Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran officially launched Tata Consultancy Services’ (TCS) Digital Acceleration Centre (DAC) at the company’s briefing centre at Changi Business Park in Singapore yesterday.
DAC by TCS is supported by Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Workforce Singapore (WSG).
“TCS is committed to investing in Singapore’s young talent to make the country’s world-class tech talent ecosystem future-ready and contribute to the flourishing Smart Nation project," Girish Ramachandran, President of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Asia Pacific said, speaking of TCS’ estimated SG $3 million investment in hiring and training initiatives under Singapore’s Smart Nation project.
Tata Consultancy Services has more than 136 Singaporean trainees under IMDA’s TeSA programmes working with the group and this includes fresh graduates and mid-career employees, both of whom are equally important for this sector, the Minister noted.
TCS’ nine-month traineeship programme puts trainees through foundational, specialised and hands-on training courses for intensive skill-building through various formats including webinars, assessments, and hackathons in areas such as cloud adoption, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
This is paired with on-the-job training by working on projects with TCS clients, with potential to be hired as full-time employees by TCS itself.
It focuses on nine key aspects of cutting-edge technology: cloud adoption, UI/UX, legacy modernization, cyber security, DevOps, digital workplace, artificial/ augmented intelligence, Internet of Things, and digital interfaces – critical focus areas for Singapore’s Smart Nation ambitions.
On completing the programme, well-performing trainees will be considered for open opportunities at TCS. The DAC will continue to provide specialised skill enhancements for these trainees even after they are hired, constantly raising the digital capabilities of the workforce.
“We are delighted to launch the Digital Acceleration Centre, with support from the Singapore Economic Development Board. Through this centre, we hope to enhance the resilience and adaptability of Singapore’s businesses for a robust economic recovery in the post-pandemic business environment,” Ramachandran added.
The Minister said in his remarks that while he was delighted with the Tata Group’s presence in Singapore and the development of TCS; the Digital Acceleration Centre was another important milestone.
The Tata Group has a very long history of over five decades in Singapore, basically from the early days of Singapore’s independence. TCS has been in Singapore for about 30 years and is a significant employer with over 1,500 employees.
Minister Iswaran described 2020 as a momentous year and a digital watershed, because of the kind of changes that COVID-19 has wrought on the economy and society.
“We have seen major transitions in our economy and society and behavioral patterns and digital practices of industry”, he said.
Giving some examples of how digitalisation is becoming more important, he said, “Our e-payment transactions have more than tripled to more than 650,000 in the last three to four months or so. In terms of the registration of businesses for e-invoicing, that has gone up 24-fold, from about 1,000 in March this year, to 24,000 now”.
He added that out of sheer necessity brought by COVID-19 we all have adjusted to home-based learning, work from home and other important adjustments.
The Singapore Government is “fully committed to working with industry to make sure, on the one hand, our people learn and are provided for in terms of their digital skills so that they can benefit from the opportunities that are being created, but also our industry is well-equipped”, the Minister added.
The Minister noted that between April to early November, more than 7,000 job seekers have been placed into ICT jobs, company-hosted traineeships and attachments under the SGUnited Jobs & Skills Package.
“That is an important thing because the ICT sector, as we would all know, is an important bright spot in the overall economy, and we want to continue to ensure that locals are able to benefit from the opportunities that are being created”, he said.
In the last six months, the number of SMEs that have adopted digital solutions has more than doubled in Singapore and it has moved from being something that is optional to an essential business strategy, the Minister said.
“I want to thank TCS for your continued commitment to Singapore, and the companies that you have shown support in the way you have invested in their operations”, Minister Iswaran said.
“So let me just conclude by congratulating the entire Tata Group and TCS team on yet another milestone. We value the partnership and I look forward to building on this partnership in the near future”, he concluded.
TCS has 100 positions for local polytechnic and university graduates with hiring scheduled to take place in December 2020.