Remarks by SMS Tan Kiat How at the ITE and TP-Link MOU Signing Ceremony

Mr Alvin Goh, Principal, ITE College East

Mr Hugo Cai, Regional Director, TP-Link

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

1. Good morning. It is my pleasure to join you today to witness the MOU signing ceremony between ITE and TP-Link.

2. Digital infrastructure plays a foundational role in our digital economy.

3. It is with this in mind that we launched the Digital Connectivity Blueprint in 2023.

   1. With the aim of achieving domestic end-to-end connectivity of up to 10 gigabits per second, enabled by an upgraded National Broadband Network, faster Wi-Fi networks, and 5G standalone networks.

4. Our digital networks will continue to scale and grow in complexity in the coming years with more pervasive use of AI across sectors and industries.

5. These are all enabled by our digital connectivity infrastructure, which has to be upgraded to meet the new needs of our future digital economy.

6. There will be new job roles and opportunities for Singaporeans in this sector.

   1. New skills and competencies will be needed to build and manage future connectivity infrastructure, including the know-how to harness network management platforms for predictive maintenance and automated troubleshooting, as well as to ensure end-to-end interoperability across networks and devices, from the hardware to the cloud and edge.

7. It is therefore important for our workforce to be equipped with industry-relevant capabilities, and for our students to have pathways to acquire them, be it through internships, industry attachments, or work-study programmes.

   1. I am glad that this three-year partnership between ITE and TP-Link will equip students with the skills and competencies that I mentioned, deliver modular and stackable training pathways, and upskill educators through global certifications and overseas exposure, like the upcoming trips to the global factory headquarters in Shenzhen and California.

      1. This is critical in ensuring that our curriculum stays relevant to industry.

   2. And I am encouraged by TP-Link’s commitment to offer internship placements for ITE students as well.

8. In 2022, we started the Tech Skills Accelerator (TeSA) for ITE and Polytechnics Alliance, or TIP Alliance, to create end-to-end pathways to strengthen graduates’ employment outcomes in tech.

9. We have made good progress. Since its launch in 2022, over 1,000 good tech jobs have been committed for ITE and Polytechnic tech graduates, and over 1,300 students have completed year-long enhanced internships, gaining industry-relevant skills and on-the-job experience with partner companies.

   1. One of them is Ms Miera Afiqa. Miera graduated from ITE East in February 2025. While pursuing a Higher Nitec in Electronics Engineering, she secured a one-year enhanced internship with National Computer Systems, or NCS, one of our partners in the TIP Alliance.

   2. Miera adapted quickly to new responsibilities and performed well. When she graduated from ITE, she enrolled in the ITE Work-Study Diploma to advance her education and career, securing a traineeship in Cloud Management & Operations with NCS as an operations support executive.

   3. I hope that Miera inspires all our ITE students to take advantage of such programmes to gain industry experience and bridge into good tech jobs.

10. In closing, I would like to congratulate TP-Link and ITE on this meaningful partnership.

11. I would also like to commend the efforts of ITE’s staff, faculty members, and educators as they continue to forge such partnerships to widen and deepen pathways for students to build the skills and confidence to thrive in the workplace.

12. Last but not least, to the students, I encourage you to seize the many opportunities available to develop your skills.

13. With determination, continuous learning, and a willingness to adapt, you can achieve a fulfilling career in tech, whichever path you choose.

14. Thank you.