27 March 2007 - Speech By Mr Chan Yeng Kit, Chief Executive Officer, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore At the SAP Launch Of World-First Programme For ERP Industry Best Practices In Institutions Of Higher Learning at Novus Restaurant & Bar, National Museum of Singapore.
Speech By Mr Chan Yeng Kit, Chief Executive Officer, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore At the SAP Launch Of World-First Programme For ERP Industry Best Practices In Institutions Of Higher Learning at Novus Restaurant & Bar on 27 March 2007, National Museum of Singapore.
Mr Eric MacDonald, President & CEO, South-East Asia, SAP,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Introduction
1. A very good afternoon. It gives me great pleasure to be here today to witness the launch of the “Integrated Business Scenarios in SAP Enterprise Resource Planning” or in short, the “BP for ERP” course. I am heartened to note that SAP has chosen Singapore to launch the world’s first ERP best practices course for our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs).
Good News for the Infocomm Industry
2. The selection of Singapore to be the first country to launch this programme is yet another affirmation of the vibrancy and growth potential of infocomm in Singapore. For the first time, the revenue generated by the infocomm industry is estimated to break the $40 billion mark in 2006. You may have also read a recent article in the Straits Times which reported that there is a surge in the recruitment of infocomm professionals in Singapore. Therefore, as the infocomm industry powers ahead, we must ensure that we continue to have a sustainable pipeline of talent to meet the demands of the industry.
3. According to our iN2015 masterplan, manpower is key to ensuring the continued success of our industry. Our vision is to develop globally competitive infocomm professionals to drive national economic competitiveness. This next generation of infocomm professionals needs to possess not only technology expertise, but also sharp business acumen and great communication skills. This means that they must have sufficient technical know-how and at the same time, deep knowledge of the business environment.
Demand for ERP Professionals
4. The launch of this course, therefore, comes at a most appropriate time. According to Gartner, the Asia Pacific ERP services market is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.7% from 2005 through 2010. Businesses, especially the SMEs, are also looking to use ERP technologies and tools to help them control business costs and enable higher levels of process integration and collaboration. Our students will provide a good pipeline to meet the increase in demand for professionals specialising in enterprise resource planning.
5. To encourage students to take up the course, I am pleased to announce that IDA has endorsed the course for support under the Critical Infocomm Technology Resource Programme, or CITREP as it is better known. Students who pass the certification programme can claim up to half the certification fee through CITREP. Over the next five years, 1,000 students in seven Singapore IHLs will benefit from the training and certification opportunities provided by the “BP for ERP” course. They will be trained to develop innovative enterprise solutions for organisations using enterprise resource planning tools. Students will then be able to put these theories into practice, hence enabling them to gain valuable experience to prepare them for the industry.
SAP, IHLs as Key Partners of IDA
6. It is fitting for me now to thank our IHLs who have come together to partner SAP to offer the “BP for ERP” course to their students. I believe the students will benefit from the training and various opportunities offered and IDA will continue to identify other similar programmes with the industry to build our manpower pool.
7. Besides manpower development, SAP is a key partner in many other IDA’s initiatives as well. In particular, SAP has been a strategic partner in IDA’s Infocomm Local Industry Upgrading Programme, or ILIUP, since 2003. We look forward to further enhancing this relationship with SAP to spearhead the growth of Singapore’s infocomm industry.
Closing
8. In closing, I would like to congratulate both SAP and the IHLs once again on the launch of the world’s first “BP for ERP” course. Let us all continue to work together to develop the next generation of globally competitive infocomm professionals for the next phase of growth of Singapore’s infocomm industry.
9. Thank you.
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