Speech - Opening Address by Ms Low Khah Gek, CEO, ITE, at the Technical Engineer Diploma in Machine Technology Project Fair 2019 on 28 Feb 2019 at 0930 Hrs at the Hall, Tay Eng Soon Convention Centre

Ms Sim Ann
Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth

Mr Low Ming Wah
Chairman, Singapore Precision Engineering and Technology Association (SPETA)

Mr Steven Koh
Executive Director
Singapore Precision Engineering and Technology Association (SPETA)

Mr. Thomas Dorner
Director of Studies, Department of Education, Stuttgart, Germany

Mr. Andreas Wellstein
Head of Department, Academy of Computer Science, Gottlieb Daimler Schule 2, Germany

Distinguished guests

Overseas partners and friends from GDS 1 and Shanghai Technician School Industry Partners

ITE Colleagues and students Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction

1.                  It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the 10^th Technical Engineer Diploma (or TED) Project Fair in Machine Technology and I thank SMS Sim Ann for attending this event in the midst of the on-going Committee of Supply Debate in Parliament.

2.                  The TED programme was launched in 2008 to develop technologists to work in the Precision Engineering industry, which is core to the Singapore manufacturing sector.

3.                  ITE has a long-standing partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, ITE and Gottlieb-Daimler-Schule 1. Our strong collaboration over the last 10 years has ensured high professional competencies among staff and industry relevance of the TED curriculum.

Value Creation through Industry through Curriculum Changes

4.                  In October 2016, Singapore launched the Precision Engineering Industry Transformation Map (ITM) that has identified new growth areas to help the industry achieve S$14 billion in value-add and create 3,000 professional jobs by 2020. Various initiatives have been implemented to level up companies towards the digital manufacturing era by developing complementary capabilities in robotics, additive manufacturing, advanced materials, sensors, lasers & optics.

5.                  In the recent 2019 Budget speech, Finance Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat emphasised that harnessing technology and going digital remain our key enablers to build a competitive economy and for all sectors to generate new value-add.

6.                  To prepare our TED graduates and students for this next wave of digital advanced manufacturing revolution, GDS1 and ITE have progressively incorporated knowledge in Industrie (or Industry) 4.0 into the curriculum.

7.                 At the same time, ITE has also upgraded our training facilities to keep pace with the automation and transformation in the industry. One such new facility is the Smart Manufacturing Hub which has just been installed and commissioned recently in ITE College Central.

8.                  This Smart Manufacturing Hub provides students with authentic learning in specific Industry 4.0 domains such as Robotics Programming, Smart Sensors & Applications, Data Analytics and visualisation, and Predictive Maintenance of Automation Systems.

9.                  The Hub has a cyber physical twin which enables viewing of the shop floor remotely and has the capability to execute either mass or Lot-Size-One¹ production. The Hub is equipped with sensors to create an IOT-enabled environment to sense all conditions within the shop-floor and to seamlessly capture and analyse the data generated. In a nut shell this hub has all the essentials elements for enabling industry 4.0. Let’s watch a video to see the various features and learning opportunities provided by the Smart Manufacturing Hub.

Partnership with SPETA

10.              350 members, has been a strong partner and advocate for ITE’s TED and Precision Engineering programs. Through SPETA we are able to secure many internship places at their 70 member companies. They provide industry advisory and guidance services for our students and for TED Project Fair like the one we are holding today, they have helped to link our students to work on authentic projects at their member companies as well as help with the judging of the projects.

1 Contrary to Mass Production (many units of the same item), the central idea of ‘Lot Size One’ production is that you’re able to produce any product, in any variant, in any quantity, in any sequence and on any assembly line – at any time.

11.              This year will mark our 20^th year of working hand-in-hand together. I’m happy to announce that we will be renewing our partnership by signing a Letter of Collaboration today to pledge our continued partnership. Today, we will jointly launch the ITE-SPETA Industry 4.0 Skills Upgrading programme, which will offer ITE’s Certificate of Competence (CoC) courses to help companies and their employees better address their digitalisation and Industry 4.0 training needs, and uplift the Precision Engineering workforce in Singapore.

Value Creation through Imbuing Lifelong Learning Mindset

12.              Our TED graduates have contributed towards the transformation at their workplaces. I shall illustrate with one example.

13.              SAIFULUDDIN BIN ASRIL graduated from the Technical Engineer Diploma in Machine Technology in 2014. He joined Feinmetall Singapore Pte Ltd as an Assistant Product Engineer in 2016 (after his NS) and his company said he stood out for his exceptional work performance.

14.              When Feinmetall wanted to gear up its operation to Industry 4.0, Saiful was identified as one of the key project leads to drive Feinmetall Industry 4.0 Project. Saiful is always eager to learn and take on new challenges. He has attended an Industry 4.0 Immersion Programme in Germany where he gained new knowledge and insights on Industry 4.0 through workshops and company visits. This has enabled him to contribute effectively towards Feinmetall Industry 4.0 Project and the company’s transformation journey.

15.              Saiful exemplifies the qualities of ITE’s TED graduates – the ability create value for industry by being open to and willing to learn new knowledge and skills to adapt to new equipment, systems and processes.

Conclusion

16.               In closing, I would like to thank SMS Ms Sim Ann for gracing TED Project fair 2019 and witnessing the renewal of our collaboration with SPETA.

17.              A big “thank you” also goes to all industry partners who have offered internship and authentic learning opportunities to our students. Your support has made a significant difference to the TED programme and students.

18.              I would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to our partners from Germany, for your strong belief in and support of our partnership. We will continue to innovate, change and grow to ensure that our TED graduates always add value to industry.

19.              My congratulations to the graduating TED students on the successful completion of your Final-Year projects. As Precision Engineering remains a key pillar in Singapore’s manufacturing sector, I am confident that you will have fulfilling careers in the years ahead.

Thank you.