NTUC LearningHub CEO Jeremy Ong said at the launch of NTUC LearningHub’s new Tech Talent Academy on January 18, “While previously recognized as a desirable attribute, AI competencies are now part of every worker’s skill set.” It has evolved into an integral part of the industry.”
In 2023, the country’s Infocom and Media Development Authority (IMDA), which oversees Singapore’s digital economy efforts, will select NTUC as one of five training partners to develop and develop technical talent in emerging fields such as AI and analytics. Appointed Learning Hub.
On January 18, NTUC LearningHub announced a number of training initiatives to support the upskilling and reskilling of technical and non-technical talent to meet the workforce needs of today’s digital economy.
Tech Talent Academy to upskill existing tech talent
First, the new academy aims to meet the industry’s demand for technology talent by sourcing, upskilling, and placing them in new technology roles. By partnering with industry players, the Academy aims to form a structured ecosystem to match talent with the right job.
During the panel discussion, IMDA Deputy Chief Executive Officer Kiren Kumar cited IMDA’s first Singapore Digital Economy Report, published in 2023, stating that 17.3 per cent of Singapore’s GDP in 2022 will be digital. It was determined that it was caused by This equates to more than S$100 billion, or nearly US$75 billion.
NTUC LearningHub and Tech Talent Assembly, an association of technical professionals, will work together to develop a training program as part of the academy’s curriculum. The academy will also partner with NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and recruitment agency Persol Kelly to secure and introduce talent.
According to a press release, NTUC LearningHub has also partnered with companies such as Ensign InfoSecurity, NCS, and UOB to establish cooperation on the placement of candidates into technical roles.
As part of its information and communications employment transformation map released last year, IMDA estimated that of the currently estimated 200,000 technology workers, 18,000 are in generative AI, cloud, mobility and software engineering. The goal is to upskill human technology workers.
“X for Everyone” provides basic skills
NTUC LearningHub also announced the “X forEveryone” course, which provides all employees with the opportunity to acquire essential and emerging technology skills such as cloud computing, generative AI, and cybersecurity awareness.
“While our academy is focused on developing technology talent, we also want to recognize the need for all workers to acquire essential new technology skills,” Ong said in his opening remarks. Stated.
“More than half of the 200,000 tech workers in our ecosystem don’t actually work in technology. They work in manufacturing, banking, consumer, retail, and food and beverage. Every company and every industry needs to embrace digitization, innovate and transform themselves,” Kumar said during the panel discussion.
“Otherwise they become irrelevant. This is a competitiveness issue. This is an employment issue. And this is a very important social issue.”
The program aims to have 2,000 trainees over the next two years. NTUC LearningHub operates three courses in partnership with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Cybertronium.
Bright opportunities for tech talent
Speakers at the launch affirmed that now more than ever, there is a critical need for Singapore’s workers to leverage technology and adapt to changing economic conditions.
Comparing the advent of AI to computerization in the 1980s and 1990s, Kumar noted that the pace of change this time around is much faster than before.
“The impact of digitalization on all sectors will change dramatically. The most important thing we have to do as a country is to move forward and ensure that our technical talent is relevant to their jobs, careers and industries. “It’s about training,” he said.
To achieve this objective, IMDA has launched several initiatives to help businesses digitalize, including the SMEs Go Digital program, the CTO-as-a-Service offering, and the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) program.
But will potential tech workers be deterred by recent layoffs at companies like Lazada and Google?
“The technology industry goes through cycles of growth and adjustment…but in general, the demand for technology skills remains high,” Kumar said in an interview with GovInsider.
“Although there were some layoffs, the ecosystem as a whole was able to absorb that workforce into other employment opportunities, including in the technology sector and other sectors across the economy. We are confident that technology careers will continue to be in high demand because they are high, fulfilling careers, and the entire ecosystem and economy needs them.”