Singapore Polytechnic (SP) has introduced an Enabling Platform Partnership designed to empower Singapore-based enterprises as they embark on their transformation journey into the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). The initiative, initiated and spearheaded by SP, addresses critical industry needs across business transformation, talent development, and technology adoption.
The announcement was one of the highlights of the Automation SolutionGO! and the Regional Industry Networking Conference (RINC) 2025, which was jointly organised by SP and AutomationSG at the end of July 2025. Formerly the Singapore Industrial Automation Association, AutomationSG is a professional association for companies and professionals in the automation, Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics sectors.
The Enabling Platform Partnership brings together institutes of higher learning, trade associations, and agencies from Singapore and Malaysia to close gaps in manpower, talent development, and technology adoption within the JS-SEZ by enhancing industry-ready skills training, upskilling, and reskilling programmes.
The stakeholders include Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic International, Southern University College, Sunway University, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, AutomationSG, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing, Singapore Manufacturing Federation, Johor Skills Development Centre, and Johor Talent Development Council.
The benefits of this cross-border partnership are already evident in ongoing collaborations. A prime example is SP’s recent partnership with the Johor Skills Development Centre, which successfully leveraged a funding scheme from Malaysia's Human Resource Development Corporation (HRDF) to develop and deliver a two-day training programme across four runs.
This initiative equipped over 140 Malaysian employees of Tai Sin Electric, a Singapore enterprise, with essential knowledge in sustainability 101, aligning their skills with the company's Singapore-based workforce. This success now allows other Singaporean companies in Johor to access similar funding for their subsidiaries' upskilling and reskilling needs.
Soh Wai Wah, Principal and CEO of Singapore Polytechnic, said: “The Enabling Platform Partnership is a strategic catalyst for enterprise transformation, directly supporting Singapore’s goal of helping businesses expand into Johor and Batam. It solidifies Singapore Polytechnic’s position as a leading regional education and training institute with continual relevance to Singapore’s economic development.”
 |
| Source: Singapore Polytechnic. Principal & CEO, Singapore Polytechnic, Soh Wai Wah (4th from left) and Guest-of-Honour, Alvin Tan, Singapore Minister of State for the Ministry of Trade & Industry, and Ministry of National Development (6th from left) with industry partners commemorating the Enabling Platform Partnership. |
The event also featured the GO! Awards as a key initiative by AutomationSG to recognise outstanding solution providers and end-users who excel in business growth, sustainability, and technology utilisation. There were two GO! Sustainability award winners, Ranpak which makes sustainable, paper-based protective packaging solutions, and LeanCost International, whose SmartCarbon AI-Expert System determines carbon footprints. The GO! Technology Utilisation award was given to Black Sesame Technologies Singapore, which offers the Sesame X full-stack AI computing platform for real-time AI inference in robotics.
Terence Teo, President of AutomationSG said: “Through strategic collaborations, real-world pain point discussions, and groundbreaking initiatives with Singapore Polytechnic and regional partners, we are creating an ecosystem where smart manufacturing, AI, and workforce transformation drive sustainable growth amidst turbulent times.”
Automation SolutionGO! and RINC 2025 also featured the first Manufacturing Jobs & Skills Fair, co-organised by SP, AutomationSG and e2i, to help job seekers and mid-career switchers.
