SIT to give undergrads nearly 2 years’ work experience for better job prospects in age of AI
It's meant to give fresh graduates an edge in their job hunt as growing AI capabilities raise the bar for new hires.
Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) students in four engineering and information and communications technology (ICT) courses will be granted nearly two years of work experience before graduation, according to a pilot programme set to begin in September 2027. Designed to give fresh graduates an edge in the job market amid the rapid spread of artificial intelligence (AI), the programme, dubbed "2+2", will have undergraduates spend their first two years on campus and the next two years immersed in the workplace.
SIT president Chua Kee Chaing explained that AI has rendered even year two work less suitable for new graduates, and employers now expect fresh graduates to perform work more akin to year three. The 2+2 programme will initially be piloted with penultimate-year students from ICT (information security), ICT (software engineering), electrical and electronic engineering, and mechanical engineering.
Participating companies, including A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics, STMicroelectronics, and Applied Materials, will provide the work placements. Students will be chosen based on employer opportunities and interview outcomes. Chua emphasizes that the 2+2 model takes the existing Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) a step further, requiring companies to cultivate students alongside their academic learning.
The company-hosted projects will be evaluated by both the student's workplace supervisors and SIT's academic staff, ensuring a balanced assessment of both industry skills and academic competencies.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
