SINGAPORE – Big news for aspiring students!

The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) is set to expand its diploma offerings in 2025, increasing from 48 existing courses to 53. This expansion aims to enhance career pathways for students while providing diploma graduates with competitive salaries that rival those of polytechnic graduates.

The five new diploma courses will be focused on key growth areas: community care, paramedicine, clean energy engineering, health and exercise coaching, and human resource management. This initiative will elevate the percentage of ITE students advancing to diploma qualifications from 10% in 2023 to an impressive 15% by 2025.

During an announcement made on October 24 at ITE College Central’s work-study diploma (WSDip) graduation ceremony, Second Minister for Education Maliki Osman emphasized the commitment to providing students greater access to upskilling opportunities through the work-study model. Remarkably, over 90% of WSDip graduates from 2023 secured full-time employment within six months, with a median salary skyrocketing to $2,850, a significant increase from the initial $2,000 earned at the beginning of their studies.

The new courses are expected to accommodate around 1,700 diploma students in 2025, up from about 1,400 in 2024. The WSDip program, which debuted in 2018, allows students to work full-time while pursuing their diplomas, typically taking 2.5 to three years to complete. This program is primarily designed for ITE graduates and collaborates with about 900 companies offering mentorship and practical work experience.

Specifically, the new WSDip programs will enroll around 85 students in community care integration and management, paramedicine, and human resource management. Moreover, an additional 60 students will join the clean energy and health and fitness programs.

A notable highlight is the technical engineer diploma in electrical engineering (clean energy), developed in partnership with Germany’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in Baden-Wurttemberg. Another full-time program in health and exercise coaching will be offered in collaboration with Hong Kong’s Vocational Training Council, promoting an international flavor to the education provided.

For students in these programs, exciting opportunities abound, including overseas exchange programs with renowned educational institutions in Germany, France, Switzerland, and Hong Kong, along with industrial attachment stints. Completion of these full-time programs will take between two to 2.5 years, and students can still pursue part-time work outside school hours.

By 2025, ITE will offer a total of eight technical diplomas, with the number of WSDip courses expanding from four in 2018 to 45 courses in collaboration with over 900 companies. This initiative underscores ITE's robust dedication to several key sectors.

Meet 22-year-old aspiring pilot Mr. Dinash Kumar Jayabal, who made a transformative choice to return to ITE for a WSDip in aircraft maintenance engineering after graduating with a Higher Nitec in mechanical engineering in 2020. While facilitating his national service with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), he seized the chance to work alongside military professionals.

Mr. Dinash shared, “The unique opportunity to communicate with pilots and contribute to military aviation made this decision easy for me.” Now, with graduation approaching, he aims to pursue further studies in aerospace engineering or economics and data science at Nanyang Technological University.

The upcoming changes at ITE present not only more educational opportunities but also the promise of improved job prospects for graduates — a bright future indeed! Keep your eyes peeled for the unfolding of these new courses in 2025!