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The Singapore Vocational & Technical Education (VTE) system has certainly come a long way since the 1960s. And the system, which has transformed itself to meet the demands of the Singapore economy, is an adaptable one.

This was one of the key messages by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister of State for Education and Manpower. Mr Gan was the Guest-of-Honour of the Opening Ceremony of the first International Conference on Vocational & Technical Education (VTE). The Conference was organised by ITE, the leading authority on VTE in Singapore, on 17 & 18 August 2006. Some 400 participants from 20 countries, which included Australia, Canada, Germany, Philippines and USA, attended the Conference.

Mr Gan pointed out that with the diversification of the Singapore economy and the prominence of the service sector, new vistas now unfold for Singapore’s VTE. What this meant was that, besides traditional technical and manufacturing-related courses, ITE and the polytechnics would also have to meet the demands of the service industry by offering more service-related courses. And ITE has risen to this challenge, with the rolling out of 12 courses in the last two years that included courses in Tourism, Culinary Skills, Food & Beverage Operations and Beauty Therapy.

Plugging Into the Global Grid
Mr Gan added that ITE has responded well to the changes to the global environment by introducing the Global Education Programme (GEP) for its students. Under the GEP, students can study and work overseas, while earning transferable credit units. Example of countries students can go for immersion include China, Hong Kong, Germany, India, Korea and ASEAN countries.

Said Mr Gan: “I encourage ITE and the Polytechnics to connect to the world and tap the opportunities globalisation has to offer. This is the way forward for us to plug into the global grid.”

Indeed, ITE students who have gone for the GEP attested that their overseas attachments have indeed been valuable. It has opened their eyes to new cultures and technologies. Liyana bte Yunos, 21, for instance, studied at the Gottlieb Daimler Schule I for a month. “During the one-month attachment, I was exposed to the latest automation technology. I also understood more of the German apprenticeship system, and how the students gain much hands-on experience by being attached to the companies they work for. It makes me appreciate the importance of work attachments so much more,” said this Higher Nitec in Mechatronics graduate from ITE College Central.

For Ho Zhi Wei, 24, studying in Vietnam has helped him become more independent and focused. Said Zhi Wei, who studied at the Vietnam-Singapore Investment and Consultancy Pte Ltd Computer School for a month in July 2006: “We were there for a very specific purpose – to learn more about computer networking – so we were very motivated and focused on our studies. As we were living on our own, I also learnt to become more independent.” Zhi Wei, who earned seven credit units for his Vietnam stint, felt that ITE’s transferable credit units scheme would encourage more students to join the immersion programmes available.

Foreign Delegates Raved about the
Singapore Experience…

“This has truly been an excellent conference. I found the topics well balanced and there was good emphasis on the importance of teaching and learning. It gives a good opportunity for VTE experts from all over the world to meet and network with one another. I visited ITE College East and I must honestly say that I have never seen such facilities in any other school before. The quality of teaching is very high too. I’m also impressed that the Singapore VTE system is a well-established and structured one. To continue to do well, Singapore may wish to further explore the importance of self-directed learning.”

Professor Jeroen J G van Merriënboer
Full Professor of Educational Technology,
Research Program Director,
Education Technology Expertise Center, Open University of the Netherlands

“The conference is very well-organised. The choice of topics was carefully done and appropriate, and there was sufficient time for delegates to have discussions and to view educational institutions. I visited ITE College East and was very impressed with its facilities, and the level and types of training provided. I wished, though, that there were more students present, as it would be great to see how lessons are carried out with students.”

Dr Hermann Klinger
Head, Festo Learning Network, Germany

“This has been an excellent conference and I felt I’ve learnt so much. I’m also glad to see delegates from more than 20 countries, which gave us many opportunities to network and learn from one another. I find that the Singapore education system tracks its students’ educational paths very well. For example, students from ITE and the polytechnics know exactly what they can do after graduation, and what their educational or career paths would be like.”

Dr Julie A Furst-Bowe
Provost and Vice Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs
University of Wisconsin-Stout, USA