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The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced that a scheme to encourage firms to hire more local workers by subsidising their wages will be extended for another six months until March of next year. The qualifying window for the next phase of the JGI will now run from October this year to March next year to aid recovery amid an enhancing labour market and assist employers in expanding their local hiring. The Ministry acknowledged that as conditions improve during the pandemic, support levels will be reduced.
During the first nine months of the programme’s implementation, 58,000 businesses hired nearly 400,000 locals to expand their local workforce with assistance from the Jobs Growth Incentive (JGI). This represented an increase of approximately 128,000 JGI-supported hires as of February 2021, as reported by MOM in July 2021. Almost all of these businesses (99 per cent) were small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Approximately half of the businesses hired one to two local employees, while the remainder hired more.
Employers who are JGI-eligible have continued to hire from a diverse pool of job seekers, including the unemployed, those from various industries, and mature workers. The programme continued to encourage hiring in a variety of industries. Four in ten remained in growth industries (such as wholesale trade, professional services, and information and communications), while one in five were in the recovering food services and retail industries.
Moreover, the government will continue to provide strong support to employers willing to hire and reskill mid-career employees. Employers can use the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Pack to access Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package, which provides support for up to 90% training and salary costs.
The ministry encourages job seekers to remain resilient, to remain open to new opportunities, and to consider fewer familiar roles. Workforce Singapore (WSG) and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute, as well as its appointed SGUnited Jobs and Skills Placement Partner, can help job seekers with their job search.
Recognising the significance of the recruitment process during COVID-19, VITAL, the Central Agency for Shared Services in the Singapore Public Service has launched a recruitment tech pilot programme using a software recruiting company’s AI Recruiter solution to streamline its recruitment efficiency and increase hiring outcomes. The pilot uses the AI Recruiter platform from the software recruiting company to create a ready pool of qualified candidates, improve candidate-job matching capabilities, and reduce time and cost to hire within the public sector.
Within the Singapore Public Service, VITAL is in a unique position to experiment with emerging technologies such as AI and automation. They anticipate a more effective and efficient hiring process with a capable recruitment system and a ready database of qualified candidates. The recruitment solution aims to enhance the existing recruitment processes through:
Ultimately, with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic spreading throughout the world, the economic impact of the government shutdown will affect nearly every industry, business, and job position in the near future. Government projects aimed at providing job assistance to Singaporeans will not only benefit the unemployed but will also contribute to the country’s economic growth.
The Hong Kong Police Force and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly explore innovative technology and nurture innovation and technology (I&T) talent to enhance policing services to the public, propel the development of the I&T ecosystem in Hong Kong and strengthen Hong Kong’s status as an international I&T hub.
The Force and HKSTP will collaborate on the application of innovative solutions over the next three years across five areas, including Natural Language Processing (NLP), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM), Augmented Reality (AR), and Search and Rescue Operations-related technology.
Tech ventures will be enabled to test their new tailor-made solutions for the Force in real-life operating environments and adopt data validation via HKSTP’s STP platform, which helps accelerate the commercialisation of innovations. Both parties hope that this collaboration can drive more organisations to adopt I&T and co-incubate potential tech ventures as well as improve service levels provided to the community.
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry attended and witnessed the signing of the MoU, and in his opening remarks, thanked the commitments of and efforts made by the Force and HKSTP in promoting the I&T development. He looks forward to seeing more collaboration between government departments and the I&T sector to further promote the smart city and I&T development in Hong Kong.
The Chairman of HKSTP stated that the Force was the first government body to sign an MoU with HKSTP to drive technology adoption and nurture I&T talent. It is hoped this collaboration would encourage more industries to utilise technology and further boost the development of Hong Kong as a smart city. HKSTP will continue its key role in driving I&T development and connect all the stakeholders to accelerate the research-to-commercialisation journey and create a robust I&T ecosystem in Hong Kong.
The Commissioner of Police stated in the opening speech that the Force, being the largest department of the Hong Kong Government, had long been supportive of the Government’s initiative to build Hong Kong as an international I&T hub.
