Singapore to provide industry-specific skills for students

Singapore’s government is enhancing its efforts to provide polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students with more opportunities to deepen their skills after graduation, and better support their transition into the workforce.

Starting in 2016, place-and-train programmes will be launched for fresh polytechnic and ITE graduates in sectors which require deeper skills training, Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) stated in a press release.

These programmes will be designed in collaboration with the nation's various industries to ensure their relevance to industry-specific businesses.

Graduates of such programmes will be salaried employees, and can potentially receive higher pay upon completion of the programme if they perform well and take on larger job scopes.

They will also receive an employer-recognised skills certification.

“The government will work with employers, industry associations, and unions to develop sector-specific skills and progression frameworks for key sectors,” MOE stated.

“We will also work with the universities, polytechnics, ITE and other training providers to offer industry-recognised modular courses that individuals can take to build up their skills in a targeted manner.”

MOE also announced that ITE will offer their graduates place-and-train diploma programmes in the fields of emergency medical technology (or para-medicine), marine and offshore engineering, hotel & restaurant management, pastry and bakery, and environmental engineering.

The polytechnics will offer post-diploma place-and-train programmes, such as specialist or advanced diploma programmes in aerospace, biologics, marine and offshore engineering, built environment, info-communications technology, and logistics.

The place-and-train programme is among 10 key recommendations suggested by the Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review (ASPIRE) committee, which is led by senior minister of state for education, Indranee Rajah.

“The government accepts the recommendations of the ASPIRE Committee to further strengthen Singapore’s applied education pathways, provide more opportunities for Singaporeans to realise their full potential and aspirations, and to support better alignment of the supply of and demand for skills, so that Singapore will continue to prosper and be a land of hope and opportunity for everyone in the years ahead,” MOE stated.

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