SINGAPORE - There will be 2,300 new training opportunities in advanced manufacturing to help jobseekers to enter this growth sector.

This will help manufacturers adapt to the crisis and build the necessary capabilities to thrive in a post-pandemic world.

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) announced this on Tuesday (Oct 20) in conjunction with this year's Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific event.

Some 500 of these training places are offered by leading companies in Industry 4.0 technology, such as Bosch, Nvidia, Omron, PBA Robotics and Siemens.

This initiative is under the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme, which is part of the national SGUnited Jobs and Skills package to upskill and reskill mid-career workers.

Industry 4.0 is about using automation and smart solutions to improve processes in manufacturing.

These companies will take the lead in grooming mid-career talent and facilitating placements in hiring firms, where they can take on emerging roles such as industrial design engineers, automation engineers, machine learning specialists and product designers.

The programme helps participants to get structured training and practical experience, while working on real projects alongside mentors from the lead firms. They can pick up skills in collaborative robotics, additive manufacturing, information technology and operational technology integration, and artificial intelligence.

These skills are deemed as emerging and necessary by industry leaders for advanced manufacturing, SSG said.

Firms can then hire from this ready pool of trained individuals to support their advanced manufacturing transformation efforts.

These train-and-place programmes will progressively be rolled out by November.

The other 1,800 training and placement opportunities are under the SGUnited Skills Programmes carried out by institutes of higher learning, for instance.

They provide structured training programmes that can also include short attachments at companies.

SSG is also supporting a new partnership between Singapore Polytechnic and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to create a regional platform for Singapore to share knowledge and expertise in advanced manufacturing with regional government and business leaders.

This initiative, known as the Global Technology Innovation Village, will see the set-up of an Industry 4.0 consortium comprising 19 technology leaders, small and medium-sized enterprises, standards organisations, SSG and JTC.

It will support the regional sharing of technology and knowledge by allowing developing ADB member countries to leverage Singapore's expertise in Industry 4.0, applied research and development, start-ups and innovations.

As a start, it will be rolling out six workshops in four domain areas of advanced manufacturing, 5G, artificial intelligence of things and food technologies in the first half of next year.

More than 100 government and business leaders across Asia are expected to take part in these workshops.