To drive the I&T development, the Force both promotes a culture that encourages innovation and proactively nurtures I&T proficiency and cooperates with the industry and academia to create a vibrant I&T ecosystem with high-performance software and hardware support so that a win-win situation can be achieved through collaboration.
HKSTP has been working to propel success for 20 years and working with all stakeholders to expand the I&T ecosystem for Hong Kong and collaborated with over 250 enterprises in private sectors, including banking, construction and transportation industries to promote the technology adoption and nurture I&T talent.
HKSTP is extending the collaboration to the government bodies this year to encourage more enterprises and organisations to adopt technology, providing an opportunity for tech ventures to translate their research ideas into market-ready solutions in a real-life operations environment.
Recent research shows that the global law enforcement software market size is expected to grow from US$12.6 billion in 2020 to US$22.1 billion by 2026, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.8% during the forecast period. The report notes that this market will continue to grow post-COVID-19 as more law enforcement software agencies across the globe plan to migrate their IT infrastructure to the cloud, boost departmental operations, and improvise processes. While technology spending in APAC has increased, the setback due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic is imminent.
The Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, recently said that the government plans to set up a dashboard to share best technology practices among the centre and states. Through the dashboard, states can emulate initiatives and achievements related to science and technology. The government will also create an app for the dashboard in the near future.
He made the announcement at the concluding session of a two-day centre-state Science Conclave at Science City in Ahmedabad. He also asked participants to appoint a nodal officer in each state to coordinate and cooperate with the Special Committee to develop and exchange the best practices. According to a press release, a high-level mechanism will be developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to monitor and coordinate the follow-up actions of the conclave.
During a special session with the CEOs of over 100 start-ups, participants came up with scientific solutions related to agriculture technology, drone technology, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnological applications, single-use plastic alternates, irrigation, and digital health. Several state governments have shown interest in the technologies and agreed to partner with some of the start-ups for state-specific technological solutions.
Singh also spoke about the Heli-borne technology launched last October. The states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana participated in a Heli-borne survey, a measure to solve the acute water crisis and help in efficient groundwater management. Heli-borne geophysical mapping provides high-resolution 3D images of the subsurface up to 500 metres below ground level and maps potential groundwater sources. Singh pointed out that if the same technology is uploaded on the dashboard, other states could learn and adopt the technology – from source-finding to water treatment, benefitting millions of people across the country. He added that it would also positively contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal to double farmers’ income.
Earlier this month, Modi inaugurated another Science Conclave in Gujarat. It explored state-specific technologies and innovations for adoption and scaling up through an integrated approach with support from the central government.
As OpenGov Asia reported, participants mapped the priorities, challenges, expectations, and technology needs of each state. Minister Singh said that the states can work in convergence for optimum outcomes with the six science departments: the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), and the Department of Space (DoS).
A key agenda of the conclave was doubling private sector investment in research and development by 2030 and supplementing the country’s and state’s overall economy. Plenary sessions were held on technological interventions to improve farmers’ income, innovations for portable drinking water (including technologies like desalination), and Heli-borne methods developed by DST. Further, innovations for clean energy for all, the MoES’ Deep Sea Mission and its relevance for coastal states and union territories, digital healthcare for all, and synergising science with the National Education Policy 2020.
The first anniversary of the U.S. Digital Corps (USDC), a programme that hires early-career technologists into federal service to create a more effective, equitable government was commemorated by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).
“From the Administration for Children and Families to the Department of State, we’re already hearing about how our first group is asking good questions and bringing new approaches to the table. We look forward to getting applications for our second cohort this fall so we can bring on even more early-career technologists who want to help government deliver for the American people,” says Robin Carnahan, GSA Administrator.
The USDC was introduced in August 2021 by the GSA’s Technology Transformation Services with partners from other federal departments and offices, including the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the White House Office of Management and Budget. It advances many of the outlined objectives, including pledges to expand and diversify the federal workforce and enhance the public’s interaction with the government.
The USDC is a fellowship for early-career professionals intended for the nation’s top technologists to work for the federal government. It intends to invest in the future digital workforce through learning and development that reflects the diversity of America.
