19 May 2016
Singapore’s universities have embarked on a new initiative that will enable students to study for their degrees and work at their jobs concurrently in a structured programme.
The government is helping Singapore’s universities collaborate with selected companies to offer apprenticeships to students wishing to combine work and study. This new initiative is in line with the SkillsFuture movement of harnessing the talents and aspirations of all Singaporeans.
Singapore can emulate what other countries have done. For example, under the Swiss and German apprenticeship schemes, as well as cooperative education programmes in the United States and Canada, school leavers take on jobs, but continue to participate in a training programme where they alternate between work and studies.
Participating companies, which can range from manufacturing to IT to banking and hospitality, assign mentors to provide guidance to students and help universities draw up suitable curricula.
Singapore can learn how the system of apprenticeship is being enhanced. Companies now offer more structured programmes and some have even set up their own corporate universities. Many companies are also conducting basic research and making new discoveries.