Enhancing Youth Engagement with IBM SkillsBuild Platform in Singapore: A User-Centered Analysis

Abstract

With the rapid development of digital economy, digital literacy and professional skills have become essential for youth employment and career development. IBM Singapore, in collaboration with RMIT, launched the SkillsBuild platform to provide free high-quality digital and professional skill training for young people. However, the platform is facing the challenge of low youth engagement. This paper aims to explore effective strategies to improve youth participation in IBM SkillsBuild. Through PESTLE analysis, this study examines external business factors influencing youth engagement; identifies and analyzes key stakeholders using Mendelow’s Power-Interest Grid; determines polytechnic students (17-21 years old) as the target user group based on potential user group analysis; constructs a user persona and empathy map through primary research (semi-structured interviews with three polytechnic students); and finally defines the core problem and proposes a “How Might We” question to guide subsequent solution development. The research findings indicate that the low engagement of youth in SkillsBuild is mainly due to insufficient platform visibility, lack of interactivity, and unclear connection between courses and career prospects. This study provides a theoretical and practical basis for IBM Singapore to optimize the SkillsBuild platform and enhance youth engagement, which also has reference significance for similar online learning platform operation.