28 May 2008 - Address By RADM(NS) Ronnie Tay, Chief Executive Officer, Infocomm Development Authority Of Singapore, As Guest Speaker at the Session VI of Singapore Polytechnic 48th Graduation Ceremony 2008
Address By RADM(NS) Ronnie Tay, Chief Executive Officer, Infocomm Development Authority Of Singapore,
As Guest Speaker At Session VI of Singapore Polytechnic 48th Graduation Ceremony 2008
28 May 2008 (Wednesday ), 5.30pm, Singapore Polytechnic
Mr Tan Hang Cheong, Principal, Singapore Polytechnic,
Distinguished Guests,
Parents and Graduands,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening.
Introduction
1. It is a privilege to be with you today at this graduation ceremony. I would like to first extend my heartiest congratulations to all the graduands on your successful completion of your infocomm courses at the Singapore Polytechnic.
2. While this graduation marks a significant milestone in your academic career, it also signifies the beginning of a new phase in your life, one that is filled with great new possibilities and opportunities. Let me take this opportunity to share with you some exciting developments in infocomm today.
Infocomm Offers Talent Development Opportunities
3. As you know, infocomm has the exciting potential to transform the way we work, live, learn and play. IDA, under its Intelligent Nation 2015 or iN2015 masterplan, has identified infocomm as a key enabler of economic and social growth, and a source of competitive advantage for Singapore. There are many new opportunities for you as infocomm leaders to leverage infocomm to improve processes in government, businesses and society - and develop new and dynamic solutions. In fact, as Singapore puts in place the Next Generation Broadband Network for ultra-high speed access over the next few years, we will see many innovative and exciting infocomm services being introduced and adopted in enterprises and homes. For all these to happen, Singapore needs to groom a pool of infocomm professionals who can meet the needs of not only infocomm companies but also infocomm users in various business organisations.
4. Indeed, demand for infocomm professionals has been growing. According to the latest Infocomm Manpower Survey, the number of infocomm manpower employed grew by almost 9% to reach 130,400 last year. Job areas in demand include technology research and development (R&D), digital media, web development, infocomm security, infocomm consultancy and project management, to name a few.
5. Overall, Singapore's infocomm sector is also growing from strength to strength. For 2007, our preliminary estimates indicate a revenue growth of between 7% to 10% for the sector. As the infocomm sector continues to grow, it will create demand for more infocomm professionals like yourselves.
6. I am pleased to note that Singapore Polytechnic has been producing fine infocomm talent over the years. Three of your seniors, Clarence Cai, Cashwinn Dev Singh and Koo Kee Kiat were awarded the prestigious National Infocomm Scholarship or NIS offered by IDA and over 23 participating organisations. A unique feature of NIS is the overseas attachment and mentorship that are provided by leading MNCs, local companies and government agencies to allow the scholars to gain wider exposure, industry guidance and international experience. I am also pleased to note that four graduands among the graduating cohort today from the Diploma in Music and Audio Technology course have been awarded the prestigious Keele University Scholarship to pursue the Bachelor of Science (Honours) Music and Music Technology programme
in UK.
DMIT Grooms Infocomm Talent
7. All these students' achievements were made possible by the unwavering commitment and dedication shown by the teaching team at School of Digital Media and Infocomm Technology or DMIT. On this note, I would like to congratulate the DMIT staff for their achievements in the past year. I understand that they have worked hard to build new alliance with industry partners like Symantec Singapore, Infinite Frameworks and the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) Asia Chapter as well as reputable universities like Massachusetts Institute of Technology in USA, Keele University in UK and Chung Ann University in Korea. All this collaboration benefits students and staff in enhancing their domain knowledge and core competencies.
8. Besides industry and academic collaboration, DMIT has also developed enriching programmes where students go beyond their curriculum and involve themselves in overseas industrial training programmes, study tours, competitions and community service. I am told that last year alone, you have been to Malaysia, the United States and Japan on study tours and the People's Republic of China for the Industrial Training Programme. Four of you from the Diploma in Information Technology course have also won the top prize in the Software Design category of the Imagine Cup competition and represented Singapore in the international finals leg.
9. I am most heartened to see that DMIT students also render service to the community in many ways. For instance, students from the Diploma in Multimedia Technology course were part of 'the making of and behind-the-scene processes' of our 2007 National Day Parade, creating contents for the NDP website and shooting the music video of one of the NDP songs, No Place I'd Rather Be.
10. All these achievements demonstrate DMIT's strength in delivering a holistic and comprehensive education for its students. I am confident that, as DMIT graduates, you have been equipped with the entrepreneurial spirit, technical skills and business knowledge to face the new challenges ahead of you.
Conclusion
11. In closing, I want to say that an infocomm career is an exciting and challenging profession which offers a wide scope of options. You will have the opportunity to create new knowledge, attain your potential and fulfil your aspirations. It could be where you can make a difference and positively impact the workplace, society and even the world. I encourage you to take up the challenge of an infocomm career, and wish you every success in all your endeavours. Thank you.
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