Merging studies with NS takes servicemen to front line of Singapore’s cyberdefence and AI

SINGAPORE – As his polytechnic peers use their final year to complete internship programmes, Third Sergeant Khaimelruzzaman Kamaruzzaman is gearing up to support the national fight against cyberthreats.

Having signed up for a work-learn scheme that allowed him to enlist for national service (NS) early, the cybersecurity and digital forensics diploma student underwent training to hone his cyberdefence skills in topics such as digital forensics, and worked on an actual cyberdefence operation while receiving mentorship.

About 10 months after his enlistment, 3SG Khaimelruzzaman was among 1,020 cadets who graduated as specialists and military experts of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) at the 66th Specialist Cadet Graduation Parade held at Pasir Laba Camp on Feb 20.

Of these, 778 were from the army, 77 from the navy, 47 from the air force and 118 from the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS).

Third Sgt Khaimelruzzaman will join the Defence Cyber Command under the DIS, which is Singapore’s fourth military service, to support the efforts of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), the national body that protects the city-state’s cyberspace.

Speaking to The Straits Times, the 20-year-old said he had signed up for the Polytechnic Cyber Work-Learn Scheme, which was launched in 2024, after hearing about it during a talk in his second year at Temasek Polytechnic.

Those selected for the scheme enlist early to become cyberspecialists, with their military service fulfilling their polytechnic’s final-year internship requirements.

During the programme that lasts for three years and three months, they are trained to deal with advanced cyberthreats, engage in real-world cybersecurity operations and contribute to the nation’s cyber ecosystem.

Third Sgt Khaimelruzzaman said he was initially a bit reluctant to enrol in the programme because he would have to forgo his school break and spending the final year in polytechnic with his friends.

He took the leap after his family and friends said it was a good opportunity for him to do something meaningful during NS.

After basic military training, he was posted to the Cyber Defence School in Stagmont Camp in June 2025. There, he learnt a range of topics, including the programming language Python, and digital forensics and penetration testing, which entails simulated hacking attacks on computer systems or apps to spot vulnerabilities.

He said that while some of the topics were covered at the polytechnic, he could strengthen his foundation during the posting.

He could then embark on a “mini internship”, working on a live cyberdefence operation within the SAF, where he learnt what it was like to be a cyberspecialist.

Next, 3SG Khaimelruzzaman will join the Defence Cyber Command’s Cyber Protection Group where, as an incident responder, he will support efforts to investigate and resolve cyber incidents at a national level.

He said it will be a good opportunity for him to work with experienced industry professionals at CSA and he is looking forward to handling cybersecurity cases at a broader level.

“At this new posting, I should be able to learn what happens to Singapore at a national level, and it’s good exposure for me that will be useful in my future,” he added.

Since 2018, the Ministry of Defence has launched work-learn schemes in different domains for full-time national servicemen to gain skills and maximise their contributions during NS.

Apart from the Polytechnic Cyber Work-Learn Scheme, eight others allow servicemen to study for a diploma or attain partial university credits while serving NS.

They encompass a broad range of vocations including medic, naval warfare system and digital specialists.

Taking on the digital specialist route is 3SG Goh Hern Yee, 19, who also graduated as a specialist on Feb 20.

He enlisted in April 2025 and is concurrently pursuing a degree in information systems at the Singapore Management University (SMU).

Those enrolled in the Digital Work-Learn Scheme will, over the course of four years, fulfil their NS commitments while earning half the academic credits they need. They can go on to complete their studies over two more years.

Following a semester of full-time studies at SMU between August and December, 3SG Goh is now taking two modules – in web app development and database management – at the university.

His Tuesdays to Thursdays involve on-the-job training with SAF’s Artificial Intelligence Centre.

There, he learns to create AI solutions to support other SAF units. He will soon work with a unit where he will be involved in image classification, which is part of the process of training AI models to automatically recognise unique aspects of images in order to categorise them.

Third Sgt Goh said he is already enjoying the benefits of enrolling in the work-learn scheme.

He said: “The (training) modules are actually very applicable, and more in-depth than what we learn at the university.”

Speaking at the graduation parade, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and Health Tan Kiat How said Singapore is dealing with sophisticated threats, including cyberattacks, financial and supply chain disruptions, and the misuse of artificial intelligence for harmful purposes.

He noted the role of SAF in dealing with such threats and said the organisation has continuously transformed itself, building new capabilities and honing its operational readiness.

This includes setting up drone and counter-drone operations, and incorporating the training as part of basic military training, as well as launching the Defence Cyber Command in March 2025 to tackle cybersecurity threats.

Mr Tan added: “At the heart of these advanced systems is not the technology, but the disciplined and dedicated teams that operate them – teams comprising individuals with the skills and conviction to discharge their duties, led by courageous, capable and caring leaders.

“Starting today, you will be stepping into those shoes to lead these teams. Your responsibility will be to inspire, motivate and fight alongside them. Your leadership matters.”