The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said Thursday it is expanding the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) initiative to offer almost 2,000 tech job and training opportunities with over 20 companies.
These place-and-train opportunities will support fresh graduates and mid-career professionals seeking to build careers in tech, the authority said in a statement.
As organizations across Singapore accelerate their digital transformation, IMDA noted demand for skilled tech professionals continues to outpace supply.
The authority is therefore working with the industry to help fresh graduates and mid-career professionals to develop in-demand tech skills through training grounded in real-world work experience.
Through new Company-Led Training (CLT) partnerships with over 20 companies, including Accenture, Microsoft, NCS, and NTUC LearningHub (LHUB), participants will be hired from the outset into roles spanning artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, data, and software.
They will then undergo structured instructor-led training and on-the-job training by applying AI to develop applications, integrate enterprise systems, and support digital transformation for industries such as finance, healthcare, logistics, and tech.
Participants will also receive mentorship from experienced tech practitioners and attain industry-recognized certifications.
Meanwhile, IMDA, together with the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) and the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association (SCCA), have on Thursday launched two AI fluency programs – AIxLegal by SAL and AIxLegal by SCCA – which aim to upskill legal professionals over the next three years.
Developed as part of the National AI Impact Program (NAIIP), the programs build on IMDA’s work with the Ministry of Law, SAL and SCCA to enable AI fluency across the legal profession.
AIxLegal will equip lawyers and in-house counsel with practical AI capabilities to apply AI confidently and responsibly in their day-to-day work.
Recognizing that legal professionals have different roles and workflows, AIxLegal comprises two complementary AI fluency programs tailored to different segments of the profession.
Firstly, AIxLegal by SAL supports lawyers in practice. It equips learners with the skills to use AI tools practically and responsibly across common legal workflows, so that they can deliver client-facing work more efficiently, such as research, drafting, and case analysis.
Secondly, AIxLegal by SCCA is designed for in-house legal and allied legal professionals. It focuses on the use of AI in corporate legal workflows such as contract management, document management, and legal research.
Both programs combine structured training with hands-on learning in legal practice workflows.
Learners will also benefit from dedicated learning communities, practitioner-led sharing sessions and peer learning opportunities that reinforce learning beyond the classroom.
Following the launch of AIxAccountancy by IMDA and the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) last month, AIxLegal is the third horizontal occupation-specific AI fluency programme rolled out under the NAIIP to enable professionals to harness AI effectively in their respective fields.
“AI is changing the legal landscape; and, if harnessed well, can improve the delivery of legal services. Increasingly, lawyers are looking to move beyond general purpose AI tools and use legal AI tools more effectively in their work,” Yeong Zee Kin, Chief Executive, SAL said.
He said the firm’s priority is to equip lawyers with the skills and confidence to use legal AI tools well, understand their limitations and risks, and exercise the professional judgment needed to provide sound counsel while upholding high ethical standards.
To achieve this, SAL has developed the AIxLegal by SAL program, which gives lawyers hands-on experience applying legal AI tools across research, general disputes and corporate practice.
“The program will also be extended to specialized fields such as criminal and family law. We are pleased to partner IMDA under the NAIIP to help foster an AI-fluent profession for this digital age,” he added.
Bryan Yeo, Chief Executive Officer, SCCA Ltd said AI is opening up new possibilities for in-house counsel to rethink how legal work is delivered and the value they can bring to their organizations.
As the national association for in-house counsel, he said SCCA is committed to equipping our community with the skills and confidence to navigate the evolving demands of the profession, including the effective and responsible adoption of Generative and Agentic AI.
“AIxLegal by SCCA reflects our shared commitment with IMDA to making practical AI capability-building more accessible to Singapore’s in-house legal community under the NAIIP,
“Through structured learning, real-world application, we hope to help shape the future of in-house legal practice，” he added.
According to IMDA, the expansion of AI fluency programs and continued investment in company-led training reflect the authority’s commitment to building an AI-ready workforce.
By working closely with professional bodies, employers and training partners, IMDA said it will continue to expand AI training opportunities across both non-tech and tech workforces to meet the evolving needs of Singapore’s digital economy.