SINGAPORE: Students and graduates of polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) will get more support to clinch technology-related jobs amid a fast-growing digital economy, said Minister of State for Communications and Information Tan Kiat How on Friday (Mar 4).
“We will put in place a structured, end-to-end approach to better support our polytechnic and ITE students, starting with 1,000 places over the next 3 years,” he announced during his ministry’s Committee of Supply debate.
A TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) for ITEs and Polytechnics (TIP) Alliance comprising leading tech firms and major hirers will be formed by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
The latest move comes after some polytechnic and ITE graduates from Information and Digital Technologies (IDT) courses shared that they could not find suitable entry-level roles in their areas of study, said Mr Tan.
Others have encountered employers “who prefer university graduates”, while there are also those who find it difficult to adapt to the rapid changes in the sector after a break such as National Service or other reasons.
“Structured support and clearly-defined scaffolding in their career pathways can make a world of difference,” Mr Tan said.
The alliance will “enhance the quality of internship opportunities” for polytechnic and ITE students.
After graduation, students can take up apprenticeships at participating firms under place and train programmes. These companies will also establish “skills-oriented training plans and pathways for tech roles”, including certifications and specialist training.
Graduates interested in further studies will also be supported through Work-Study diploma or degree programmes across growth areas like artificial intelligence, cloud and cybersecurity, he added.
Several companies, such as Accenture, IBM, NCS and PSA Corporation, have made “significant commitments” to provide internship, apprenticeship or placement opportunities, said Mr Tan as he urged more to join this effort.
More will also be done to strengthen the pipeline of university graduates in this area, such as establishing new programmes and specialisations aimed at supporting emerging tech needs in different sectors.
One example is the new degree for applied computing with a specialisation in financial technology (FinTech) that will be available at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) this year.
The three-year programme will be a work-study degree and SIT will offer 40 places for its first intake. Students will be trained in software engineering, project management, as well as growth areas like machine learning and blockchain, while being equipped with relevant financial domain knowledge.
This has “received endorsements” from industry partners, such as AIA Singapore, DBS, JP Morgan, and Standard Chartered, said IMDA and the Monetary Authority of Singapore in a joint release.
There is also the need to upskill and reskill the country’s existing tech workforce amid rapid technological advances.
Among other efforts, IMDA will launch the ICT Jobs Transformation Map later this year to help employers and employees across the sector identify areas of high impact, as well as the relevant upskilling or reskilling opportunities needed, Mr Tan said.