How tech companies can get the right talent, as told by 3 Singaporean firms

If you’re a software engineer in Singapore right now, your LinkedIn notifications are likely full of messages from recruiters asking if you’re open to new opportunities.

People who have the skills to fill positions involving data science, software engineering, and other tech-related disciplines have reported receiving at least three messages a day from recruiters with new offers, and up to 500 new vacancies for tech roles are posted on job sites weekly.

What this means is that while such roles abound in Singapore, tech companies face challenges attracting, training, and retaining the right talent to help fuel their growth.

The search for tech talent

As tech firms in the city-state see rising demand for their digital solutions and innovations, many are facing a common hurdle: finding the right talent to help them accelerate their growth to meet these demands.

Apart from roles like software engineering and development, firms are increasingly looking out for hires with deep technical skills in AI and cybersecurity to fill innovation-oriented roles in product development and applied business roles like cloud migration and data analytics. Companies have also recognized that they need to ensure that their existing tech talent continue to be relevant and are equipped with the skills to remain competitive.

Guud CEO Desmond Tay / Photo credit: Guud

“In our business, we need to invest and leverage heavily in our people resources, as their capabilities are the key drivers that contribute to our success. Not having the right talent can adversely affect the overall capability, productivity and quality in delivering our projects as we scale the business,” explains Desmond Tay, CEO of global trade technology company Guud.

Investing in what you have

In the face of these developments, businesses are shifting their focus from recruiting external talent towards reskilling and upskilling existing ones. After all, current staff are already familiar with how the company operates, and providing them with opportunities to expand their job scopes or learn new skills can help increase employee retention.

In line with this, cybersecurity firm Ensign has decided to look inwards, growing its pool of tech talent and boosting the technical expertise of its workforce by investing in an online on-demand learning platform, among other initiatives.

“Employees have taken the lead in creating learning paths for their colleagues as well, creating more opportunities for them to upskill themselves,” adds Tan Ah Tuan, executive vice president of the R&D labs at Ensign.

Tan Ah Tuan, executive vice president of R&D labs at Ensign / Photo credit: Ensign

The firm has also struck up partnerships with institutes of higher learning and tapped into government programs to train and upskill fresh ICT professionals and mid-career professionals for cybersecurity roles.

Deep-tech firm SkyLab took a similar approach, concentrating on employee engagement and fostering higher-order management skills among its existing staff by providing options for more interdisciplinary work, such as project management and business strategy.

“We realized that it was important to constantly coach and groom talent as well as give them the opportunity to work on challenging and leading cutting-edge projects,” says Stephen Ho, Skylab’s group COO.

Meanwhile, Guud directed its attention to nurturing future generations of tech leaders. By working with tertiary institutions and participating in government programs, the company was able to offer practical on-the-job learning opportunities to young workers, who were able to upskill and gain further exposure in the industry.

Through such programs, Guud was also able to identify and get a headstart on recruiting promising tech talent into its ranks.

“One of our trainees successfully converted into a full-time team member, assuming the role of software engineer after completing a nine months’ traineeship with us,” shares Tay.

Getting the right support

While focusing on grooming new talent and upskilling current employees, these tech companies often faced difficulties in rolling out solutions effectively.

To that end, they tapped into the vast network of resources available to tech firms in Singapore.

Ensign reached out to Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) for help in building up its on-demand learning platform. A joint office of the Economic Development Board, Enterprise Singapore, and the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA), DISG drives the growth of the tech sector in the country by leveraging resources and programs across agencies to help tech companies on their journeys. This includes supporting and partnering with companies in areas such as talent development, market access, and product innovation.

With DISG’s support, Ensign mapped out its challenges and business needs. Then DISG connected Ensign to grant and non-grant support from relevant agencies, as well as collaboration opportunities with institutions that could help the firm in its technology development and innovation activities.

This support enabled Ensign to enhance its learning platform, giving its consultants the avenue to upskill in specialized niches such as mobile forensics, non-Windows systems, and emerging technologies like the internet of things.

“Through upskilling on the platform, two of our consultants saw an expansion in their skillsets, and we were able to promote them to take on bigger roles and projects,” Tan shares.

Guud similarly benefited from DISG’s assistance. Through DISG, the company was able to connect with a greater number of tertiary institutions to support work-study diplomas and offer internship opportunities for young tech talent. The firm also partners local Institutes of Higher Learning to co-fund scholarships and provide internship opportunities to undergraduates in Singapore.

Skylab group COO Stephen Ho / Photo credit: Skylab

“These programs have been very helpful as it has opened up opportunities for Guud to access a new pool of talent to support our hiring needs in view of the business’s rapid expansion plans,” says Tay.

Amid a tight labor market, SkyLab’s Ho believes that leaning on the wider tech community for technological innovation and market pursuits can help ease the strain. To that end, SkyLab sought DISG’s assistance to connect with the broader tech community in Singapore and key overseas markets such as China and Indonesia. This has facilitated the company’s ongoing and future collaborations for projects both locally and abroad.

“As the saying goes, ‘No man is an island.’ For me, I firmly believe that no tech firm is an island,” he says. “There will always be opportunities for the Singapore tech community to innovate and take on the wider international markets together.”

Supporting homegrown talent

While the influx of multinational tech firms has intensified the competition for tech talent in Singapore, it has also ushered in a new wave of investments and experienced professionals from different corners of the world. This has given Singaporean companies more opportunities to work with global best-in-class tech professionals. Through knowledge sharing and collaboration, such opportunities have accelerated the growth of local talent, offering more avenues for the practical application of technical skills and the deepening of functional expertise in specialized paths.

“This instills a sense of pride that Singapore is a place for tech talent, which in turn allows us to retain our talent,” says Tan.

With the technology industry’s forward-looking, agile, and dynamic nature, changes are ever present and new ideas never cease. Workers are constantly being challenged to upskill, reskill and update their knowledge on the market in order to stay relevant or be ahead of the pack.

“With Singapore positioning itself as a global technology innovation hub, tech firms play a significant role in creating job opportunities and attracting top talent from around the world,” shares Tay, “Firms provide the support in developing our next generation of tech talent with future-ready capabilities, ensuring we remain highly competitive and valuable in the international landscape.”

A joint office of the Economic Development Board, Enterprise Singapore, and the Info-communications Media Development Authority, Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) was established to support the growth of the technology sector in the country.

Learn more about DISG on its website.

This content was produced by Tech in Asia Studios, which connects brands with Asia’s tech community. Learn more about partnering with Tech in Asia Studios.