Largest national training programme in a decade to get 100,000 trained over 3 years
By Amelia Teng, Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 6 Oct 2017
A major initiative to ensure that Singaporeans keep pace with the digital economy, at work and in everyday life, was launched yesterday.
Over the next three years, the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace - the largest national training programme in a decade - aims to get 100,000 people equipped with basic digital skills that suit them, from the use of e-payments and e-commerce platforms, to data analytics and automation.
This will be done through two-day customised courses, developed with tech giants IBM, Lazada, Microsoft and Samsung. Courses cost $50 each, which can be paid using the $500 SkillsFuture credits given to all Singaporeans aged 25 and above.
SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) said the aim is to instil digital confidence and a positive attitude towards digital disruptions - a point which Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung stressed yesterday when launching the initiative. "Every workplace that we go to - regardless of industry - we have to know IT, we have to know robotics, digital technology. We don't have to be experts, we don't all have to be coders but we must know that these are our friends," he said.
He recalled the sense of unease among certain segments of the population when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, at this year's National Day Rally, highlighted the need to adopt cashless payments as key to Singapore's vision of becoming a Smart Nation. "The recent feedback we got when e-payment came on stream was a sign of this (fear)," said Mr Ong. "There are people who are not familiar with technology and they are afraid, concerned."
He described the digital workplace initiative as a "friendly way" to overcome this. He hopes that "more and more workers can be familiarised with digital technologies and that will help Singapore in our economic restructuring".
The courses, which SSG chief executive Ng Cher Pong said have already drawn strong interest from the public and small and medium-sized enterprises, will introduce participants to how technology can uplift jobs and personal lives.
Recognising that a one-size-fits-all approach will not work, SSG has appointed seven training partners, including Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), NTUC LearningHub and Singapore Management University, to deliver customised courses.
For example, though they will share a common syllabus, one course explores the use of 3D-printing, while another shows how digital ordering and kitchen automation can improve productivity in the food and beverage industry.
Participants can also learn how to search for information online and harness digital data, use e-commerce platforms to start an online business, or even how to shop online and compare prices.
Ms Megan Ong, director of NYP's Singapore Institute of Retail Studies, one of the training providers, said some people, "especially from the bricks-and-mortar generation", see the adoption of tech as a hurdle.
"But we want to let the public know that tech can actually help them in their day-to-day living."
By Amelia Teng, Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 6 Oct 2017
Over the next three years, the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace - the largest national training programme in a decade - aims to get 100,000 people equipped with basic digital skills that suit them, from the use of e-payments and e-commerce platforms, to data analytics and automation.
This will be done through two-day customised courses, developed with tech giants IBM, Lazada, Microsoft and Samsung. Courses cost $50 each, which can be paid using the $500 SkillsFuture credits given to all Singaporeans aged 25 and above.
SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) said the aim is to instil digital confidence and a positive attitude towards digital disruptions - a point which Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung stressed yesterday when launching the initiative. "Every workplace that we go to - regardless of industry - we have to know IT, we have to know robotics, digital technology. We don't have to be experts, we don't all have to be coders but we must know that these are our friends," he said.
He recalled the sense of unease among certain segments of the population when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, at this year's National Day Rally, highlighted the need to adopt cashless payments as key to Singapore's vision of becoming a Smart Nation. "The recent feedback we got when e-payment came on stream was a sign of this (fear)," said Mr Ong. "There are people who are not familiar with technology and they are afraid, concerned."
He described the digital workplace initiative as a "friendly way" to overcome this. He hopes that "more and more workers can be familiarised with digital technologies and that will help Singapore in our economic restructuring".
The courses, which SSG chief executive Ng Cher Pong said have already drawn strong interest from the public and small and medium-sized enterprises, will introduce participants to how technology can uplift jobs and personal lives.
Recognising that a one-size-fits-all approach will not work, SSG has appointed seven training partners, including Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), NTUC LearningHub and Singapore Management University, to deliver customised courses.
For example, though they will share a common syllabus, one course explores the use of 3D-printing, while another shows how digital ordering and kitchen automation can improve productivity in the food and beverage industry.
Participants can also learn how to search for information online and harness digital data, use e-commerce platforms to start an online business, or even how to shop online and compare prices.
Ms Megan Ong, director of NYP's Singapore Institute of Retail Studies, one of the training providers, said some people, "especially from the bricks-and-mortar generation", see the adoption of tech as a hurdle.
"But we want to let the public know that tech can actually help them in their day-to-day living."
Course on tech at the workplace a boon for SMEs
By Amelia Teng, Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 6 Oct 2017
As recently as early this year, Mr Elton Pan was averse to selling furniture online.
Said the 44-year-old chief executive of Fullhouse Home Furnishings: "It can be quite challenging to change business practices, and workers are also uncomfortable with new demands."
But in the past few months, he realised that e-commerce is inevitable in retail, and sent his staff for the new SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace programme.
By Amelia Teng, Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 6 Oct 2017
As recently as early this year, Mr Elton Pan was averse to selling furniture online.
Said the 44-year-old chief executive of Fullhouse Home Furnishings: "It can be quite challenging to change business practices, and workers are also uncomfortable with new demands."
But in the past few months, he realised that e-commerce is inevitable in retail, and sent his staff for the new SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace programme.
It is open to company owners like Mr Pan, as well as members of the public who want to keep up with technology trends at the workplace and in daily living.
The programme, lasting two days, is conducted by public and private training organisations and can be tailored to the needs of a company.
There are seven such training partners for now, including Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) and human resource solutions provider Capelle Academy.
Since the programme's pilot run in July, more than 330 people from 21 companies such as Maybank and Courts have been trained.
Ms Judy Goh, 44, who wanted to learn about technology trends in the food trade, took up the course by NYP's Asian Culinary Institute.
She is the office manager of a local enterprise, Montreux Patisserie, which makes pastries, desserts and breads.
The course opened her eyes to how technology can help firms, including small and medium-sized enterprises, be more productive.
The programme, lasting two days, is conducted by public and private training organisations and can be tailored to the needs of a company.
There are seven such training partners for now, including Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) and human resource solutions provider Capelle Academy.
Since the programme's pilot run in July, more than 330 people from 21 companies such as Maybank and Courts have been trained.
Ms Judy Goh, 44, who wanted to learn about technology trends in the food trade, took up the course by NYP's Asian Culinary Institute.
She is the office manager of a local enterprise, Montreux Patisserie, which makes pastries, desserts and breads.
The course opened her eyes to how technology can help firms, including small and medium-sized enterprises, be more productive.
Mr Pan's company, an SME that started in 2008, has seven furniture showrooms across Singapore. But by year end, it would have an online website as well for its products, which include sofas and beds.
He said: "Many people now use smartphones to shop, so we hope to attract them to our online platform and then our showrooms. When people buy furniture, they still want to feel and touch what they're buying."
More than 15 employees, including Mr Pan, attended a customised course by NYP's Institute of Retail Studies. It was done in two phases, one day each time. A second group of 30 will do a one-day course later this month.
More than 15 employees, including Mr Pan, attended a customised course by NYP's Institute of Retail Studies. It was done in two phases, one day each time. A second group of 30 will do a one-day course later this month.
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