23rd December 2022

The Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science (IDMxS) at the Nanyang Technological University was recently launched. The institute aims to advance the science behind analysing biological molecules such as proteins and carbohydrates, and develop the capabilities that will allow for real-time tracking of viral infections.

IDMxS will use artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse and interpret the vast amount of information a biological sample provides. Among the possible applications of the technology is the development of a tool to identify the different disease-causing molecules in the blood. This would allow doctors to analyse a patient’s blood sample immediately using a smartphone camera.

Another project to be undertaken by the centre is the large-scale monitoring of insect-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria.

21st December 2022

A fully automated farming facility has been launched at ITE College East as part of Singapore’s efforts to boost training in high-productivity agricultural skills.

The Horticulture Technology Hub, or HortITEch Hub, will train students in the agriculture and aquaculture technology work-study diploma course that will be launched in 2023. ITE College East students who are now in courses such as horticulture, food science and even mechanical engineering will be involved in its day-to-day maintenance.

Around 500 students will benefit from the additional exposure provided by the new hub. Entrepreneurship opportunities for students are possible, as the greens harvested from the lab can be sold for profit.

21st December 2022

Temasek Foundation has allocated over one million dollars for at least 88 study awards to students enrolling in social services or mental health provision courses at polytechnics, National University of Singapore, and the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

The awards are meant to attract and encourage Singaporeans to take up careers in these fields to combat Singapore’s rapidly ageing population and the increasing prevalence of mental health issues.

For students from low-income backgrounds, 40 study awards will be offered to those taking up the Diploma in Social Work at NYP, Diploma in Community Development at NP, or Diplomas in Psychological Studies and Social Sciences in Gerontology at Temasek Polytechnic. These awards will help students cover educational expenses and provide for living expenses. Eligible applicants must be Singaporeans, with per capita income of not more than $750 or gross household income of not more than $3,000.

17th December 2022

More Singaporeans are signing up for short online courses that are relevant to their careers. Courses that are popular with Singapore learners include those leading to certificates in data analytics and project management from tech giants such as Google and IBM.

These programmes are known as micro-credentials because they are of shorter duration. They take only three to 12 months to complete and are recognised by industries.

Micro-credentials are becoming more popular as working adults see the value of shorter and more flexible online programmes that are more job-focused.

Under SkillsFuture, every Singaporean aged 25 and above was given an initial $500 in credits in 2015. These can be used to acquire new skills or improve existing ones. Since 2021, more than 1,300 Singaporeans have used their SkillsFuture credits for subscriptions for bite-size micro-learning courses

17th December 2022

SkillsFuture Singapore released a report, The Skills Demand For The Future Economy report, which stated that mid-career workers in Singapore mostly hold the five kinds of jobs that are experiencing disruption, namely, operations and administration, sales, marketing and customer service, human resource, finance and accounting, and engineering and technology.

It is important for workers to think about upskilling or reskilling to stay versatile or take on new opportunities. Upskilling refers to learning additional skills to move into other roles within the same family of jobs, while reskilling is learning new skills to move into a role in a different job family.

The report also details several ways for mid-career workers to upgrade their skills to move into roles that are becoming more popular. For example, mid-career workers in sales, marketing and customer service already have skills that can be applied in similar but more popular roles.

Fresh graduates are more open or exposed to technological developments, including video-conferencing apps such as Zoom, to manage hybrid or flexible work, so this can also give them an advantage in the workplace.