SGInnovate Expands Talent Initiatives to Create New Deep Tech Job Opportunities

• Virtual talent showcase, “New Frontier: Deep Tech Opportunities and Jobs”, will feature more than 200 openings in over 30 startups and organisations
• New Power X programme offers full-time, paid traineeships to help technical talent transition into a Deep Tech career, starting with Robotics, an important growth area for the tech sector 

7 September 2020, Singapore: SGInnovate today announced two new talent initiatives to create more job opportunities for Singaporean students, fresh graduates and mid-career professionals looking to enter a career in Deep Tech. These new initiatives will help to train and introduce more promising talent into the Deep Tech sector in Singapore, to continue driving innovation and growth into the future.

The upcoming New Frontier: Deep Tech Opportunities and Jobs is the first-ever virtual talent showcase organised by SGInnovate. More than 200 apprenticeships and full-time roles will be offered in over 30 Deep Tech companies and startups. Positions available include technical roles in areas such as Software Development and Robotics Engineering, as well as Sales and Business Development.

SGInnovate has also launched Power X, a new full-time Deep Tech traineeship programme. Supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore, the programme aims to equip Singaporean talent with essential, real-world skills necessary for a new career in the Deep Tech space. The first run, Power X Robotics, will groom trainees to become future Robotics Engineers.

“At SGInnovate, we are prioritising our efforts around creating more Deep Tech job opportunities to support our community. We have been working very closely with partners and government agencies to explore new initiatives, even as the impact of COVID-19 deepens on the economy,” said Dr Lim Jui, CEO, SGInnovate. “Through our conversations with partners and founders, as well as observations of the burgeoning Deep Tech ecosystem, we found a strong demand for specialised roles that contribute to technology development – which are essential to future business growth. We foresee at least 1,000 of such roles to be created and made available. For SGInnovate, we hope to contribute by pulling together a variety of opportunities suitable for talent from various levels, through a mix of training programmes and direct job placements.”

Virtual Talent Showcase – The New Frontier: Deep Tech Opportunities and Jobs

Minister for Communications and Information, Mr S Iswaran will be the Guest-of-Honour at the virtual talent showcase to be held on Saturday, 12 September 2020. At this full day event, participants will benefit from an extensive programme of panel discussions, Deep Tech startup showcases and free training workshops in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity to better understand the current Deep Tech landscape and career options available to them, as well as receive tips on how to make a successful transition into Deep Tech roles.

During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to join virtual booths and interact with representatives from SGInnovate and hiring companies such as Lucence Diagnostics and MicroSec, as well as government partners including the Infocomm Media Development Authority and the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore.

"Lucence is excited to participate in SGInnovate's New Frontier event, and we look forward to engaging with talented individuals within the Deep Tech space. The future will be changed by people and technology. We hope to find such driven and passionate talent to join our cause," said Dr Min-Han Tan, Founding CEO and Medical Director, Lucence Diagnostics.

Those attending the event can also learn more about Power X and other SGInnovate talent programmes. Roles in Software Development, Data Engineering and UI/UX design will be offered by the recently launched Infinity Series, a Deep Tech immersion programme designed for students to contribute to a startup’s product development life cycle. In addition, SGInnovate’s perennial Summation Programme has returned for its sixth run and is looking to place students and fresh graduates into Deep Tech companies in fields such as AI, Cybersecurity and Quantum Technology.

Free workshops led by experts will also be held to introduce the most in-demand technical skills needed to enter the fields of AI and Cybersecurity.

To register for the event, please visit www.sginnovate.com/new-frontier

The New Power X Programme

Blending classroom and workplace learning, Power X was created based on feedback from the Deep Tech ecosystem and is in line with Singapore’s growing focus on upskilling talent to contribute towards translating research outcomes into tangible solutions.

“The launch of the Power X initiative is timely, with the current challenging economic climate being a pressing concern for jobseekers and employers. Robotics is a growing industry in Singapore and there is demand for trained engineers who can carry out technology translation. This programme will help our recent graduates and mid-career professionals gain in-demand skills and experience in this area, while supporting companies who are looking to take on and train more employees,” said Professor Low Teck Seng, CEO, NRF. “NRF will continue to take stock of industry manpower needs and focus on building a strong Singaporean core of scientists and engineers through programmes such as Power X.”

Kickstarting the programme is Power X Robotics, which is focused on grooming trainees into Robotics Engineers. They will be guided by experienced domain experts and undergo traineeship with partner companies, including HOPE Technik, Movel AI, NDR Medical Technology, Polybee, and SESTO Robotics and more.

“There is a high demand for good Robotics Engineers, but most candidates with a good foundation may lack essential or industry skills to put this knowledge into practice. Trainees who have acquired relevant skills through formal and hands-on training will definitely be potential candidates for our team,” said Abhishek Gupta, CEO and Co-founder, Movel AI.

The nine-month programme will take place over two phases. In the first phase, trainees will undergo three months of formal structured training with assessments and embark on a capstone project. The second phase will see trainees undergoing full-time on-the-job training at their attached companies for six months, working alongside their mentors on the successful completion of their projects. Those who meet traineeship expectations may potentially be placed in a full-time Robotics role with the partner companies.

Training fees are fully funded, and trainees will also receive a monthly stipend of up to SG$4,000 during the programme.

SGInnovate also plans to expand the Power X programme to other Deep Tech domains that see a high demand for talent, such as in Cybersecurity.

Power X Robotics is now accepting applications from all university graduates, preferably with a background in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Candidates should also have basic programming skills and at least two years of full-time working experience in any field. Interested applicants can sign-up at www.sginnovate.com/power-x-robotics. The deadline for application is 4 October 2020.

For more information on the full suite of talent programmes by SGInnovate, please visit: www.sginnovate.com/talent-networking.

About SGInnovate

At SGInnovate, we build and scale Deep Tech startups into high potential companies with global impact. We believe that hard global problems can be solved using Deep Tech, and Singapore, where we are based, is uniquely positioned to realise Deep Tech innovations that can tackle these challenges. Our Deep Tech Nexus Strategy is focused on adding tangible value to the Deep Tech startup ecosystem in two key areas – development of Human Capital and deployment of Investment Capital. With the support of our partners and co-investors, we back entrepreneurial scientists through equity-based investments, access to talent and business-building advice. Our efforts are prioritised around emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Tech, MedTech and Quantum Tech, which represent impactful and scalable answers to global challenges.

SGInnovate is a private-limited company wholly owned by the Singapore Government. For more information, please visit www.sginnovate.com.

About the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore

NRF is a department within the Prime Minister's Office, Singapore. NRF sets the national direction for research and development (R&D) by developing policies, plans and strategies for research, innovation and enterprise. It also funds strategic initiatives and builds up R&D capabilities by nurturing research talent. The NRF aims to transform Singapore into a vibrant R&D hub that contributes towards a knowledge-intensive, innovative and entrepreneurial economy; and make Singapore a magnet for excellence in science and innovation.

Media contacts

Grace Chiang
SGInnovate
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Eva Chow
IN.FOM (Partnering agency of SGInnovate)
[email protected]