For the first cohort, more than 1,000 applicants submitted their applications; 38 Fellows were chosen in June 2022. This cohort is currently engaged in high-impact projects in fields like equality, cybersecurity, immigration, and health at a dozen government agencies.
After one year of operation, USDC is preparing to find and engage the second cohort of Fellows to begin in summer 2023. Registration forms for the second class of U.S. Openings for Digital Corps Fellows will occur in October 2022.
Meanwhile, because of the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA), the Cybersecurity, and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced its intention to launch a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public input on how to implement the cyber incident reporting requirements.
CIRCIA mandates that CISA create and release a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) outlining proposed rules for the reporting of cyber incidents and ransom payments for public review and discussion. The agency will use the feedback received from the critical infrastructure community and other members of the public to help create the proposed regulations.
Timely cyber incident reporting enables CISA to identify emerging threats and trends, quickly share threat information with federal partners and network defenders to take protective action and warn other potential victims. It also enables CISA to quickly deploy resources and aid victims suffering from attacks.
The Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022, according to CISA Director Jen Easterly, is a game changer for the whole cybersecurity community and everyone. It will enable the nation to better understand the threats it faces, detect adversary campaigns earlier, and respond with more coordinated action with our public and private sector partners.
CISA recently announced that, in addition to providing the opportunity to submit written comments in response to the RFI, it will hold public listening sessions across the country to receive in-person input from the American people to inform the development of the proposed regulations.
The Department of Homeland Security also serves as the chair of the newly formed Cyber Incident Reporting Council, which was established by CIRCIA to better align the various federal cyber incident reporting structures. The Council’s work will inform, as appropriate, the new proposed rule.
A new AU$450 million development, Trinity City, will be the bridge between the world’s most forward-thinking and innovative health and life sciences companies connecting to the world-class AU$3.8 billion Adelaide BioMed City, in the heart of the Adelaide CBD.
Creating 450 full-time jobs during construction, this world-class development will position the industry at the centre of an ecosystem that is harnessing world-leading hi-tech capabilities to accelerate research and the clinical application of data-driven precision medicine.
With the full support of Trinity Church, Trinity City will be constructed on land at 88 North Terrace in Adelaide, including major restoration to the National Trust-listed Trinity Church and two other local heritage buildings. The premium grade, 28-storey, 60,000sqm building, will offer 360-degree views and will be one of the largest buildings in South Australia.
Local firms will develop the landmark site, which will also include 173 EV-enabled car parks, a 70-place childcare centre and a 200-person auditorium. Trinity City will be a landmark on the Adelaide skyline and a key component of the Adelaide BioMed City precinct, one of the developers said. It will be Adelaide’s foremost new generation post-pandemic commercial tower and a symbol of Adelaide, as one of the most advanced health-focused cities in the world.
Meanwhile, the second developer stated that Trinity City will house over 3,000 staff enabling South Australia to accommodate and attract global companies looking to work side-by-side with the region’s expanding bio-medical expertise. Trinity City will assist in revolutionising and turbo-charging our health-tech economy.
Having undertaken extensive consultation on the redevelopment of the Trinity Church site with local and state government authorities and Heritage SA, construction on Trinity City is expected to commence in 2023, with completion earmarked for 2025.
The Adelaide BioMed City Board Chair stated that breakthroughs in healthcare will come from better understanding the patient and asking the right questions – turning health data into smart data will guide better health and medical decisions.
By combining the region’s long-established strengths in health data with rapidly growing capabilities in data analytics and AI, this vital investment in Trinity City will place Adelaide at the forefront of transforming healthcare through data and position us as a global place to come for data-driven personalised medicine, underpinned by the world-class biomedical infrastructure presented by the partners in Adelaide BioMed City.
Health technologies include things like medicines, vaccines, medical devices and tests. Digital health innovations, such as electronic health records and electronic prescriptions, are increasingly used to improve healthcare service access, transparency and personalisation.
Health technology is a broad term meaning something that is intended to do any of the following:
Health technologies include:
Australians benefit from new health technologies and advancements in digital health as they:
The Australian Government administers the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), an ongoing research fund set up by the Australian Government in 2015. The MRFF is already supporting many research initiatives.
The Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) government has signed an agreement with the state-run Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT). They will collaborate to deploy a series of digital transformation projects for the 2022-2025 period, toward building a sustainable smart city.
The cooperation is aimed at speeding up the city’s digital transformation, developing e-governance, and bolstering the digital economy. A signing ceremony was held last week. Addressing the event, HCMC Chairman, Phan Van Mai, said the city aims to see the digital economy contribute some 25% to its gross regional domestic product by 2025. The partnership with VNPT is expected to accelerate digital transformation and develop HCMC into a smart city.
Under the deal, the two sides will closely cooperate to build digital infrastructure and platforms, ensure cybersecurity, and ramp up information technology manpower for HCMC. Regarding e-governance development, VNPT will establish data systems for various fields so that HCMC can “develop a big data source,” a press release stated.
Further, apart from forming a smart monitoring system for the municipal government, VNPT will upgrade communication channels between the authorities, residents, and businesses. VNPT will join hands with the HCMC Cybersecurity Centre and the Municipal Department of Information and Communications to adopt cybersecurity solutions to protect the city government’s data systems.
To speed up the city’s digital economic development, the group will employ several digital solutions to boost HCMC’s spearhead sectors such as commerce, logistics, and transport. VNPT pledged to develop mobile telecom infrastructure and provide the city with fast broadband to create a firm foundation for the digital transformation of industries.
Last month, HCMC announced it would coordinate with a global financial institution to develop a data management strategy, aiming to better cultivate data for government operations. The Deputy Director of the Municipal Department of Information and Communications, Vo Thi Trung Trinh, stated that the strategy identifies a vision, specific goals, priority areas, and plans for the implementation of data and digitisation projects to improve the city’s data-driven governance. As OpenGov Asia reported, Trinh was speaking at a conference on building a data strategic vision for HCMC hosted by the department and institution. She said that the two sides have completed a survey and assessment of the current status of data and data usage needs of local state regulators, with focus placed on three areas: urban planning, citizens’ information, and economic and financial development.
The conference provided the city with an opportunity to receive consultation and recommendations put forth by experts to accelerate digital transformation and strengthen data management. It also offered a platform for local departments, administrations, industry associations, and state-owned enterprises to speak about how data can be used to support its management, Thi Trinh added.
In its digital transformation journey, the country envisions the development of smart cities and provinces, and HCMC is among the top cities in terms of digitisation. In the 2021 Digital Transformation Index (DTI), the city climbed two spots to rank third, after Da Nang and Thien-Hue.
The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Navy (AL) requires capable technological instruments to carry out its tasks as the front line of national defence. However, the Republic of Indonesia Ship (KRI), the spearhead of the Indonesian Navy’s strength, continues to use manual communication lights. Seeing this, student-researchers from the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) created the Automorse lamp.
This innovation handles the problem of KRI communication lights with a manual approach, which can make work slower and more prone to human error. This inspired the student-researchers under the ITS Physics Engineering Department to develop Automorse, a technology that can automatically translate Morse lamps.
The Automorse employs a flashlight password transmitting and receiving system, it has a system that can run automatically and is encrypted using image processing. The team used a digital computing technology called the Smart Flash Processing System (SFPS) applications that can be integrated with lighting.
The SFPS was initially modified based on test results that demonstrated accurate sending and receiving of messages. Improvements include the use of military-grade materials, data security systems, batteries, and the number of phrases received and delivered.
Automorse system has a software element that controls hardware and converts passwords. The hardware appears just like armoured spotlights and a microcontroller. The spotlight is made up of numerous components, including LED lights and cameras.
The enhancement is likely to boost SFPS’s effectiveness and efficiency. Once improved, Automorse can be used outside of the control room, reducing the possibility of flashlight operators making mistakes.
Meanwhile, the ITS Sapuangin Team earned a name for itself once more in the international arena. One of ITS’s most prestigious energy-efficient automobile teams won the eco marathon virtual programme.
