The collaboration introduces six new training modules to help strengthen interior design skills across the industry as design practice evolves.
18 December 2025
Text by Janice Seow
As renovation expectations rise and designing a home becomes increasingly multifaceted, Singapore’s interior design community is taking a meaningful step toward strengthening professional standards. A new Memorandum of Understanding between the Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS) and three polytechnics — Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic — will introduce structured, industry-ready training pathways for designers.
There’s a growing understanding that interior designers today shoulder a wide range of responsibilities. Beyond aesthetics, they’re coordinating technical details, navigating regulations, considering wellness, and managing digital tools — all while guiding homeowners through the maze of renovation decisions. The new partnership acknowledges this growing complexity and aims to support designers with clearer competency frameworks and more consistent, future-focused training.
This strengthened support for designers ultimately benefits homeowners too. For many, choosing a designer is an act of trust — yet the industry has long faced uneven standards and varying levels of experience. By setting up more consistent training routes, the MOU is part of a broader effort to close that gap and give the public greater peace of mind.
According to SIDS, the partnership represents a unified effort to uplift professional standards, strengthen market confidence and better safeguard homeowners from common renovation pitfalls. With structured routes for upskilling and updated skillsets, it aims to create a more reliable and transparent renovation experience.
A defining feature of the initiative is its recognition of diverse entry points into the profession, including practitioners who built their expertise through hands-on experience rather than formal qualifications. The new programme formalises a clear and credible pathway for these designers to upskill and gain certification, strengthening professional progression across the industry.
SIDS President Mr Tung Ching Yew notes: “As an industry, SIDS must be inclusive… Through these new CET pathways, we are offering these seasoned professionals a structured route to upskill and gain formal recognition.”
By aligning industry experience with structured learning, the partnership supports designers at every stage of their journey, ensuring the sector grows stronger together.
The Continuing Education and Training (CET) modules cover a combination of fundamentals and emerging areas of practice:
Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance, and Second Minister for National Development, who witnessed the MOU signing at the Singapore Interior Design Awards (SIDA) Gala Dinner in November, described the collaboration as nurturing “a future-ready workforce, one that is agile, competent, and committed to excellence.”
Ultimately, the SIDS–polytechnic partnership aims to lay important groundwork for the profession, setting clearer expectations for designers and a more reassuring landscape for homeowners. As the industry continues to evolve, this initiative supports ongoing efforts to build a more aligned and progressive design community.
More information will be released on the SIDS website in early 2026.
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