Mid-career entrants and in-service staff prepare for roles in therapy support, patient services, nursing support and community care
Singapore, 16 October 2026 – Care is increasingly delivered not only in hospitals, but in the places where Singaporeans live and recover. At its 2026 Graduation Ceremony today, HMI Institute of Health Sciences (HMI Institute) celebrates the completion of healthcare support and community care qualifications by mid-career learners and in-service staff, preparing them for work that ranges from assisting with therapy and patient services to supporting care in the community.
With a nearly twofold increase from the graduate year of 2025, this year’s graduates include learners who attained HMI Institute’s WSQ Higher Certificate in Healthcare (Community Care) through the Assessment-Only Pathway, the first batch to gain the qualification through this route.
Mid-career transitions remain a significant part of the graduating cohort, with nearly four in five graduates of the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP) courses aged 45 to 64, while in-service staff continue to gain qualifications through employer-supported job redesign initiatives.
HMI Institute supports learners in progressing into roles across the sector, with this year’s SCTP graduates have gone on to join employers including Singapore General Hospital, SingHealth Community Hospitals and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, taking on a range of roles such as Patient Service Associate, Therapy Assistant, Care Support Associate and Operating Theatre Assistant.
The social enterprise arm of HMI Medical and Singapore’s first dedicated private healthcare training provider, HMI Institute, is also a Continuing Education and Training (CET) centre for the healthcare support sector appointed by Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) and also serves as a Learning Institute under the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) to strengthen sector capabilities.
At the ceremony, Guest-of-Honour Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information & Ministry of Health, delivered a keynote address.
“Building a future-ready care workforce means ensuring people are equipped to meet changing healthcare needs. As care extends beyond hospitals into the community, HMI Institute has broadened its training to support the evolving needs of the healthcare and community care sectors. Alongside full qualification programmes, our Assessment-Only Pathway recognises skills gained through prior learning and work experience, enabling experienced individuals to attain WSQ certification and focus on upgrading their skills. By recognising existing capabilities and helping people build new ones, we can support career progression and develop a more skilled and adaptable healthcare workforce for Singapore,” said Ms Chin Wei Jia, Group Chief Executive Officer of HMI Medical.
The range of programmes completed by this year’s graduates reflects Singapore’s growing emphasis on care that continues beyond the hospital. Alongside the community care course, graduates trained in therapy support, healthcare operations and nursing support, including perioperative support, while employer-supported programmes enabled staff already in the sector to build on their skills.
The courses prepare learners for therapy assistant, patient service and nursing support roles. Developed with care providers, they give learners opportunities to put their skills into practice and to understand how to support people with care and respect.
HMI Institute recognised Poh Guo Sheng Samson (32) as Graduate of the Year, whose late father’s encouragement to explore healthcare, followed by his own experience of rehabilitation after major surgery, inspired him to leave administrative work and train in therapy support.
He now works as a Therapy Aide at Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home, supporting residents with an understanding that they all have their own story and needs. HMI Institute also presented Partnership Recognition Awards to 15 healthcare and community care partners for their support through clinical attachments and employment opportunities. Together, these partnerships help connect learners’ training with the day-to-day realities of care delivery.
The event also featured a Learner Showcase, where graduates demonstrated safe swallowing practices. The showcase highlighted the practical skills and attentiveness needed to support people safely across hospital and community settings.
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HMI Institute of Health Sciences
Established in 2002, HMI Institute of Health Sciences (“HMI Institute”) is a leading private healthcare education provider and is one of the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) appointed Continuing Education and Training Centres for the healthcare support sector since 2009 and by the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) as a Learning Institute to strengthen sector capabilities. Transformed into a social enterprise in 2019, it signifies HMI Medical’s commitment to its larger mission of community engagement.
Since 2001, HMI Institute has trained more than 6,000 graduates for the Singapore healthcare industry. HMI Institute also provides a wide range of emergency life support skills training courses for individuals from all walks of life and has trained more than 400,000 individuals in life-saving skills. HMI Institute has developed close links with healthcare providers in Singapore to provide job placements for graduates of the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) healthcare courses. Through such strategic partnerships, robust programmes and social impact initiatives, HMI Institute aims to further build and empower the communities of care in Singapore.
For more information, please visit: https://hmi-ihs.com
