Building the local core of tech talent at launch of new Fusion work
As part of the efforts under the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) for ITE and Polytechnics Alliance (TIP Alliance), set up by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), NCS and IMDA today announced Fusion, an integrated work and study programme where Polytechnic graduates will undergo further studies and attain a university degree, while working at NCS to deepen their skillsets.
Under the Fusion programme, NCS will hire and train 400 Polytechnic graduates in the first two years, covering areas such as infrastructure, applications, software development and cybersecurity. The programme will support the Polytechnic graduates’ enrolment into a degree at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) or Singapore Institute of Management (SIM).
NCS plans to launch another new programme in 2023, targeting 400 ITE graduates in the first two years, where they will work and study part time to attain a diploma in a technology-related field.
Both the Fusion and ITE Programmes complements NCS’ ongoing Nucleus Programme, which will see 800 University graduates recruited as digital specialists in the next two years, bringing the total tech jobs and training opportunities to 1,600.
NCS will also provide tech internship opportunities for 1,000 students from Institutes of Higher Learning over the next two years.
Ng Kuo Pin, CEO of NCS said: “NCS is committed to building the Singaporean core of tech talent to support Singapore’s digital transformation, providing multiple pathways of success for University, Polytechnic and ITE graduates so they can work with our regional network of clients and teams to advance communities through technology. With our expanding presence in Asia Pacific and our growth of digital capabilities, we are well-positioned to provide our talents with opportunities to work on impactful projects, and nurture highly sought-after skills through tailored programmes like Fusion.”
Over the past four decades, NCS has helped build the Singapore core of tech talent and is today one of the largest home-grown tech leaders contributing to the development of the nation’s talent pipeline. In recent years, NCS has brought to scale its digital services arm, NEXT, to become one of the largest end-to-end digital powerhouses in the region.
Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information said, “I commend leading tech firms like NCS in stepping up to empower our ICT graduates, including those from our Polytechnics and ITEs to seize exciting new job roles in the rapidly growing digital economy.
In particular, the NCS Fusion programme will support the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) for ITEs and Polytechnics (TIP) Alliance initiative that I had spoken about at MCI’s Committee of Supply (COS) earlier this year. Companies in the TIP Alliance will commit to deliver structured, end-to-end pathways, to support Polytechnic and ITE graduates in acquiring industry-relevant skills. I encourage more industry players to join us in the TIP Alliance.”
Building a local talent ecosystem
Fusion is the latest initiative within NCS’ suite of longstanding talent development programmes to grow a local core of ICT talent in Singapore. At the start of the Fusion programme, employees will receive centralised modular training via a six-week bootcamp on foundational training in functional, behavioural, and technical competencies followed by guided on-the-job trainings and coaching.
Upon graduating with a degree from the Fusion programme, employees will have the opportunity to continue their development with NCS’ existing Nucleus programme, deepening their specialisations whilst pursuing a Master of Technology degree at the National University of Singapore’s Institute of Systems Science (NUS-ISS) or other industry-recognised professional certifications.
Under Fusion, NCS sponsors the course fees, provides apprenticeship-based learning opportunities and regular job rotations, including regional exposure, so that the tech talents can grow their depth and breadth of skills and experience while on the job.
Strengthening the tech talent pipeline with TIP Alliance
Set up by IMDA in September 2022, the TIP Alliance is spearheaded by SGTech and Singapore Computing Society and comprises global and local companies that employ tech talent. Over the next three years (2022 to 2024), this alliance aims to place and train Polytechnic and ITE graduates with tech qualifications, drive the shift in hiring practices in industry from qualification-based to skills based, and shape the Polytechnic and ITE curriculum to stay relevant with industry trends.
The Alliance’s efforts will strengthen the tech talent pipeline to support the growth of Singapore’s digital economy which employs about 200,000 tech professionals per year as of 2021, with the number of new tech jobs increasing by about 10,000 annually in the last four years. Refer to Annex 1 for more details on the TIP Alliance.
