Richard SK Ng , manager we have to upskill at HP SMARC . to keep everyone on par .”
Ng describes SMARC as a large playground with cutting-edge toys powered by the most disruptive technologies in the industry . The center adopts a “ triple A ” approach : “ Aware ” is a competency metrics assessment , following which specific industry knowledge is imparted through e-learning courses . Employees are then moved to the “ Apply ” stage through project-based training provided by in-house subject-matter experts . “ Accelerate ” puts the spotlight on front-runners and early adopters by encouraging them to upskill and increasing their involvement in impactful projects .
Employees then apply their learnings at SMARC , which essentially performs as an exploratory space for prototyping in different areas such as 3D printing , automation , IoT , and data analytics . Workers can test their ideas before implementing them onto the production line .
An experimental approach drives innovation , so that “ we can continue to do what we do , but better and more efficiently ,” Ng explains . For example , the Autonomous Intelligent Vehicle ( AIV ) was part of an initiative brought in to assist on the production line to eliminate manual handling of material and reduce touch points and the risk of part damage . After a successful test run , the system was deployed to the production line for part handling and transportation .
Upskilling workers for the future For other workers already on the job , the Learning Academy at the HP Indigo plant in Tuas — the industrial belt of the country — serves as the in-house training ground for engineers , technicians , and operations staff as part of their job orientation process . Here , the focus is on upskilling to preserve and transfer organizational knowledge , and to help workers acquire skills needed for specialized jobs .
“ The main aim is to ensure the transfer of knowledge , which is of great relevance especially in Singapore , where manufacturing is not a top career of choice among the younger generation ,” explains Daniel Paul , head of the Learning Academy .
Principal trainer Sudhar Neelakantan , who has been at the Learning Academy since 2017 , is at the forefront of this open outreach to attract younger talent , and he says it ’ s as important as ensuring a technically sound and updated workforce . He oversees the other engineer-trainers at Tuas and the region who know the HP Indigo Presses inside and out , collectively teaching about 100 customer operators a year to operate and maintain the presses and 40 partner engineers to service and repair them and troubleshoot issues on the manufacturing floor .
Partnering with higher ed In 2018 , HP also launched the HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab at Nanyang Technological University to jointly develop technologies to evolve smart manufacturing , from additive manufacturing to related security and supply chain models . It is also a training ground for the manufacturing industry of the future .
In addition , HP Singapore works closely with the Institute of Technical Education ( ITE ) on a number of programs , including a work-study diploma that offers students on-the-job training relevant to their course material . HP collaborates with many other institutions and universities in the country as well , among them the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Polytechnic , and has recently entered into an agreement with the Science , Technology and Research ( A * Star ) agency SIMTech for project-based training that is skewed to industry- and employee-specific pain points .
In 2022 , the company also partnered with SkillsFuture Singapore as a SkillsFuture Queen Bee to uplevel sustainable manufacturing and procurement capabilities in the manufacturing industry .
A systematic approach As for Chui ’ s experience , she was tasked with making the checking of AMTC employee courses more efficient . She taught herself various software programs through online resources and fully automated the process so the data no longer had to be manually keyed in . In recognition of Chui ’ s expertise , ISIO ’ s Learning Team invited her to become a trainer in 2019 . In November of that year , she was promoted to her current position as a technical specialist for troubleshooting and performing quality checks . Today she is pursuing a degree in web programming .
HP ’ s approach to upskilling is holistic and innovative and , most importantly , an investment in its future . “ It ’ s a win-win to maximize business and customer value to HP while creating new and exciting career opportunities for our workforce ,” says Chan .
And as Chui has learned from her personal experience , for the employees , it only requires an open mind . “ I never imagined that I would be learning or mastering automated programming . I was surprised when my name came up for the role of trainer — it is very encouraging ,” she says . “ The only expectation here is a growth mindset , and the willingness to learn and embrace change .”
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