The digital economy remains a bright light, boosting corporate growth and job prospects
Digitalisation has changed how businesses run and how people live and work in Singapore. Even though the global socioeconomic slump has created new worries, the digital economy remains a bright light, boosting corporate growth and job prospects.
As a result, the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) has guaranteed to:
- Assisting organisations in keeping up with rapid technological changes and differentiating themselves from the competition, while also protecting themselves from emerging digital hazards; and
- Assisting workers and those about to enter the labour force in developing industry-relevant skills in order to position themselves for new opportunities in the digital arena.
With this, MCI will release the Digital Enterprise Blueprint later this year, a comprehensive plan that builds on MCI’s current efforts to push digitisation across the economy. Throughout the process, MCI will consult with industry experts, trade associations, and firms from many sectors that have collaborated closely with the MCI-family in developing their next projects.
Among these initiatives are:
- Developing and scaling up the adoption of Digital Utilities;
- Ensuring that the 20 Industry Digital Plans (IDPs) remain relevant to the needs of SMEs;
- Increasing SMEs’ digital maturity by extending the Advanced Digital Solutions scheme (ADS); and
- Providing better support for SMEs to protect themselves from cyber-attacks.
With an emphasis on assisting the locals in gaining access to strong tech jobs and in developing deep tech skills in high-demand areas, MCI is contributing to efforts made by the government to foster a workforce that is resilient and future-ready.
To anticipate business needs and direct reskilling initiatives for emerging job opportunities, the MCI is also collaborating with government agencies to identify the skills and jobs needed to prosper in a rapidly evolving digital future.
MCI is teaching deep tech professionals in collaboration with businesses, who will be essential to maximising the effects of the newest technology advancements and advancing the economy to a more advanced level of digital transformation.
The National University of Singapore and Singapore Polytechnic have been chosen by IMDA to head the Singapore 5G & Telecoms Academy (5G Academy), a grouping of IHLs, telcos, and businesses.
MCI has collaborated with businesses to train almost 2,600 people in AI and Data Analytics and position them in rewarding tech jobs through IMDA’s TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) initiative.
With around 1,200 people trained and placed in cybersecurity employment under TeSA (including CSAT) and another 450 trained at the intermediate and advanced levels through the CSA Academy, the government is collaborating closely with industry partners to develop deep cybersecurity skills.
With IMDA’s TeSA project, MCI will continue to empower mid-career professionals to upskill and access new possibilities in collaboration with industry, with around 15,000 Singaporeans placed in good tech positions.
MCI is improving the employability of ITE and Polytechnic graduates through the TechSkills Accelerator for ITE and Polytechnics (TIP) Alliance, which DPM Heng Swee Keat established last year.
The TIP Alliance brings together industry leaders to deliver 1,000 job opportunities for the Singaporean Polytechnic and ITE students and graduates over three years, while also equipping them with industry-relevant skills.
Leading firms in both the IT and non-tech sectors have already committed to 500 job openings in high-demand fields including software engineering, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and network and infrastructure.
MCI and the Ministry of Education (MOE) will collaborate closely with Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to deepen the many existing industry connections by increasing industry representation on all IHL committees.
Source: Yen Ocampo (https://opengovasia.com)
