Photo credit: MCI

More than 500 people will be hired at Singtel for 5G related roles over the next two years as the telco prepares for Singapore’s nationwide 5G rollout by 2025. 

This was announced at the Singtel Learning Center on Feb 10, showcasing Singtel’s efforts to develop 5G and emerging tech talent and to develop a 5G training and talent pipeline with its partners. 

To do that, Singtel will partner with the Infocomm Media Development Authority, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore Polytechnic (SP) for this initiative, and will focus its hiring and training efforts on core areas, such as 5G network engineering, digital services and application development. 

In a release, Singtel said, “Through structured training and courses, coupled with real work experience in the Singtel workplace, employees can develop and hone 5G domain expertise and related skills that will enable them to deliver innovative products and services to meet the needs of consumers and enterprises.”

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NUS and SP will support Singtel and the rest of the industry by developing 5G-related training courses and academic programmes as well as collaborating with other Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs). 

Some of the available Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses and postgraduate programmes will be credit-bearing modules that will also count towards an academic qualification such as a master’s degree from the IHLs.

For example, Singtel subsidiary NCS has a five year programme to nurture talent in emerging technologies, known as NUCLEUS, for fresh graduates that will eventually lead to a postgraduate certificate after two years, and a Masters in Technology after five. 

SEE: Singtel data compromised through hack on third-party vendor

Singtel CEO Yuen Kuan Moon highlighted “In order for Singtel to capture new digital growth opportunities and drive digital transformation across industries, we have to pivot our workforce and pivot fast. Having embarked on reskilling our existing staff, we are now hiring and training new employees on the job in 5G and emerging technologies.”

“The learning gained from academia will complement practical on-the-job training in our workplace to build the critical competencies needed to help transition enterprises to a digital economy.” he added. 

Minister of Communications and Information S Iswaran, who also was at Singtel’s learning centre, said the government is also seeking more partnerships like this, but he said thatthe partnerships must also be driven by the need and value proposition from the perspective of the industry.” 

Iswaran highlighted this is “because you want to make sure that the people who go into these sorts of training programs can see a path towards employment, and the skills they acquire are valued by the industry.”

He added, “The key is to ensure, on one hand, our people who participate in these programs are getting valuable skills that are marketable. And on the other hand, the training and the skills acquired are also valued by the industry because it's the foundation for the next phase of growth.”