The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) held the ITE Work-Study Diploma (WSDip) Graduation Ceremony today at ITE Headquarters, celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2024. This year saw a cohort of 749 graduates with 37 receiving Course Medals for excelling in their respective WSDip courses. Guest-of-Honour, Second Minister for Education, Dr Mohamad Maliki bin Osman, presented medals to 19 Course Medallists during the morning session of the two-part ceremony.
Enhancing Talent Pipeline through Stronger Partnerships
Since its inception in 2018 with just four courses and around 100 trainees, the WSDip programme has seen remarkable growth. By April 2025, ITE will offer 45 WSDip courses (refer to Annex A). This includes three new WSDips in Community Care Integration & Management, Human Resource Management, and Paramedicine (refer to Annex B), as well as two new course specialisations – Cabin Services under the WSDip in Customer Experience Management, and Operations Management under the WSDip in Land Transport Engineering (refer to Annex C).
To ensure that the WSDip programme remains aligned with evolving industry needs and continues to provide companies with a steady pipeline of skilled talent, ITE is intensifying its efforts to build closer industry partnerships. The number of participating employers has grown significantly from just 41 in 2018 to over 900 today. These robust industry partnerships have enabled ITE to offer valuable hands-on learning experiences that equip trainees to excel in their fields while contributing to industry growth. Notably, over 80 percent of WSDip graduates continue their careers in the industries they trained for, with more than 70 percent staying with the same employers, post-graduation.
Transforming Workplace Learning through Train-the-Trainer Programme
With 70 to 80 percent of WSDip training happening in the workplace, ITE supports WSDip partner companies by enhancing the capabilities of in-house trainers through its Train-the-Trainer (TTT) programme. The programme offers comprehensive training modules which equip WSDip company trainers with essential skills in On-the-Job (OJT) training, pedagogy, and coaching to effectively mentor WSDip trainees.
Beyond WSDip partner companies, other companies have also leveraged the TTT programme to boost staff development. This year alone, 750 company trainers have benefitted from the five modules offered under the programme. Among them, 118 trainers earned the Certified Industry Trainer certificate, and 10 were awarded the Advanced Certified Industry Trainer (ACIT) certificate, recognising their excellence in workplace training.
Ms Tan Chew Peng, Senior Trainer at Total Swimming Pte Ltd, was one of the ten trainers to receive the ACIT certificate. She began her TTT journey in 2018 when her company partnered with ITE to train WSDip trainees. Recognising the potential of the TTT programme to enhance her company’s training systems, she applied the skills and knowledge she acquired to develop a comprehensive Swim Teacher OJT blueprint for swimming teachers, coaches and WSDip trainees at Total Swimming.
“The TTT programme has transformed how I coach,” Chew Peng shared. “It has made me more perceptive and adaptable, allowing me to tailor coaching plans to each trainee's unique strengths and learning style. This has not only strengthened my mentorship but also significantly improved our team's OJT programme.”
New Technical Diplomas to Boost Upskilling Opportunities
At the event, Dr Mohamad Maliki bin Osman also announced two new Technical Diplomas, which will be launched in April 2025. The Technical Engineer Diploma (TED) in Electrical Engineering (Clean Energy) has been developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS), Baden-Württemberg, Germany, while the Technical Diploma (TD) in Health & Exercise Coaching is offered in partnership with the Vocational Training Council (VTC), Hong Kong (Refer to Annexes D and E). These will add to ITE’s current offering of TD/TED courses in Automotive Engineering; Beauty & Wellness Management; Civil & Structural Engineering; Culinary Arts with Restaurant Management; Hospitality & Hotel Management; and Machine Technology.
ITE’s diploma programmes are designed to meet the diverse learning needs and career aspirations of Nitec and Higher Nitec graduates. The WSDip programme integrates work and study, enabling trainees to earn a salary while gaining hands-on experience under the mentorship of industry professionals and ITE lecturers. On the other hand, the TD/TED is a full-time programme offered jointly with renowned international institutions in France, Germany, Hong Kong, and Switzerland. It offers students global exposure through exchange programmes and industry attachments, with graduates earning globally-recognised joint certifications. Both diploma programmes emphasise hands-on training and open pathways for further studies at local and international universities.
With the introduction of the new diplomas, ITE’s portfolio of 45 WSDip and eight TD/TED courses will provide approximately 1,700 diploma places starting in 2025. This expansion will enable 15 percent of ITE graduates to upskill to a diploma within ITE, a significant increase from two percent in 2018, when ITE first launched its four WSDip programmes, on top of its existing three TD/TED courses.
Fueling Passion for Green Tech and Health & Exercise Coaching
Muhammad 'Ali Hadi Bin Mohamad Razali, a second-year student from Higher Nitec in Electrical Engineering, ITE College East, shared his enthusiasm, saying, "I'm excited about the growing opportunities in renewable energy, especially as the world shifts toward sustainability. The Technical Engineer Diploma in Electrical Engineering (Clean Energy) stands out because it offers hands-on experience with renewable energy technologies like solar photovoltaic systems and electric vehicle charging systems. The tie-up with Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS), Baden-Württemberg, Germany, which would provide valuable insights into advanced German technology, really enhances the appeal of the course for me."
Graduates from both technical diplomas can progress to local institutions, including the Singapore Institute of Technology and the Singapore University of Social Sciences. Graduates from the TED in Electrical Engineering (Clean Energy) can also seek admission to universities of applied sciences in Germany, while those completing the TD in Health & Exercise Coaching can advance their studies at universities in Hong Kong and the UK.