Upon graduation from the program, students will undergo a final technology hackathon to be considered for direct placement in a permanent role at DBS.
DBS has launched a structured three-year DBS FinTech Apprenticeship Program under the Techskills Accelerator (TeSA) for ITE and Polytechnics Alliance (TIP Alliance), set up by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and industry partners.
Developed in partnership with Temasek Polytechnic and Nanyang Polytechnic to prepare polytechnic students for technology roles in the bank, the program will start with 20 students in the first cohort this year, with plans to scale the program up to include more students across all five polytechnics . in Singapore.
Under the DBS FinTech Apprenticeship Programme, students will gain practical knowledge and industry experience throughout their three years of polytechnic education to prepare them for technology roles in the financial sector:
- Years one to three: Each year, the students will attend masterclasses delivered by the bank’s senior engineers to gain exposure to how the technology is deployed in the banking and finance sector. Lecturers will be selected from the bank’s Distinguished Engineer Programme.
- Year Two: Students will receive mentorship from the bank’s senior engineers during their school-based project, which is designed to provide greater exposure to how technologies such as AI/ML and blockchain have reshaped banking and finance.
- Year Three: The students will participate in a full-time apprenticeship of up to 12 months with DBS, where they will put theory into practice and gain a better understanding of how technology drives economic innovation. Students can be placed in technical roles such as application development, AI/ML, data and risk technology for the apprenticeship. Students must also complete at least 50 hours of structured learning and certification courses at DBS Tech Academy, the bank’s internal technology training institute.
Upon graduation from the program, students will undergo a final technology hackathon to be considered for direct placement in a permanent role at DBS.
Jimmy Ng, Group Chief Information Officer and Head of Technology & Operations at DBS commented: “As a key employer in Singapore, DBS remains committed to developing a robust pipeline of local talent for the banking sector, particularly in growth areas where finance and technology intersect. We believe that our collaboration with Temasek Polytechnic and Nanyang Polytechnic is diversifying the paths of polytechnic students can take to enter the exciting world of banking and finance.
“We also hope that the DBS FinTech Apprenticeship Program provides a useful blueprint for industry and educational institutions to build more partnerships, which we believe will be increasingly important in nurturing the next generation of future-ready talent.”
Kiren Kumar, Deputy Managing Director, IMDA added: “Technology skills are in demand in technology companies, as well as companies across all sectors of the economy. We are delighted that DBS, a member of the TIP Alliance, is launching this apprenticeship for the financial sector. This will support polytechnics. students to deepen their skills during their course of study so that they are well equipped to take on technical roles when they begin their careers.
“We hope that more companies will embark on similar initiatives to support ITE and polytechnic students to deepen their skills to take on technical roles and careers.”
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