SINGAPORE — Polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates can soon take some modules offered by autonomous universities, in a new tie-up announced on Wednesday (March 29) by SkillsFuture Singapore to enhance the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme (ELP). 

The ELP is designed to give these graduates a head-start in careers related to their discipline of study, and in the latest move, Temasek Polytechnic will partner the Singapore University of Social Sciences and the Singapore Institute of Technology for a start, to offer programmes in sectors such as building services, facilities management and infocomm technology.

With the expansion, the number of programmes available will be bumped up from 40 to 60, and will include new ones in fields such as medical technology, human resources, and sports and wellness. 

Last year, there were 500 students enrolled in the ELP, and the target is to have 1,000 ELP participants this year. 

The qualifying period for graduates to enrol in the programme has been extended from one to three years from their graduation date or, for male Singaporeans, from their National Service (NS) Operationally Ready Date.

Those entering NS can now apply for the programme beforehand on a provisional acceptance basis, instead of applying within a year after they complete their NS, as was the previous requirement.

SkillsFuture Singapore, a statutory board under the Education Ministry driving the national movement towards lifelong learning, hopes that the latest changes will allow more polytechnic and ITE students to gain work experience while pursuing more structured learning. It would be keen to expand this collaboration with other universities as well.

Mr Ng Cher Pong, its chief executive, said: “SkillsFuture Singapore will continue to work closely with the industry and post-secondary education institutes to enable more Singaporeans to benefit from the ELP, especially in growing sectors.”

Mr Ronald Lim, an IT operations executive at port operator PSA, is pursuing the ELP in cyber security at the same time, having graduated from Temasek Polytechnic with a Diploma in Digital Forensics. “It’s not just theory (lessons), as I have the chance to apply what I have learnt to my work,” he said, adding that he studies computer forensics among other topics as part of the programme.

His mentor Steven Sim, a senior manager in IT security at PSA, said that Mr Lim gets the chance to learn about cyber security with a maritime focus. 

“Threats in the maritime industry are different from, say, the financial industry, as we have automated cranes and automated guided vehicles. So Ronald is starting to learn how to do ... vulnerability assessment in the course of his work.”