Microsoft and Generation partner Singapore Government to launch #GetReadySG to upskill and boost employment for up to 1,000 Singaporeans

 |   Singapore News Center

L-R: Prateek Hegde, COO, APAC & CEO, Generation Singapore; Andrea Della Mattea, President, Microsoft APAC; S Iswaran, Minister for Communications and Information & Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations; Kevin Wo, Managing Director, Microsoft Singapore; Lew Chuen Hong, Chief Executive, IMDA; and Peter Lam, Principal & CEO, Temasek Polytechnic at the launch of #GetReadySG during Microsoft’s 30th anniversary celebrations

  • #GetReadySG is the first public-private sector collaboration with a leading technology company and a global non-profit organisation to bridge holistic training in both hard and soft skills with employment
  • The collaboration will provide tech jobseekers greater diversity of career choices with different hirers and ensure that they are well-equipped for employment

SINGAPORE, 10 DECEMBER 2020 – Microsoft and Generation[1] are partnering Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to upskill, place, and fill demand for tech-enabled jobs for up to 1,000 Singaporeans as part of the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package.

Titled #GetReadySG, the national skills initiative was launched today by Guest-of-Honour Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Communications and Information, and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, at Microsoft’s 30th anniversary celebrations in Singapore.

Through #GetReadySG’s unique partnership model, Generation will become the bridge between leading tech company Microsoft – who will guide industry relevant training – and Microsoft’s rich ecosystem of customer and partner companies who need to hire skilled tech manpower.

The partnership model has the potential to quickly scale to more tech ecosystems by leveraging end-to-end programme managers like Generation to take on an integrated central role of vocational training and job placement services for them. This will make it easier for other leading companies to participate in similar efforts, ultimately providing opportunities to more jobseekers and offering them greater diversity of hiring company choices across different networks.

Equipping job seekers with relevant skills for the future of work

Targeted at fresh graduates and mid-career Singaporeans, #GetReadySG – which will run over a two year period – aims to equip participants with in-demand tech skills such as Java and Python programming language – all of which are top trending skills identified in LinkedIn’s Economic Graph.

#GetReadySG currently has two programmes, which include:

(i) TechSkills Accelerator’s (TeSA) Company-Led Training, hire and train programme, in partnership with IMDA

Up to 300 Singaporeans who enrol and get selected by Generation and participating employers will:

• Be offered a salaried employment position to undergo a 9-month training programme
• Be trained in in-demand job roles such as Full Stack Developer, Data Engineer/Analyst, Cloud Support and DevOps Practitioner
• Gain industry recognised Microsoft certifications over the course of the training
• Gain opportunities to work with a selection of Microsoft customer and partner companies on live projects, apply the skills learned and pick up new specific tech skills
• Get experienced mentorship guidance in relevant fields to help adjust to the work and plan for post-job searching

Registration for #GetReadySG’s TeSA Company-Led Training programme is expected to open in January 2021.

(ii) SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme – Company Training   

Microsoft, together with Generation, SSG and Temasek Polytechnic (TP), will roll-out three new courses under the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme – Company Training, which will train participants in job roles of Junior Full-Stack Developer, Cloud Support and DevOps, as well as Business Intelligence and Data Analyst.

Participants will undergo a 9-month full-time programme that comprises a blended learning bootcamp, and an opportunity to work in a structured apprenticeship with a Microsoft partner or customer. This will be facilitated by Microsoft and Generation, and supported by Temasek Polytechnic – the first Institute of Higher Learning to come onboard this initiative.

These courses will equip mid-career jobseekers with in-demand tech skills to allow them to pivot to new career opportunities in tech-related roles in growth sectors. The course structures are aligned to pre-defined core learning objectives for specific job roles within companies in Microsoft’s customer and partner network. Trainees will also be given access to Microsoft’s tools and platforms – including content from Microsoft Learn modules and LinkedIn Learning.

