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SINGAPORE: Singapore needs more tech talent and a recently announced job pass hopes to help the country attract “highly skilled” people in this field, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said late Tuesday (November 17).
Delivering a keynote address at the 2020 Singapore Technology Forum, Lee said the Tech.Pass, launched last week by the Economic Development Board, is aimed at “the drivers and shakers of the tech world.”
He described them as individuals who generally play different roles at once (founder, investor, employee, consultant, and academic) and can contribute to multiple parts of the ecosystem with their capital, networks, and knowledge.
Unlike the Job Pass that is tied to a particular job or employer, the new job pass “will be personal to the holder,” giving them flexibility to move between roles and employers, he added.
Five hundred passes will be available starting in January 2021 when applications open.
“This will be something that I hope will make people feel and realize, and that will help us attract talent to Singapore,” said the Prime Minister.
READ: Singapore to Launch New Pass for Foreign Tech Industry Experts; applications open in january
Lee, who delivered his speech via a Facebook live stream, said talent is key as Singapore develops its tech ecosystem.
The country already has an environment that supports science and technology, with a population with technological knowledge and the presence of good infrastructure, such as a national high-speed broadband network.
The Government is developing its own IT engineering capabilities through the Government of Singapore Technology Agency (GovTech), while developing the entire technology ecosystem and digital industry.
“A lot of the major tech companies are now based here and doing engineering work, not just sales and marketing,” he said, citing tech giants like Google, Facebook and Amazon. This has created a vibrant industry group and good jobs for Singaporeans, he added.
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“So the pieces gradually come together, but the key that makes it all work is talent,” Lee said.
“We need more tech talent to grow the industry and address the urgent problems we have that technology can help us solve.”
The Prime Minister noted a growing talent pool at local universities and polytechnics. The companies also bring in foreign talent, including experienced professionals at the middle and higher levels that Singapore lacks.
But he acknowledged the possibility of social problems arising when there are “large numbers of foreign professionals” in an industry. In particular, Singaporeans in the same field may feel a sense of competition and discomfort.
Such anxieties also tend to “surface” during economic recessions when people are worried about their jobs, he added.
READ: Bring Singaporeans Back Home, Grow Local Talent for Smart Nation Efforts: Vivian Balakrishnan
This is not unique to Singapore, but the country recognizes these problems “frankly” and does everything possible to address them, said Mr. Lee.
“It requires both parties to work on it. Non-Singaporeans have to make an effort to fit in, both at work and socially, when in Singapore.
“And Singaporeans, for their part, must be able to understand that this is how new jobs and more jobs will be created in Singapore, and they must feel confident that they will be treated fairly and not discriminated against,” he said.
In addition, Singaporeans should see that technology companies bring knowledge and experience, as well as develop industry and capabilities.
“So that our own people can learn from them, improve and eventually build our own talent pool,” he added.
“And that’s how our policies work. This is how we work our Singapore job passes. “
READ: As COVID-19 accelerates automation, what does the future hold for job seekers without technology?
SINGAPORE’S VALUE PROPOSAL
Lee was asked about Singapore’s value proposition for talents around the world during a question and answer segment after his keynote address.
The moderator, Karen Tay, Director of Smart Nation in the Prime Minister’s Office, mentioned several factors that talents need to consider when deciding on a job, namely the breadth of opportunities and livability of a city, as well as the culture of a city and company.
He added that some have said that Singapore may be different from other major tech hubs in terms of its socio-political culture, stance on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) issues, as well as a work culture that remains hierarchical.
In his response, Mr. Lee noted that Singapore presents many challenges, such as bringing government systems up to date, given the way it encompasses engineering, organizational and social difficulties.
Meanwhile, a number of tech companies are growing up and doing engineering work here. “Actually, restriction is a chicken and egg problem. If there is more talent, then they will be able to do more of these engineering jobs, but they are looking to do it in Singapore, ”he said.
READ: More tech jobs to come as MCI steps up job creation for recent graduates, mid-career professionals
On workplace culture, Mr. Lee said this is up to individual companies. Existing organizations may find it difficult to change, although some have established “skunk jobs” to develop different work styles. Singapore also wants to develop new organizations with “fresh cultures” and they are underway.
