Republic Poly launches fintech diploma to groom local talent

Singapore

IN A bid to groom local fintech talent for the country's finance and banking sector, one polytechnic here is launching a new fintech diploma in the upcoming academic year starting in April.

Republic Polytechnic has revamped its Diploma in Business Applications into the Diploma in Financial Technology.

The institution wants to teach students how to programme in Java and Python, and how to use blockchain and other technologies to solve business problems.

Students will also pick up skills such as how to set up a fintech business.

Tok Nam Huat, programme chair of Diploma in Financial Technology, said the ongoing technological disruption in the financial sector has created a "very high" demand for entry level information technology (IT) professionals in the areas of software development and data analytics.

Earlier this month, The Straits Times reported that companies often resort to hiring foreigners to fill up positions in niche technology areas like fintech, as the need for such talents outstrips local supply.

"With the strong demand for fintech talent, the Diploma in Financial Technology aims to help build a young and skilled talent pipeline for Singapore's evolving manpower needs in this sector," Mr Tok told The Business Times.

In the three-year programme, students will receive foundational IT trainings in their first year, specialise in topics such as distributed ledger technologies and payment technologies in their second year, and partner with fintech or other related companies in their final year to develop fintech software.

RP designed the diploma curriculum with inputs from the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the polytechnic's key industry partners, such as Tribe Accelerator, a Singapore government-backed blockchain accelerator.

The polytechnic also consulted with IT practitioners from fintech companies like Pundi X, when developing the content of the modules.

According to Mr Tok, a fintech diploma graduate will typically work as a fintech software developer or an associate business analyst upon graduation.

The full-time course plans to take in some 100 students as the first cohort, with the main applicants coming from the Institute of Technical Education and secondary schools.

Standard full-time diploma tuition fees apply, which amount to S$2,900 for Singapore citizens after subsidies from the Ministry of Education's Tuition Grant.