SINGAPORE - Fresh polytechnic graduates in the port industry will soon be able to further their qualifications while working.
Singapore Polytechnic (SP) and PSA Corporation Limited (PSA) signed an agreement worth more than $1.5 million on Tuesday (Dec 1) to develop a 12-month Earn and Learn programme, among other initiatives.
The scheme, which will start in June next year, is the first of its kind for the Singapore port industry. It will have a first batch of 20 graduates, and will expand to take in as many as 1,500 over the next five years.
Those who complete the programme will earn a specialist diploma in Port Management and Operations.
Under the agreement, SP and PSA will work together in areas such as engineering, information technology and maritime business to equip students and graduates with relevant job knowledge and skills.
Specialists from PSA will be invited to deliver guest lectures to SP staff and students on the latest developments in port operations and technology. PSA will also be offering scholarships and book prizes to outstanding students from specific courses.
In a statement, Mr Ong Kim Pong, PSA International's regional chief executive for South-east Asia, said the collaboration with the polytechnic "will help their staff and students bridge what is taught in the classroom and how it can be applied in the workplace, and strengthen our pipeline of potential future talent for PSA's business expansion".
SP principal Tan Choon Shian said that the tie-up reflects its commitment to ensure that the workforce remains relevant to the maritime sector and Singapore.
