Ready for the futureMDIS in the News
The Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS), winner of the Heritage Brand award at this year’s Singapore Prestige Brand Award, is striving to offer more skills-based programmes to help its students gain and develop relevant skills in nine key academic disciplines — media and communications, life and health sciences, food and beverage, health and safety, engineering, healthcare support, information technology, leadership and people management, and fashion.
Last year, the instituter rolled out plans to expand ils vocational and WSQ (Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications) certified programmes across the nine areas. Up to 20 per cent of these courses will be eligible for SkillsFuture Credit,
It also plans to create a progression pathway — from WSQ certificates to diploma and advanced diploma programmes, and degree programmes — for its learners to achieve competency mastery.
MDIS. secretary-general R Theyvendran says: “In the past decade alone, technology has heralded the development of new career paths in fields such as social media, augmented reality, mobile apps development and more.
“We need to think about a career in terms of a lifelong journey, rather than a destination. And lifelong learning, which MDIS strongly advocates, should be a significant part of it.”
Constant upgrading
In March last year, the institute launched the MDIS Bakery & Culinary Studio, which had allained Approved Training Organisation (ATO) status, followed by the National Certificate in Professional Cookery in November, under its School of Tourism and Hospitality.
In May, MDIS launched the private education sector's first dedicated nursing school to meet Singapore's increasing need for healthcare professionals in public healthcare and aged care, while its Nursing Practicum Lab allows post-registered nurses to upskill themselves.
Its latest move was to unveil a joint venture with the Jewellery Design and Management International School (JDMIS) in August.
To support its emphasis on skills development, MDIS aims to develop more than 100 new collaborative partnerships with industry partners by 2020. This will allow its students to have more opportunities to gain practical experience and develop relevant skills.
The institute also aims to improve its infrastructure and upgrade its facilities, including boosting its e-learning capabilities and equipping its training facilities and laboratories with industry-standard equipment.
Source: The Straits Times, 1 November 2018 © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission. Click here to read the article.