Singapore universities to allow students to work and study simultaneously

The system of apprenticeship followed by universities in Germany and Switzerland could be replicated in Singapore soon.

Ong Ye Kung, Singapore’s Acting Minister for Education, said that the government was collaborating with select organisations and educational institutions to launch a few trial programmes, which would allow students to work while studying.

According to Ong, once the finer details are thrashed out, they would be released. He stated that it would be a different type of university curriculum that would be appropriate for this century, where businesses would offer internships as well as entry into universities.

The German and Swiss programmes allow school-leavers to take up jobs and also let them join a training course which allows them to study and work. It allows them to practice what they learn in class.

The Singapore government will involve companies from different fields, such as IT, manufacturing, banking, hospitality and so on, to jointly work with educational institutions in devising the curriculum. When they join this programme, the employer as well as the employees will agree that after their studies that they would join the company as full-time staff.

Ong was quoted by The Straits Times as saying that work and study space were increasingly converging. The last several years had seen companies offer structured courses of study, with a few them having established their own corporate universities, Ong added.

Saying that work has made its way into educational institutions, universities have set up incubator areas to let students collaborate with their faculty to work or set up companies.

The announcement of this initiative was received well by human resource consultants in this city-state.

Indian students who wish to make a career in Singapore, one of the world’s major business hubs, can avail this programme once it is functional. It is suggested that they keep tabs on what is happening on this front in this Southeast Asian country.