Annual Report 2021/22

Joint Message from our Chairman and Principal & CEO

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Despite COVID-19 continuing to rage on throughout much of this reporting year, Temasek Polytechnic (TP) held fast to our mission of preparing school-leavers and working adults for a future of dynamic change. In this report for the financial year ending 31 March 2022, our Chairman, Mr Lee Kok Choy, and Principal & CEO, Mr Peter Lam, highlight TP’s efforts, initiatives and developments to help our community emerge stronger from this pandemic.

Creating a future-ready workforce

Kok Choy: In a year filled with pandemic-dominated headlines, TP created headlines of our own when we launched four new learning enterprises. Each facility embraces the exciting opportunities of digitalisation and new technologies to contribute to the new economy.

Peter: We opened the TP Advanced Manufacturing Centre in June 2021. A fully integrated end-to-end manufacturing facility in an Institute of Higher Learning, it connects the learning needs of both our Pre-employment Training (PET) and Continuing Education & Training (CET) students across the disciplines of engineering, business and IT.

A month later, we launched our Smart E-Commerce Centre. This high-tech, integrated retail learning facility enhances students' training and supports businesses and enterprises in identifying potential digitalisation opportunities.

Kok Choy: To strengthen the region's capabilities in countering cybersecurity threats, TP opened the doors to our new Malware Analysis Centre in November 2021. Operated entirely by our Diploma in Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics students, this fully functioning facility is set up in collaboration with three industry leaders—ST Engineering, Palo Alto Networks and CrowdStrike. Here, students gain invaluable real-world experience assisting clients in cyber-proofing their digital devices.

Peter: TP's Integrative Built Environment Centre (IBEC) rounds up our quartet of new state-of-the-art facilities. Opened in January 2022, IBEC reinforces TP's support for the Singapore Green Plan and the BuildSG movement with an emphasis on digital architecture, intelligent building systems and smart facility management. The Centre will help develop core engineering skills in key transformation areas, enhance our PET curricula and CET programmes, and spearhead research and development initiatives.

Kok Choy: TP embarked on the joint polytechnic-ITE Digital Capability Framework (DCF) staff development initiative in July 2021. DCF is designed to build competencies in the three identified domain areas of Data, Design and Tech. In TP, staff can complete their DCF requirements by taking prescribed courses on the LEARN.GOV.SG platform and from our Learning Academy. TP’s successful launch strategies were shared with the other educational institutions.

Cultivating industry engagement to benefit Singapore’s adult learners and workers

Peter: 2017 marked TP's shift from being a primarily PET-focused institution to one that places equal emphasis on both PET and CET. Thanks to the immense efforts of all our colleagues, I am proud to report that since then, we have tripled our CET training places and training hours. In addition, TP’s academic staff CET participation rate has grown from 26% in 2017 to 80% in 2021.

Kok Choy: Industry collaborations are crucial to TP's strategic push to enhance our CET offerings. This year, we joined forces with Udacity, a leading tech and digital course provider, to offer three Nanodegree programmes in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Plans are already in motion to scale up course offerings to meet the burgeoning demand in digital marketing, business and data analytics.

Peter: Teaming up with Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), we launched the Diploma in Policing & Security Management for Singapore Police Force officers and professionals in the security industry. The course, which incorporates four SUSS modules, unlocks the path for graduates to continue their lifelong learning journey with SUSS' Bachelor of Public Safety and Security with Minor programme.

Kok Choy: To support the nation's efforts in up-skilling and re-skilling Singapore's cybersecurity talents, we developed and delivered two SGUnited Skills Programmes together with leading global education technology provider, ThriveDX.

Peter: We are also humbled by the trust that various organisations have placed in TP to upgrade their employees’ knowledge, capabilities and skill sets. Thanks to our expertise in various fields, we trained and conducted workshops for the Supreme Court of Singapore, Ministry of Law, Ministry of Social and Family Development, DHL Express and Pratt & Whitney, to name a few.

Caring for our community

Kok Choy: When the COVID-19 national vaccination exercise was extended to students in June 2021, TP sprang into action to coordinate and facilitate the process. Thanks to the efforts of our colleagues, the entire operation proceeded smoothly, and the majority of our PET student community received their vaccinations in under three months.

Peter: The generosity of the TP Family and our friends never fails to touch our hearts. This year, TP's Campus Care Network collected over $65,000 in donations, which went to our students in need of financial aid.

In addition, we disbursed over $120,000 in emergency relief funds to more than 240 students adversely impacted by the pandemic. These monies were contributed by the Community Foundation of Singapore and GIC Private Limited, and included additional funding from the Ministry of Education.

Kok Choy: We are immensely grateful to our students and staff, who volunteered wholeheartedly for our expanded #TPCares projects and initiatives. These include Project Refresh—a collaboration between North East Community Development Council and Young NTUC to improve the living environment of seniors and low-income families staying in rental units, Adopt-a-Block—a partnership with Filos Community Services where our volunteers make regular care pack deliveries to rental units of low-income households, and a senior befriending programme—a long-term venture in partnership with Presbyterian Community Services where we make regular visits to provide social support for vulnerable seniors living within our Tampines neighbourhood.

Celebrating our successes

Peter: There is always a palpable buzz of excitement and pride running through TP whenever we hear news of notable achievements. TP is incredibly proud of our colleague, Ms Iman Tang, for receiving Singapore's highest annual accolade for the teaching fraternity—the 2021 President's Award for Teachers (PAT). We were delighted with the nomination of Mrs Sathish Sowmya as a PAT finalist too.

We applaud Mr Winston Wong for receiving the 2021 Goh Chok Tong Enable Award (UBS Promise). Winston, who suffers from hearing loss, is TP's special education needs support officer who also mentors student leaders in diversity and inclusion advocacy work.

Kok Choy: Our students have benefitted from having such exemplary academic leaders and mentors. One of them is 2021's Lee Hsien Loong Award for Outstanding All-Round Achievement recipient and Diploma in Biotechnology alumna, Viyshnatulasiy Manivannen. This marked the sixth time a TP alumnus has received this prestigious award, which honours only one exceptional polytechnic fresh graduate each year.

Peter: For the fifth year in a row, TP School of Design (DES) was named “Institution of the Year” at Crowbar Awards 2021. Our DES students further cemented our reputation for creative education excellence by bagging three Best of Category, 22 Gold, 24 Silver, 36 Bronze and 29 Finalist Awards.

Kok Choy: After a two-year, pandemic-forced hiatus, Team Temasek returned to the POL-ITE Games with a bang! Our athletes showed their mettle by clinching 15 Gold, three Silver and eight Bronze medals—with seven sports teams successfully defending their championship titles.

We cheered at WorldSkills Singapore 2021 when our participants emerged from the gruelling competition with a commendable tally of four Gold, four Silver, four Bronze medals and nine Medallions of Excellence.

Closing remarks

Peter: TP's many accomplishments and highlights in yet another fulfilling year are testament to the spirit and character of our students, staff and alumni. Once again, they have gone above and beyond in their dedication to propel TP to greater heights.

Kok Choy: I wholeheartedly agree! Additionally, I would like to extend our appreciation to the members of our Board of Governors and School Advisory Committees, our industry partners and donors for their generous guidance, contributions and donations. We look forward to everyone's continued support as we forge ahead to unlock new possibilities and seize exciting opportunities in tomorrow's bold, post-pandemic world.