Volunteer your time, expertise to help close digital skills gap: Heng
Those with the time and expertise should volunteer to help close the digital skills gap in Singapore.
This call to action was made by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat yesterday as he noted that technology has helped Singapore emerge stronger from the Covid-19 crisis.
Among other things, he cited contact-tracing tools that cut the time for identifying and quarantining close contacts of Covid-19 patients.
Speaking at the launch of the second edition of the Smart Nation and U event at The URA Centre yesterday, Mr Heng said Singapore must continue to raise awareness of the potential of digital technology and build a more digitally inclusive society.
But the acceleration of technology adoption in the workplace has also widened the skills gap among workers.
"As more companies look to transform, we must ensure our workers are equipped with the digital skills to take on new roles," said Mr Heng.
Towards this end, he urged the public, as part of the Singapore Together movement, to step forward to address the issue. They can do so by volunteering as a Smart Nation ambassador, or with other collective efforts.
For instance, they can join the efforts of the Alliances for Action, formed to tackle a specific challenge under the Singapore Together movement.
Two of these alliances are on digital inclusion - one on expanding online learning opportunities, and another on helping disadvantaged families access smart devices.
The public can also donate to the Digital for Life Fund to support projects initiated by the community. The Government will match donations dollar-for-dollar. - THE STRAITS TIMES
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