The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in Singapore signed with Sea a memorandum of intent for a new programme to hire and train 500 locals.
When implemented, the programme will be the largest ever TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) Company-Led Training (CLT) programme by a Singapore-based company, and signals how the Singapore economy can recover strongly from COVID-19, through companies applying digitalisation to create job and training opportunities for Singaporeans.
This programme will also boost the trainees’ employment and employability outcomes as part of the broader SGUnited Jobs and Skills efforts.
“The government wants to ensure that we have a strong pipeline of local tech talent equipped with the skills to secure new opportunities in the Digital Economy,” said Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran. “I urge more companies to come forward and join us in this concerted effort.”
Forrest Li, chairman and group CEO of Sea, said the program will create jobs not only in their business entities, particularly Shopee Singapore. Beneficiaries include 400 entry-level and 100 mid-career — those with more than three years of working experience — jobseekers.
The e-commerce giant, which opened its regional headquarters in Singapore in 2019, has also conducted a range of workshops and bootcamps such as Shopee Code League that seeks to train and develop local tech talent.
“This partnership with the Singapore Government enables us to continue investing ahead of demand and do our part to support our local communities during this period,” said Lim Teck Yong, head of regional operations and people team at Shopee.
Trainees will undergo six months of on-the-job or instructor-led structured training Shopee, in areas such as product management, software engineering and user experience design.
All trainees will get a mentor/project advisor within the same department, who will support their journey and to help them improve their knowledge and skills.
Trainees who complete the programme will be equipped for success in the e-commerce and tech industry, ready to take on roles such as data/business analysts, product managers, software engineers and UI/UX designers.