Regarding other cultural aspects, he said that Singapore used to be called a “cultural desert” but has become a vibrant city for arts, music, dance and theater.
Mr. Lee also noted that Singapore has been open to the LGBTQ community.
“We welcome you, we really appreciate your contributions,” he said. “And there is no reason why if you are a member of this community, you should not fit in in Singapore.”
He noted that while Singapore may not have the same “extremely liberal” social norms as San Francisco, which is home to Silicon Valley, there are differences even within the United States.
In multiracial and multireligious Southeast Asia, issues like homosexuality “will be sensitive for a long time,” but attitudes “are not set in stone.” The younger generation, for example, have more liberal views than their older counterparts.
“So these things change, but we have to give them time to change and I think it is unwise to force it because there will be a reversal and it will end the polarization,” said Mr. Lee.
TECHNOLOGY CRUCIAL IN SINGAPORE’S COVID-19 RESPONSE
In his opening speech, the Prime Minister also addressed the role of technology in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The situation in Singapore is now “stable” with “better defenses” in testing, contact tracing and safe distancing measures in place. These have allowed a gradual resumption of economic and social activities, including some trips abroad, pending confirmation of a safe and effective vaccine.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong attends the 2020 Singapore Technology Forum on November 17, 2020 (Photo: Ministry of Communications and Information)
Technology has been “a crucial part” of this journey, Mr. Lee said.
On the one hand, biomedical science has played an important role in analyzing the genome of the new coronavirus, understanding the patterns and trends of the disease, as well as developing tests and treatments.
Infotech has also been crucial in a number of ways. These include monitoring the status, well-being, and location of large numbers of cases, collecting and analyzing COVID-19 data to locate hot spots, patterns, and trends, as well as ensuring compliance with stay-in-the-box advisories. home.
When it comes to contact tracing, the technology enabled the development of several solutions, such as the Bluetooth-based TraceTogether tool, the National SafeEntry registry system, and databases such as VISION, which integrate existing databases to speed up tracking. contacts and issue quarantine orders promptly.
This is in contrast to the way contract tracking was a “manual and labor-intensive business” in 2003 during the SARS outbreak, Mr. Lee said.
But Singapore’s response was “not perfect” and many blind spots were discovered.
For example, not all government IT systems used up-to-date techniques, such as APIs or cloud systems, and worked together seamlessly.
“And when cases multiply, all these delays and inefficiencies make a difference,” said Mr. Lee.
READ: Singapore has done well so far in the fight against COVID-19, but must learn from mistakes: PM Lee
As a result, new products like VISION had to be developed “in a hurry”.
“(They are) more than minimal viable products, but they are far from polished versions and are still in process. But they showed that we had some internal capability … More importantly, by building them, we learned … the importance of ‘Ops-tech,’ ”he said.
“That means operations have to be intertwined with the technology requirements from the beginning and the technology people have to be involved from the beginning and work closely with the (operations) people to understand the operating conditions, understand the requirements ( y) in order to comply with the requirements “.
Going beyond COVID-19, technology is a “command role” in many government activities, from healthcare to public housing, Lee said, adding: “Without technology, you are stuck.”
Senior leaders will have to understand that technology is “central to their role (in) governing Singapore and doing public administration.”
More people will need to understand and appreciate the technology, and there must be enough public service leaders who can provide technical leadership on complex engineering projects, taking into account the social and political aspects, the Prime Minister added.
RCEP “A BIG STEP FORWARD”
Among the other topics raised during the question and answer segment, Mr. Lee was asked how the recently signed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will affect the tech scene in Singapore and the opportunities it has for startups.
Launched in 2012, RCEP is a trade pact between the 10-member ASEAN bloc, along with China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Dubbed the world’s largest trade deal, it was signed over the weekend after eight years of discussions on the details.
READ: What is the RCEP trade agreement?
In his response, Mr. Lee said that the RCEP is a “great step forward in economic cooperation in Asia.”
For Singapore, it is also a “significant upgrade” that will benefit “a whole range of traders”, including those in the IT, manufacturing and service industries.
