Singapore operator Singtel plans to hire over 500 people in Singapore over the next two years to focus on 5G and other emerging technologies such as IoT, cloud engineering and data analytics, the telco said in a relase.
The telco said that this initiative is part of a deal with the country’s telecommunications regulator IMDA, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore Polytechnic (SP).
According to local press reports, 150 professionals will fill new 5G roles in areas such as network engineering, digital services and 5G product and platform development.
Through structured training and courses, coupled with real work experience in the Singtel workplace, employees can develop 5G domain expertise and related skills that will enable them to deliver innovative products and services to meet the needs of consumers and enterprises, the company said. IMDA’s TechSkills Accelerator Company-Led Training (TeSA CLT) programs will also offer support by training associated roles such as software developers.
Yuen Kuan Moon, Singtel’s Group CEO said, “In order for Singtel to capture new digital growth opportunities and drive digital transformation across industries, we have to pivot our workforce and pivot fast. Having embarked on reskilling our existing staff, we are now hiring and training new employees on the job in 5G and emerging technologies. The learning gained from academia will complement practical on-the-job training in our workplace to build the critical competencies needed to help transition enterprises to a digital economy.”
Lew Chuen Hong, CEO of IMDA, said, “Singaporeans with the right tech skills can look forward to good job opportunities in a vibrant 5G ecosystem. Working with academia and Singtel will ensure that our workers have these skills in in-demand areas. I encourage leading enterprises to work with us to get our workers future-ready and accelerate Singapore’s digital transformation.”
Singtel said it will be focusing its hiring and training in Singapore in core areas such as 5G network engineering, digital services, 5G product and platform development, application development and advanced analytics.
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IMDA recently announced a SGD30 million ($22.5 million) fund to accelerate the adoption and commercialization of 5G solutions in the country.
The fund is part of IMDA’s 5G Innovation Program and will support solution providers and technology developers commercializing 5G solutions, to help make the benefits of 5G more accessible to more companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises.
As part of its earlier 5G innovation efforts, IMDA supported seven 5G innovation use cases in strategic areas such as cloud gaming, urban mobility, smart estates, industry 4.0 and maritime operations.
Singtel had initially launched its 5G non-standalone (NSA) network in September of 2020, using spectrum in the 3.5 GHz frequency as well as existing 2.1 GHz spectrum.
Singtel said it is using 28 GHz mmWave spectrum, in addition to the 3.5 GHz and 2.1 GHz bands, to boost its 5G deployment in Singapore.
Singtel has switched on mmWave in several locations across the island, including Orchard Road, the Padang area and Marina Bay Sands Expo.
The telco had secured a license to deploy a 5G standalone network in Singapore.