University undergrads in tech courses to get more career support amid AI disruption

SINGAPORE – University undergraduates in tech-related courses will now receive more support to navigate a job market where AI is disrupting many entry-level roles, through a new dedicated job portal that currently has about 800 tech job listings.

The Tech Elevation and Career Hub (TECH), launched by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Employment and Employability Institute, includes listings from companies such as NCS Singapore, ST Engineering and Shopee.

Available roles span entry-level positions for cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data analytics.

The job portal was announced by Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How on April 10 at the inaugural one-day AI conference held by industry group Singapore Computer Society (SCS) at Mandarin Oriental hotel.

“For our students, this means a simpler and more facilitated journey into the workforce. Instead of navigating multiple platforms, they can go to one place to find tech jobs and internships, access career coaching, and identify training opportunities that can strengthen their employability,” said Mr Tan.

The move is part of an expanded programme to help students kickstart their careers in the tech sector.

Launched in 2022 for polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students in information and digital technology disciplines – including software engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data analytics – the TIP Alliance programme has now been expanded to include university undergraduates.

The TeSA (TechSkills Accelerator) for ITE and Polytechnics – or TIP Alliance – rolled out by IMDA, has offered over 1,000 tech jobs and facilitated more than 2,300 internship placements for ITE and polytechnic students since its inception.

Now renamed TIP Alliance+, it aims to give graduates from all institutes of higher learning more hands-on industry exposure and strengthen their readiness for the job market.

Beyond the job portal, IMDA will also equip graduates with domain knowledge in financial services, healthtech, and the public sector, among others. This is meant to help them better understand how technology is applied across industries, as well as the deployment considerations unique to each sector.

“Employers are looking for individuals who understand how to apply and integrate AI into their respective domains, preferably from day one with the company,” said Mr Tan.

For a start, IMDA is rolling out an initiative called Government Tech Pathway with the Government Technology Agency of Singapore and SCS.

The organisations will offer short, stackable modules that allow students to learn about the common digital infrastructure and tools that the Government uses to build its tech products, as well as the security requirements and work processes.

TIP Alliance+ will also offer graduates access to tech-related internships that last 10 to 12 months.

Mr Tan said the moves come amid AI disruption, which has changed the nature of many entry-level roles and fuelled anxieties over graduates’ job prospects and the relevance of their skills.

Plus, with non-technical professionals now using AI-enabled tools to launch, automate and scale businesses, from telehealth providers to resume builders, the bar has been raised for tech professionals.

“For the tech professionals in this room, this isn’t just another wave of innovation to ride. It’s a fundamental reimagining of the tech sector and tech-related jobs in the coming years,” said Mr Tan.

Responsibility cannot fall squarely on one party because schools cannot prioritise industry-ready skills at the expense of strong foundations, while companies can no longer be expected to shoulder all basic on-the-job training as AI automates many junior tasks, he said.

A deliberate pathway jointly built by schools, employers and government is needed, and that is what the TIP Alliance+ offers.

“In other words, this is not a once-off intervention. It is a seamless pathway from learning to workplace exposure, to employment, and to continued skills deepening. This is how we intend to help our students and fresh graduates stay relevant in a fast-changing economy,” said Mr Tan.

He added that there is still a strong demand for tech professionals, especially in the non-tech sectors that are digitalising quickly and adopting AI in their workflows and organisations.

IMDA’s Singapore Digital Economy Report, released in October 2025, revealed that the local tech workforce grew from 208,300 in 2023 to 214,000 in 2024. The fastest-growing roles were AI and data specialists, and cybersecurity professionals.

From 2023 to 2024, tech roles in non-tech sectors grew 3.9 per cent, outpacing the 1.1 per cent increase in tech companies, a trend expected to accelerate as AI adoption spreads across industries.