Rising to Global Expectations with the ITE Advantage

A bold, new strategic blueprint to propel ITE into a global leader and strengthen ITE’s competitive advantages in Vocational and Technical Education, has been rolled out. Building on the strengths of the previous plan, the ITE Breakthrough, the new Plan will take ITE beyond being a world-class education institution to scale greater heights – to be a Global Leader in Technical Education. Entitled ITE Advantage, the new Plan will be the fuel to accelerate ITE’s transformation in its next phase of development from 2005 to 2009.

Having come this far to be recognised as a post-secondary technical institution of world-class standing, ITE is now extending its international reach, to establish a stronger international foothold and presence as a global leader in technical education. And the ITE Advantage Plan with its four Goals, nine Strategies and 19 programmes will provide the means for ITE to actualise its new vision. It was the result of extensive consultation with various stakeholders and customers.

Dr Law Song Seng, Director & CEO, ITE, said: “Over the years, ITE has created a unique brand of ITE education that is not only attractive to school leavers and adult learners, but also widely recognised locally and internationally for its relevance, quality and values. The new ITE Advantage will help ITE achieve its new vision of A Global Leader in Technical Education. It will create competitive advantages for ITE students and stakeholders in facing the challenges of a global economy. It is about building the next generation of a globally- competitive and highly-skilled workforce.”

Dr Law was speaking to journalists as he shared ITE’s new vision and details of the ITE Advantage Plan in a Media Conference held at ITE Headquarters on 2 February 2005.

Plugging Into the Global Grid
The ITE Advantage is ITE’s third strategic blueprint followng the successful completion of the previous two plans conducted in 1995 and 2000. To position ITE for new challenges in the ever changing global, social and economic environment, and Singapore’s vision to be a globalised, entrepreneurial and diversified economy, the Plan this round, has taken on a global slant.

Through fostering an openness to the world and adopting a greater outward orientation, ITE aims at developing secondary school leavers into “world ready” graduates capable of holding their own against their counterparts from anywhere in the world. Amidst a competitive environment toughened by globalisation, these graduates will have continued marketability and mobility through lifelong learning programmes. ITE will also focus on creating and strengthening its brand name on foreign shores and enhancing its core capabilities that would help raise enterprises’ know-how and competitive edge.

These are the outcomes to be elicited by the four Goals that form the thrust of ITE Advantage Plan: Goal 1 – An ITE Education for the Global Economy; Goal 2 – Lifelong Employability for ITE Graduates; Goal 3 – An Increased Global Presence for ITE and Goal 4 – An Enhanced Capability for Organisational Excellence.

What’s In the Bag
To help bring ITE closer to its vision, the ITE Advantage promises several new initiatives; among them, a Global Education Programme to shape the global mindset of students, new Joint Certifications with global industry players and the setting up of Centres of Technology in ITE Colleges to build and strengthen ITE’s core competencies in niche areas.

Going global seems the way to go, judging from the gung-ho reactions from staff and students. And they are all fired up to make the Plan works. Section Head/Nursing/ITE College East, Mrs Tan Wee King, enthused: “The unrelenting environment resulting from globalisation calls for continual innovation and a competitive spirit among staff. Lecturers who exude enthusiasm and model professionalism will inevitably fuel their students to step on their accelerators. With courage, commitment and determination, we will soldier on in this journey!”

Added Ms Tan Meng Huay, Course Manager/PE & CCA/ITE College Central: “The Plan opens up a new horizon beyond local boundaries. The Global Education Programme, for example, not only escalates the learning pace of our present systems, it also speeds up the adrenaline rush within us and further provokes our old mindset of the local education model. More avenues will be opened up to make learning and teaching more realistic and practical.”

And real-life lessons are what ITE College West student, Ridhwan Osman and 14 other ITE soccer players will be looking forward to during their impending attachment at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, as part of a student exchange programme. “Soccer skills aside, the exposure to the differences in cultures, ethics and customs will be a step to learning more about the world outside of Singapore,” said Ridhwan excitedly.

ReNew Goes a Step Further
Ms Geraldine Yap, Head/Worker Education, ITE, is hopeful in placing greater emphasis on the relevance of ITE’s Part-time Education programmes for the global economy than just the local market. “This is more a mindset shift which would translate to a conscious effort to consider new perspectives in the current way part-time programmes are planned and run. In providing ITE graduates with lifelong opportunities to update their knowledge and skills to remain relevant and employable in global industries, we are advocating a brand of technical education which trancends the formal years of Pre-Employment Training education. Employers are recognising this uniqueness through their response to the ReNew programmes for adult learners,” she said.

Under the ITE Advantage Plan, ReNew, an initiative introduced in 2003 to enhance employability of adults, will receive a shot in the arm. The ReNew-Plus programme will go a step further to facilitate ITE graduates’ lifelong learning needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source:  http://www.ite.edu.sg/about_ite/TQW_Archived_Issues/Tqw_77/77_p01.html