Private education's role in engineering tomorrow's Singapore

In 2015, the Ministry of Manpower reported that four of the top ten professions with the biggest number of vacancies in Singapore were engineering-related. While it seems engineering jobs may have lost their shine over the years, we must not forget that they have played an essential part to nation-building, and will continue to contribute to the growth and success of Singapore.

In fact, as a response to the dearth of talent in this area, the country has placed a strong emphasis on the need to develop strong STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and math skills) capabilities among our local talent, as Singapore moves ahead into the next 50 years.

For one, Singapore recognises the need to nurture home-grown engineers to realise its ambitions to be the world’s first Smart Nation. Embarking on this Smart Nation journey will spell a surge in career opportunities for Singaporeans, but steps need to be been taken to help bridge the demand for skills in the engineering sector so that we are equipped and ready for the future economy.

Engineering growth and innovation in Singapore
Engineers have long been torchbearers when it comes to productivity. From the first hard disk recording media manufacturing plant built outside of the US in the 1980s, to the establishment of the first silicon wafer manufacturing plant in South-East Asia, engineering milestones such as these helped Singapore drive economic growth at an astounding average of 7.7%, and doubled skilled employment from 11% in 1979 to 22% in 1985.

Fast forward to the 21st century, Singapore has become the centre of R&D in the region with investments from tech giants such as Seagate and Google. Engineers have been galvanised to help build environmental sustainability and independence in the country.

Local firm Sky Urban Solutions scored the prestigious biennial INDEX: Award for engineering a vertical farming device that can grow ten times as many vegetables in the same area as traditional farming methods. After first commissioning Hyflux to operate Singapore’s first seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in 2003, Singapore’s NEWater plants now contribute 30% of the nation’s water needs, and by 2060 NEWater is expected to contribute as much as 55%.

Our engineers have also championed innovation in their specialty industries, propelling Singapore into the world stage. Home-grown brands X-mini and Creative have become globally renowned players in the tech space. DSTA and Singapore Technologies (ST) Electronics developed the Infrared Fever Screening System (IFSS), voted “Best Invention of 2003” by TIMES magazine and is now used at checkpoints across the globe.

Nurturing a new generation of nation-builders
In a bid to fast-track these developments with its unwavering focus on productivity, Singapore has plans set to revive the engineering sector and to develop a new generation of builders to deliver on our Smart Nation ambitions. The Singapore government is set to hire 1,000 engineers this year, expanding the current pool by over 13%.

As we move surely and steadily into the innovation economy, the call for the constant upgrading of skills is evident: employers are eligible for subsidies when they send their workers to masterclasses that specialise in advanced robotics and automation, additive manufacturing, big data analytics, computing, or optical and laser engineering. Structured programmes such as Research Innovation Enterprise 2020 Plan (RIE2020) are aimed at training existing engineers, in order to future-proof them in the changing economy.

Quality higher education should continue to remain accessible to individuals seeking to upgrade themselves, and in this same vein, PSB Academy has committed to offering 1.2 million dollars’ worth of grants and scholarships for deserving students through the ‘Accessable Initiative’ so students can get ahead in the competitive workforce, no matter their financial background.

Hands-on education and industry partnerships
To fill in the knowledge-skill gaps that engineering students might face as they enter the modern industry, institutions have a large part to play in designing smarter education pathways for sustainable engineering careers. Close partnerships with industry reveal that the study of engineering needs to be one that is centered on practical experience above and beyond academic rigor.

Employers have shared with us about how practical, hands-on training and exposure to real-world working and laboratory conditions have richly paid off for their hires from the Academy. Instead of relying on graphic or computer simulations, for example, students majoring in Electrical Engineering at the University of Newcastle, Australia programme, have the opportunity to physically programme micro-controllers to simulate small radars using ultrasonic sensors, and use industry-standard software such as LabView, Matlab, and Modelsim.

Companies of the future should similarly be more forthcoming in collaborating with educational institutions and foster active networks on an ongoing basis to build goodwill, while also benefitting from the competence and skills of these industry-ready students – layer upon layer along their education journey.

In closing, engineers helped transform Singapore's economy and our landscape with rapid industrialisation and infrastructure development, and the road to SG100 and beyond yields many more opportunities for growth. It is our responsibility to contribute toward creating the workforce of the future.

While employability and hard skills continue to be top of mind for employers, educators should also aim to inculcate the softer skills of leadership, constant learning, collaboration, and emotional intelligence as proficiencies that help us groom graduates to be industry-ready, particularly for Smart Nation sectors.

Forging enduring partnerships with businesses that want to work with industry-ready talents who can help seize these opportunities to speed innovation and enterprise in our country will continue to be important.