At the end of the programme, Microsoft and Generation will assist participants to access job placement opportunities with Microsoft’s customer and partner companies.

Eligible trainees will receive a monthly training allowance of $1,500. Registration will begin in mid-December 2020, and participants can use their SkillsFuture Credit to defray the nett fee payable for the courses.

Besides the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme, more training programmes with placement opportunities will also be introduced progressively over the next two years. In total, up to 700 mid-career professionals are expected to benefit from these training programmes.

At least 20 of Microsoft’s hiring partners will be onboarded onto #GetReadySG by September 2021. To date, companies within Microsoft’s customer and partner network such as IT solution providers (AsiaPac, Avepoint, NTT Data, NTT Singapore and Taiger Global) as well as companies in service and end-user sectors (Certis, ComfortDelGro and Standard Chartered Bank) have confirmed their participation. These employers will offer training and job placement opportunities for participants.

In addition, LinkedIn, Generation and Microsoft will also work with employers to offer mentorship in the form of emotional support and career coaching as part of #GetReadySG, to help job seekers assimilate into the workplace and navigate challenges. For example, the LinkedIn Coaches programme aims to equip jobseekers facing barriers with soft skills such as interview, networking and communication skills to help participants integrate into their roles through career guidance and mentorship.

Helping employers enhance capabilities and build pipelines

Apart from skills training for individuals, Microsoft will also be partnering SSG as part of the SkillsFuture Queen Bee programme. For this partnership, Microsoft will enhance workplace learning practices among its ecosystem of partners and customers, and help them equip their workforce with critical, industry-relevant skills. With SSG’s support, Microsoft will hire a Skills Manager to engage its network of SME partners to identify common skills gaps and develop customised learning solutions and interventions. The partnership is expected to last over a period of 12 months and benefit at least 30 SMEs.

Mr Kevin Wo, Managing Director, Microsoft Singapore, said: “In our 30 years of operation here, Microsoft has been committed to enabling future-ready skills and talent for the digital economy. We see this as our responsibility as a technology and industry leader, and have adopted it as one of our national aspirations as we look to create economic opportunities and societal impact in the Singapore market. COVID-19 has accelerated the need for these upskilling efforts – hence it is more important than ever that we embark on this national skills initiative. What makes #GetReadySG different from other skilling programmes is that it brings together the best of what Microsoft, IMDA, SSG, DISG and Generation have to offer in terms of resources, expertise and technical knowledge. Participants will not only receive all-rounded training for hard and soft skills, but also mentorship and guidance in securing job placements.”

Mr Lew Chuen Hong, Chief Executive of IMDA, said, “IMDA, through our TeSA initiative, is always innovating with our industry partners, to train highly-skilled Singaporeans for the many exciting jobs in the ICT domain. We thank Microsoft for bringing together its partner firms to hire across its entire software ecosystem, and also to Generation for its unique training model that imparts not just the hard skills such as cloud architecture and data analytics engineering but also inculcates important soft skills such as cross-cultural teamwork and communication. This will enable Singaporeans to better seize the exciting opportunities across our growing digital economy.”

Mr Ong Tze Ch’in, Chief Executive of SSG, said: “SkillsFuture Singapore is happy to partner Microsoft, which is one of the leading companies in the industry, to equip trainees with industry-relevant skills and to boost their employability. We are also very happy to have Microsoft come on board as a SkillsFuture Queen Bee. This will help SMEs strengthen their capabilities and to help drive up employer participation in the development of their workforce.”

Mr Prateek Hegde, CEO Generation Singapore & COO Generation APAC, said: “We continue to hear from companies that it is difficult to find the right tech talent, while jobseekers continue to report on barriers to employment – such as lack of specific domain skills and relevant certifications. This programme is designed to effectively bridge this gap and help more Singaporeans who require such support to launch their careers in tech-enabled roles. While our primary commitment is to serve jobseekers in need, we recognise that the entire tech industry ecosystem can benefit from having access to a highly skilled talent pool. Generation is thrilled to be co-creating an initiative which aims to do just that, working alongside Microsoft and the Singapore government.”

