NUS DEEPENS PARTNERSHIP WITH SBS TRANSIT TO STRENGTHEN ITS GLOBAL WORKFORCE
15 September 2022 — The National University of Singapore (NUS) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SBS Transit to continually upskill its more-than-10,000-strong workforce through the University’s proprietary All-You-Can-Learn (AYCL) initiative, a customisable training programme for organisations to scale up and reskill their labour force through industry-relevant courses curated from 17 NUS faculties and schools.
The MOU will enable both organisations to embark on new areas of collaboration over the next three years, including exploring five six-month Enterprise Transformation Projects, which will involve experienced NUS faculty members mentoring SBS Transit’s employees in areas such as 5G applications and data analytics to enhance commuters’ travelling experience on their buses and trains.
In addition, the AYCL initiative serves as a dedicated platform to aggregate training needs in the land transport industry and integrate it with that of staff in SBS Transit, a subsidiary of mainboard-listed transport operator ComfortDelGro, while providing exclusive access to in-demand NUS courses and workshops.
The agreement was signed by Mr Lim Tien Hock, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SBS Transit’s Bus Business; Mr Jeffrey Sim Vee Ming, CEO of SBS Transit’s Rail Business; and Mr Suresh Punjabi, Associate Dean of the NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education (NUS SCALE), at SBS Transit’s Sengkang MRT/LRT Depot.
The ceremony was witnessed by Mr Cheng Siak Kian, Executive Deputy Chairman (Non-Independent Executive Director and CEO) of SBS Transit and Professor Susanna Leong, Vice Provost (Masters’ Programmes & Lifelong Education) and Dean of NUS SCALE.
(From left to right) Mr Cheng Siak Kian, Executive Deputy Chairman (Non-Independent Executive Director and CEO) of SBS Transit; Mr Lim Tien Hock, CEO of SBS Transit’s Bus Business; Mr Jeffrey Sim Vee Ming, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SBS Transit’s Rail Business; Mr Suresh Punjabi, Associate Dean of National University of Singapore’s School of Continuing and Lifelong Education (NUS SCALE); Professor Susanna Leong, Vice Provost (Masters’ Programmes & Lifelong Education) and Dean of NUS SCALE.
Since 2019, NUS has trained close to 350 staff from SBS Transit in key growth areas, ranging from Artificial Intelligence to Robotics.
“We are excited by the collaboration as the projects have the potential to transform the way we operate and serve our passengers. This will also benefit the industry as a whole. Besides building a more agile and digital-ready workforce, it also creates a future pipeline for more NUS graduates to join us in keeping Singapore moving every day. Ours is an essential service and we look forward to welcoming bright young minds to join us to make a difference.”
- Mr Cheng Siak Kian, Chief Executive Officer of SBS Transit
“We are glad to be deepening the collaboration with a valued partner, and to have the opportunity to contribute to these transformative projects at SBS Transit, a key player in the local transport sector. Partnerships like these, between NUS and leading industry players like SBS Transit and ComfortDelGro, are a critical piece of the University’s vision to be a leading global university shaping the future.”
- Professor Susanna Leong, Vice Provost (Masters’ Programmes & Lifelong Education) and Dean (NUS SCALE)