg
Kindly note that you must obtain the LOE prior to attending any pre-qualified course. NICA requires up to 7 working days to assess the application and generate the LOE.
Supporting Documents
To qualify for NAC-NICA Training Support, you will need the following supporting documents:
Proof of Self-Employed Income
- Notice of Assessment (NOA) 2024 that reflects trade income,
- CPF Contribution History for the past 6 months
- Self-Declaration: SEP does not concurrently hold a Full-Time position
Bank Statement
Bank statement that reflects the bank account holder name and account number.
Subscription to NAC Arts Resource Hub
You may subscribe to the NAC Arts Resource Hub HERE.
Please note that you do not need to submit any documentation. NAC and NICA will verify subscription based on the following details in the ARH Subscription Form:
- Full Name
- Email address
Proof of Work in the Visual and Performing Arts Field
- Update CV OR,
- Portfolio of Work or teaching experience
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Proof of Self-Employed Income |
|
| Bank Statement | Bank statement that reflects the bank account holder name and account number. |
| Subscription to NAC Arts Resource Hub | You may subscribe to the NAC Arts Resource Hub HERE.
Please note that you do not need to submit any documentation. NAC and NICA will verify subscription based on the following details in the ARH Subscription Form:
|
| Proof of Work in the Visual and Performing Arts Field |
|
Pre-Qualified Courses
You will qualify for this initiative if you belong to the following courses.
- Dance Instructorship Programme [Course ended]
- Introduction to Photorealistic Painting
- Ballet for Adults I (Beginners)
- Ceramics III: Wheel Throwing
- Creative Design I: Print Design*
- Creative Design II: Publication Design
- Creative Design III: Digital Publication Design
- Fundamentals of Graphic Design I*
- Fundamentals of Graphic Design II
- Exploring Art Therapy – An Introduction
- Landscape Painting
- Music Production series III: The Recording Studio Experience
- Video Editing with DaVinci: An Introduction
- Dance Movement Therapy*
- Digital Art with Procreate I*
- Digital Art with Procreate II*
- Music Production series I: Getting Started in Music Production (Blended)*
- Music Production series II: Home Music Production in Logic Pro*
- User Experience and User Interface (UI): An Accelerated Programme*
- An Introduction to Safe Dance Practice in MOE Schools
- Art Teaching for Special Needs – Watercolour Painting
- Art Therapy – Exploring Art Mediums
- Certificate in Digital Video Design
- Certificate in Photography
- Certificate in Digital Imaging
- Certificate in Infographics
- Certificate in Graphic Communication (Digital Graphics and Principles)
- Certificate in Graphic Communication (Layout and Type)
- Certificate in Studio Photography
- Certificate in Teaching Speech and Drama
- Designing and Sculpting Clay Figurines
- Essentials in Infographics
- Exploring the Multiverse of Creative Process
- Expressive Art as Therapy (Level 1)
- Expressive Art as Therapy (Level 2)
- Metaverse: Introduction to Augmented Reality Design
- Narrative Photography (Level 1)
- Narrative Photography (Level 2)
- Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) for Art and Business
- Watercolour Demystified – Mastering Watercolour Control
Frequently Asked Questions
| Employment Type | Existing Membership Status |
|---|---|
| Freelancer or Self-Employed Person (SEP) | NTUC membership; serviced by NICA |
| Full-time Employee | NTUC membership; serviced by NTUC and relevant union |
If you are a freelance or self-employed coach/ instructor in the arts (or sports, fitness, and enrichment), you can sign up as a NICA member. You may sign up online at www.ntuc.co/nica and select “NICA” under the company field.
If you are an existing NTUC member, please email NICA at nica@ntuc.org.sg to do a membership conversion to NICA.
Here is the time we usually take for reimbursement.
| Type of Support | Processing time | Reimbursing Party |
|---|---|---|
| NAC-NICA Training Support (Course fee subsidy and/or training allowance) | 8 – 12 weeks upon course completion | NICA |
| UTAP (Course fee subsidy) 3 | 8 – 12 weeks upon course completion | NICA on behalf of e2i |
Need Help?
Should you have questions that are not addressed by the FAQs, please reach us at nicatrainingsupport@ntuc.org.sg.
National Registry of Exercise Professionals
Calling All Certified Exercise and Fitness Professionals! Boost Your Professional and Business Credibility by following these essential steps!
1. Register on the National Registry of Exercise Professionals (NREP) by SportSG
Join the NREP to elevate your professional profile! Launched by SportSG on April 1, 2023, it sets higher standards and offers continuous learning for exercise professionals. Register now to upskill and be easily found by the public. For more info, head to this page.
2. Sign Up for NICA Membership
Registered with NREP? Enjoy a one-year NICA membership fee waiver ($117 value)!
As a NICA member, you’ll also receive an annual training grant of $250 to $500 for your professional development.
3. List Your Profile on NTUC's U FSE Freelancer Directory
Get noticed by serious hirers and clients by listing your profile on NTUC's U FSE Freelancer Directory, a verified database of skilled freelancers across various sectors, including coaching, creative, education services, and more.
Check your eligibility
Upload your information and we will update you on your membership.
Do ensure that you have onboarded NREP successfully before applying for NREP-NICA 1 year membership sponsorship. To check on your NREP status, please reach out to SportSG directly at nrep@sport.gov.sg.
Upload here
We note that you are a freelance/self-employed exercise professional. You will be directed to a sign-up page. Payment details will be collected to activate your membership. The first year will be complimentary for NREP members.
Do ensure that you have onboarded NREP successfully before applying for NREP-NICA 1 year membership sponsorship. To check on your NREP status, please reach out to SportSG directly at nrep@sport.gov.sg.
Sign-up here
We note that you are a salaried employee. You will be redirected to an online form (MSForm) to apply for NICA-NTUC membership sponsorship.
Do ensure that you have onboarded NREP successfully before applying for NREP-NICA 1 year membership sponsorship. To check on your NREP status, please reach out to SportSG directly at nrep@sport.gov.sg.
Take these steps today to boost your professional profile and connect with opportunities that will help grow your business!