Singapore is the hub of information and technology in the Asia Pacific, which also acts as the regional base for top multinational companies of the world including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Oracle and hundreds of other renowned startups.

Due to its technologically advanced ICT markets, it is regarded as the most wired country in the world, being connected nationwide by a network of high-speed fibre optics and several wireless links. This makes Singaporeans avid users of technology leading to an ever-growing demand for professionals in the field.

The IT industry is expected to drive growth in total ICT spending and generate revenue as the nation consists of an advanced and high-value enterprise market with abundant software and services spending.

According to the official data, the government is focusing on key areas including:

➊ Development of new technology tools to battle the covid-19 pandemic

➋ Development of citizen-centric and business-centric digital products and services

➌ Development of ICT systems on cloud

➍ Modernization and renovation of government ICT infrastructure and keep it in line with the rapidly changing business paradigms.

➎ Use of AI, sensors and data analytics within the public sector

 

The increased spending is being seen as an aid to the government in accelerating digitalization as technology is becoming vital to enable citizens and workers in the resumption of their regular lives and activities, including businesses. This will be possible after the covid-19 induced lockdown gets lifted following the right steps in the tech world.

 

Among the Asian countries, Singapore remains a solid Health IT market. Its Ministry of Health (MoH) is likely going to increase its procurement of IT services in the near future and the years to come.

 

The technological arm for MoH- the Integrated Health Information Systems (IHIS) is currently investing resources in the healthcare system, national electronic health record (NEHR), a smart Clinic Management System and mobile applications. All this is due to the advancements the IT sector of Singapore is making.

 

How is Singapore rising with its IT industry?

The answer lies with the growing number of Researchers and Engineers (RSEs) in its workforce that are enabling the nation to gain strength in the IT sector. This is coupled with the university rankings and field-weighted citation impact (FWCI), which have trended higher over the last few years. This highlights Singapore’s focus on S&T excellence.

 

Moreover, the nation has six national universities like the National University of Singapore. The NUS is one of the top 10 universities for computer science in the world, adding a feather to the country’s cap. Singapore’s leadership and strong grip of the field permits its students to become fierce competitors in the global workforce and achieve success.

 

Due to the country’s supremacy in the education system, its graduates are the most sought-after professionals by employers across the world who actively look out for them. While the pandemic and other hazards have almost saturated jobs in the world, Singapore graduates continue to be the first choice for companies as their demand never goes down.

 

What about studying IT in Singapore?

Singapore offers a range of benefits for its students. As an IT student, you will be entitled to receive memberships with two professional bodies- The Singapore Computer Society (SCS) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

 

Opportunities present:

There are a ton of opportunities available in Singapore to seize. One of them is for Australian developers, especially those looking to develop applications and contributing to building the Smart Nation infrastructure.

 

Four key frontier tech capabilities of focus:
✔ Cybersecurity
✔ Internet-Of-Things
✔ Immersive Media
✔ Artificial Intelligence (or AI) & Data Science

 

Want to gain an Australian degree while in Singapore? It is possible! This is due to Australian universities’ international campuses in Singapore that allows students to earn Australian degrees without being in the far south island continent.

 

Scope in ICT:

With time, the nature of jobs is evolving as technology is rapidly developing along with concrete changes in business models and consumer behavior, leading to the industry’s scale-up.The field is also promoting the building of technical expertise like Cloud Computing, Green ICT and Business Analytics to create a pool of highly-skilled ICT professionals that are not only ready to tackle the competitors but are also future and Smart Nation-ready.

 

What is Information Technology all about?

Information technology is the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, with special focus on software applications and computer hardware. One of the simpler goals of IT professionals is to ensure computers work efficiently for its users.

Industry experts say that technology, moreso IT workers, are an essential entity for every company, irrespective of its size, to keep their businesses afloat and running seamlessly.

 

Modules present in the IT industry:
➜ Computing systems architecture and operating systems

➜ Information security and cybercrime
➜ Software development
➜ Database systems and big data
➜ Web programming
➜ IT in organization
➜ Quantum computing
➜ Advanced analytics

Career:

Needless to say, education plays a vital role in securing a bright and safe career graph. Majority of the information and technology jobs make up the top professions in the world. These come under four broad categories- Computer Scientists, Computer Programmers, System Analysts and Computer Engineers. This is also a wakeup call for HR managers in the recruiting department to get educated of the nomenclature and function of the different roles emerging today with innovation in the field.

Coming back to the job titles, a degree in IT can secure you the following positions:

➤ Database administration associate

➤ Information systems operator/analyst

➤ Interactive digital media specialist

➤ Network specialist

➤ Programmer/analyst

➤ Software engineer

➤ Technical support representative

➤ Computer Systems Analyst

➤ Cloud Specialist

➤ Computer Forensic Investigator

 

Universities offering IT courses:

➊ National University of Singapore

➋ Singapore management university

➌ JCU university

➍ SIM Singapore

➎ MDIS Singapore

➏ Kaplan Singapore

 

Note: JCU university is a foreign university in Singapore. It is Australia-based and infamous for its IT programmes. Students can choose to study one or two semesters in Singapore and then select campus intermobility transfer to continue their studies in Australia through the option available.

 

Duration of course:

➜ Under Graduation: 2 - 4 years

➜ Masters: 1 - 1.5 yrs

 

Entry requirements:

✔ 60% and above for UG

✔ 55 % and above for PG

✔ Students can choose the lateral entry pathway into the degree as well

✔ IELTS 6.5, not less than 6.0 in each band, most of the institutions will waive off IELTS with a medium of instruction letter.

    However, public universities have a cutoff for admission and students need to score above 80 to study an IT course.

 

Cost of Studying:

The average cost of study for an international/foreign student:

✦ Diplomas: 1 - 2 years: Approximately S$8000- S$15000                                  

✦ Bachelors: 2 - 4 years: Approximately S$24,000- S$40,000

✦ Masters: 1 - 1.5 years: Approximately S$ 18,000- S$30,000