Transcript of Speech by Acting Minister for Manpower, Jasmin Lau at the Launch of Singapore Polytechnic’s Cybersecurity Assessment and Security Operations Centre Training Lab for Enterprises (CASTLE) Programme

Good afternoon.

Ms Tan Yen Yen, Deputy Principal (Development) of SP

Members of the SP senior management,

Industry partners and colleagues,

1. Thank you for inviting me to join you this afternoon for the launch of CASTLE.

2. First, let me congratulate the School of Computing and all your partners for conceptualising this programme and bringing it to reality. CASTLE is a good example of what we can achieve when education, industry and government decide to come together.

3. From where I stand, I wish many more of our IHLs had programmes like this. The spirit of bringing together different partners in the ecosystem, allowing students to gain industry experience while in school, brings great benefits not just to students and SMEs, but to the nation as well.

4. Today is not simply about launching a new programme. It is about how we prepare Singapore for the next phase of our digital journey.

5. Digital technologies are now embedded across our economy and daily lives – from how businesses operate and serve customers and how public services are delivered. This creates tremendous opportunities, but being more digitally connected also brings more vulnerabilities. That is why cybersecurity matters. Something could happen on any given day, and we may not know how to respond.

6. Many organisations think of cybersecurity as something handled by the IT department. Today, that is no longer the case.

7. Cybersecurity affects many of our businesses. It can stop them from being able to operate and can also disrupt the trust that customers and citizens have in our businesses and our government.

8. So the question is no longer whether cybersecurity is important, but how do we prepare our people and organisations for it.

9. I believe there are three things that matter: building capabilities across the system, creating opportunities through partnerships, and strengthening the resilience of the entire ecosystem.

10. First, people remain at the heart of cybersecurity. Technology is advancing rapidly. AI is reshaping the way we work, learn and innovate. It is also changing how cybersecurity is practised, both by defenders and by malicious actors.

11. This means we need a strong pipeline of cybersecurity-ready talent for Singapore to stay ahead of the threats we face. And after visiting SP today, I am more hopeful that we will have many more defenders in our ecosystem in the near future.

12. But cybersecurity is ultimately a hands-on profession and its experience cannot be fully replicated in a classroom.

13. Students build confidence not only by learning concepts, but by responding to real incidents and working alongside practitioners.

14. This is why opportunities matter – for students to apply learning in real-world settings and for educators to stay connected with industry.

15. This is what makes CASTLE valuable. By combining classroom learning with internships and industry attachments, CASTLE helps bridge the gap between education and practice.

16. Our second priority must be creating opportunities through partnerships.

17. Cybersecurity is one of those areas where no single organisation has all the answers. But when we work together, we build stronger solutions than any one of us can achieve alone. As the Minister-in-Charge of Govtech, many people think that GovTech has all the answers, but we are constantly looking outwards because we find that our solutions cannot protect us fully.

18. Many of us will remember the global CrowdStrike outage in July 2024. It was not a cyber attack.

19. Yet within hours, flights were cancelled, healthcare services experienced disruption, business operations were affected.

    1. The lesson was not simply about a faulty software update. It reminded us how interconnected our digital infrastructure has become. When one part of the ecosystem is disrupted, the effects can quickly ripple across many others. Resilience must therefore be built collectively. Government helps by providing guidance and good practices. For example, CSA’s Cyber Essentials certification gives organisations a practical starting point on strengthening their cybersecurity hygiene. I am pleased that it will support future engagements under the CASTLE programme.

    2. Industry contributes operational knowledge and real-world experience. I welcome the MOUs that SP will be signing with industry partners such as ST Engineering, OffSec, and Athena Dynamics.

    3. Academia develops talent and innovates how we prepare our students for the future. For example, our cybersecurity talents will continue to be increasingly important. But at the same time, we are also aware that technology changes so fast. So there is a need for academic institutions to continuously update their curriculum to ensure our graduates are equipped with the skills they need from the day they step out of school. I am glad that CASTLE will also help lecturers stay connected and keep their skills sharp with real-world experience.

20. Ultimately, our efforts in developing people and fostering partnerships should foster a more resilient digital economy and society.

21. This is particularly important for our SMEs which form the backbone of Singapore’s economy.

22. When an SME strengthens its cybersecurity, it protects not only itself but also its customers, suppliers and business partners. I am therefore encouraged that CASTLE is making these capabilities more accessible through its cybersecurity clinics, Security Operations Centre services, and student-led awareness programmes, to build confidence in cybersecurity.

23. Before I conclude, let me share one final thought.

24. AI will undoubtedly continue to change the way we work by automating tasks, improving productivity and strengthening cybersecurity.

25. But there are some things that AI cannot replace. It cannot replace curiosity, judgement and our feeling of shared responsibility in keeping Singapore safe in the digital world. It will not be able to speak like students or teachers to convince people about why cybersecurity is important. It also cannot convey feelings about fears and anxieties regarding cyber attacks. No matter how good AI becomes, we will always need all of you here to help us strengthen our cybersecurity ecosystem in Singapore.

26. Building a cyber resilient Singapore will always depend on people who continue learning, organisations that continue strengthening partnerships, and institutions that continue investing in the next generation.

27. With that, I am confident that CASTLE will contribute meaningfully by strengthening our cybersecurity talent pipeline and build a more resilient digital ecosystem for Singapore.

28. Thank you.