SINGAPORE - How will a polytechnic education prepare students for the quickly changing workplace? And do courses prepare kids for the digital transformation happening in many of Singapore's industries?

These were some of the questions raised by parents at a forum organised by Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) during its annual open house on Saturday (Jan 8), as students gear up for a third year of schooling amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

NP is working to adapt its course content and the way lessons are taught, as well as the day-to-day polytechnic experience to keep up with the pace of digital change, said deputy principal and registrar Mah Wee Beng.

He said: "We must equip students with (online learning) capabilities and that is what we do in every course.

"We also get our students to help our local small and medium enterprises digitalise, allowing them to embark on projects which let them learn real skills in implementing digitalisation."

Mr Mah was fielding questions alongside NP director of academic affairs and planning Nancy Tan, speaking to about 1,100 parents who signed up for the virtual forum on Saturday morning.

NP's hybrid open house comes ahead of the release of the O-level results next week.

Parents also echoed perennial questions about poly education - whether it is difficult for polytechnic students to get into the local universities; and the pros and cons of a poly education versus studying in junior college.

Mr Mah replied that, in recent years, it has become much more common for polytechnic students who do well to go on to local universities and thrive.

He said: "In choosing between polytechnic and junior college, the first step is for parents to take the time to speak to and understand their children's strengths."

When asked by The Straits Times for his take on the fear that parents may have that their children will be paid less if they do not eventually progress to a university degree, he said attitudes are slowly changing.

Mr Mah added that qualifications are often used by employers as a proxy to determine how skilled a prospective employee may be. On that basis, a degree may have had an edge over a polytechnic diploma in the past, but efforts by the Government and educational institutes are changing these ideas.

He said: "A polytechnic diploma holder should not be paid less than a degree holder if they can do the same job."

Observers ST spoke to said a polytechnic education can be immediately useful in a post-pandemic workplace.

National University of Singapore Associate Professor of Sociology Tan Ern Ser said attitudes towards a polytechnic diploma have shifted over the past 10 years.

"Increasingly, parents and students are recognising the advantages of going the poly route as it trains students in specific applied, technical skills and provides the foundation for pursuing such skills at the university or professional level.

"Moreover, unlike the A levels, which function more like a transitional phase towards pursuing a university degree, a poly diploma could serve as a qualification for entry-level jobs or apprenticeships as well as a viable pathway for eventually pursuing a degree qualification."

He added that in Singapore, university graduates who rest on their laurels and do not actively work to become "future-ready" are finding themselves unable to land jobs.

Mr Louis Teoh, director of customer advisory at American analytics and software solutions firm SAS Institute, said the pandemic is making a hybrid workforce more mainstream.

This means that certain job roles are being based outside of Singapore, while Singaporeans may also be able to work remotely for companies based overseas.

He said: "A poly education offers a quality proposition which gives students a broad exposure and sampling of real-world opportunities... Being productive quickly is a differentiator in a competitive global workplace."