Ms Charlotte Thng, Head of HR, Singapore, Australia and ASA Cluster Markets, Standard Chartered Bank, said: “We are proud to be part of the #GetReadySG initiative, working closely with the government and industry partners such as Microsoft, IMDA, SSG and Generation to nurture a pipeline of homegrown techno-bankers for the future – especially in areas including Cyber, Data Solutions, Digital Banking, Analytics, Cloud, AI Architect, API, and DevOps. This is very much aligned to our commitment as a Significantly Rooted Foreign Bank in Singapore to invest for growth, continuously reskill our workforce and build a strong Singapore Core to ensure future competitiveness.”

To find out more about #GetReadySG and its programmes, please visit getreadysg.generation.org or write to [email protected].

For details on TeSA Company-Led Training programme, go to go.gov.sg/tesaclt

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About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. For more news and information, visit https://news.microsoft.com/en-sg/.

About Digital Industry Singapore (DISG)

Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) is a joint office between EDB, ESG and IMDA, established to support the growth of the technology sector in Singapore. We will leverage our parent agencies’ resources and networks in industry development, market access, capability development and policy formulation to promote growth in the sector by working closely with global technology leaders and fast-growing local companies. Our mission is to establish Singapore as a global-Asia technology hub with deep capabilities, strong infrastructure and a vibrant ecosystem of local and global enterprises, from which new products, services, business models and partnerships are created for Asia and beyond.

About Generation

Generation is a global nonprofit founded by McKinsey & Co. that transforms education to employment systems to prepare, place, and support people into life-changing careers that would otherwise be inaccessible. The global pandemic has led to an unprecedented surge in unemployment, while at the same time, certain jobs remain in high-demand – 40 percent of employers say a skills shortage leaves them with entry-level vacancies. To date, more than 38,000 people have graduated from Generation programs, which prepare them for meaningful careers in 14 countries. Generation also works with more than 3,900 employer partners and many implementation partners and funders globally. In Singapore, Generation was launched in 2018, and has impacted nearly 500 Singaporeans and PRs to get into employment, across digital, healthcare, engineering and retail sectors. For more, visit generation.org.

About Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) leads Singapore’s digital transformation with infocomm media. To do this, IMDA will develop a dynamic digital economy and a cohesive digital society, driven by an exceptional infocomm media (ICM) ecosystem – by developing talent, strengthening business capabilities, and enhancing Singapore’s ICM infrastructure. IMDA also regulates the telecommunications and media sectors to safeguard consumer interests while fostering a pro-business environment and enhances Singapore’s data protection regime through the Personal Data Protection Commission. For more news and information, visit www.imda.gov.sg or follow IMDA on Facebook IMDAsg and Twitter @IMDAsg.

About SkillsFuture Singapore

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) drives and coordinates the implementation of the national SkillsFuture movement, promotes a culture of lifelong learning and strengthens the ecosystem of quality education and training in Singapore. Through a holistic system of national SkillsFuture initiatives, SSG enables Singaporeans to take charge of their learning journey in their pursuit of skills mastery. SSG also works with key stakeholders to ensure that students and adults have access to high quality and industry-relevant training that meet the demands of different sectors of the economy for an innovative and productive workforce. For more information, visit www.ssg.gov.sg

About TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA)

An initiative of SkillsFuture, TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) aims to build and develop a skilled Information and Communications Technology (ICT) workforce for Singapore’s digital economy. TeSA is driven by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and in collaboration with the industry, SkillsFuture Singapore, Workforce Singapore and the National Trades Union Congress. IMDA takes an integrated approach to ICT skills acquisition and practitioner training, enabling professionals to acquire the relevant in-demand skills. To find out more about TeSA, please visit go.gov.sg/tesa

[1] Generation is a global nonprofit founded by McKinsey & Co.