6 May 2016 - The Technology Skills Accelerator (TeSA) will help fresh and mid-career ICT professionals to get better jobs and grow in their careers, by helping to develop core ICT skills and business sector-specific skills.
Singapore, 6 May | For Immediate Release
IDA and WDA to kickstart TechSkills Accelerator by launching integrated portal of 380 ICT training courses
The Technology Skills Accelerator (TeSA) will help fresh and mid-career ICT professionals to get better jobs and grow in their careers, by helping to develop core ICT skills and business sector-specific skills. The TeSA framework was announced by Minister for Communications and Information, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, in his speech this morning at the Nanyang Polytechnic School of Information Technology (SIT) graduation ceremony, where more than 300 students graduated with diplomas in five courses offered by SIT.
First announced at this year’s Budget, TeSA is a flagship initiative that brings together key employers and industry partners to enhance employability. TeSA does this by identifying in-demand skills and, through structured programmes delivered by training partners, enables ICT professionals to acquire and deepen their skills.
Two focus areas under TeSA
The TeSA framework will be broadly structured into two focus areas: TeSA Core and TeSA Sector. TeSA Core will feature training programmes that focus on ICT core skills which can be applied across all businesses, including emerging areas like cybersecurity, software development, networks and infrastructure, and data analytics. TeSA Sector will focus on providing ICT professionals who already have tech skills, with further training in specific domains such as Finance and Healthcare.
For a start, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) have jointly launched a one-stop, integrated portal (www.infocommtalent.sg) comprising 380 training courses and certifications.
These training courses are based on the National Infocomm Competency Framework (NICF), and target both fresh graduates and mid-career ICT professionals. The portal will also feature training courses and certifications provided under the Critical Infocomm Technology Resource Programme Plus (CITREP +). These courses and certifications are offered by a wide range of 34 training providers including the NUS Institute of System Science, NTUC Learning Hub and Singapore Management University.
Strong industry support behind TeSA
TeSA will bring professionals, training providers and key employers closer together to ensure that Singapore’s ICT workers have the skills to remain relevant and receive support from employers to progress in their careers. TeSA programmes will be conducted in partnership with major employers. For example, Singtel is the first company to come on board the newly-launched Cyber Security Associates & Technologists (CSAT) programme, a collaboration by IDA and the Cyber Security Agency (CSA). Under CSAT – a TeSA Core programme – Singtel has committed to train 130 professionals for cybersecurity job roles that are in high demand. Besides Singtel, TeSA has also garnered the support of major industry hirers, such as ST Electronics, MediaCorp, DBS and UOB.
Fresh graduates and professionals can already start to sign up for training programmes under TeSA Core.
IDA has also set up a TeSA Programme Office (TPO) to operationalise the TeSA framework, and to oversee the formation of a TeSA Governing Council and Sector Committees, that will comprise key hirers from industry. IDA will be sharing more details on the composition of the TeSA Governing Council and Sector Committees over the next few weeks.
“The partnership between IDA, WDA and industry on TeSA highlights our shared commitment to develop ICT professionals, enhance their career prospects, and strengthen the Singapore Core in our workforce. TeSA will also enable us to seize the many exciting opportunities in ICT as we make progress towards our Smart Nation vision,” said Gabriel Lim, Co-Managing Director, IDA.
“The TeSA initiative is crucial to supporting the manpower needs of a highly dynamic infocomm sector, Together with industry support, WDA’s partnership with IDA will expand the opportunities for skills deepening and employment for ICT professionals. The integrated portal empowers both fresh graduates and career switchers to deepen their skills and build jobs mastery, allowing them to acquire the necessary knowledge and experience to progress within the industry. This initiative also supports the SkillsFuture movement to ensure that our Singapore workforce continues to build skills that will enable them to stay relevant in an innovation-driven economy,” said Ng Cher Pong, Chief Executive, WDA.
ISSUED BY THE INFOCOMM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE
About Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
The mission of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) is to develop information technology and telecommunications within Singapore with a view to serve citizens of all ages and companies of all sizes. IDA does this by actively supporting the growth of innovative technology companies and start-ups in Singapore, working with leading global IT companies as well as developing excellent information technology and telecommunications infrastructure, policies and capabilities for Singapore. For more news and information, visit www.ida.gov.sg. Follow IDA on Facebook IDA.Singapore and Twitter @IDAsg.
For media clarifications, please contact:
TAN Boon Leng (Mr)
Manager, Corporate and Marketing Communication
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
DID: (65) 6211 0375
Email: Tan_Boon_Leng@imda.gov.sg
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