This type of sub-race, according to ITS Sapuangin General Manager William Mikhael Parlindungan, encourages competitors to produce innovations using Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math to increase driver consistency when turning the car and pressing the gas pedal. This is done to achieve the best possible fuel efficiency through a concept known as Race Start Mode.
Computations using Matlab software were included in the innovation, thus a simulation is carried out to demonstrate that the concepts are very likely to be implemented. This large proposal, which has been working on for a month, comprises two ideas based on entering car performance data, namely Automatic Gear Shift and Automatic Pedal.
The Automatic Gear Shift seeks to maintain optimal engine speed to save gasoline. As a result, when the engine speed exceeds the specified limit for each gear, the system will automatically transfer gears. The Automatic Pedal was activated due to excessive fuel consumption caused by driver inconsistencies when starting and driving. This system will place limits on the gas pedal to prevent the consumption of excessive gasoline because of pressing the gas pedal too hard. The gas pedal will be held if it exceeds the needs of the car engine while it is running.
ITS has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to use big data technology to help researchers deliver courses. ITS showed how big data can be utilised to help with research and the establishment of research journals that can be used by businesses and colleges.
Students can also use technology as a venue to improve their work professionally. If students are knowledgeable in the field of data processing using big data, they may obtain employment more easily. Also, big data technology can be utilised to cultivate student entrepreneurial skills. Hence, ITS believes that big data technology can be used to benefit society.
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work together on building the 9,450-hectare New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, Philippines.
“With Singapore as a global frontrunner in smart city development, we at BCDA are very fortunate to have EnterpriseSG as our partner to facilitate knowledge exchange and link us with Singaporean firms who have the experience and expertise in the field. This MOU will surely be instrumental in achieving our goal of developing New Clark City into a smart, green, sustainable, and highly liveable metropolis,” says Aileen R. Zosa, BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
The MOU aims to set up a framework that will allow BCDA and EnterpriseSG to look for ways to work together on the development of New Clark City, especially in priority areas like affordable housing, estate management, transportation, solid waste management, waste-to-energy technology, smart cities, sustainability, green data centres, urban development, and programmes that focus on people.
Both sides will take part in activities to share information and raise awareness to learn more about new technologies and solutions used in urban development, especially as a response to the pandemic.
BCDA and EnterpriseSG will also work together to match businesses and make it easier for Singapore companies and other interested parties to join forces in building New Clark City.
To accomplish this, the two parties will hold frequent meetings to discuss project advancements and potential areas of growth. They shall define and facilitate the appropriate method of a partnership between the Singapore-based company and BCDA.
BCDA believes that a smart city’s major purpose is to use smart technologies and data analysis to optimise city functions and boost economic growth while also increasing people’s quality of life.
EnterpriseSG is a statutory body established by the 2018 Enterprise Singapore Act to advocate for Singapore firms by enhancing their capabilities and facilitating their access to global markets.
Meanwhile, over 50 delegates from Australia and New Zealand visited and toured New Clark City -one of the investment destinations highlighted in this year’s Pacific Business Mission. A carefully master-planned metropolis in Capas, Tarlac is being developed to help decongest Metro Manila and catalyse growth in Central Luzon, and eventually across the country.
The sustainability qualities of New Clark City were emphasised, which is 70 per cent conserved for green and eco-tourism initiatives and 30 per cent buildable. In addition, the new BCDA PCEO outlined plans for the creation of an inexpensive housing complex and the Philippines’ largest public park within the metropolitan area, which will emphasise non-motorised and sustainable transport-oriented development (TOD).
Soon, a 34.55-hectare affordable, multi-tenure, and climate-resilient housing project will emerge in the city. It will include mixed-use residential and commercial projects, a river park, a town centre, a community square, and a sports park, among others. All of these will connect to various transit networks, including bus rapid transit and metro rail transit.
Other initiatives in the works for New Clark City include world-class city management and administration services, a data centre location facility, and solid waste management and waste-to-energy project.
The Pacific Business Mission is organised in collaboration with the Philippine Trade and Center in Sydney, the Philippine Board of Investments, the Export Marketing Bureau, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the Subic Clark and Alliance for Development Council (SCADC), and the freeport and economic zones along the Subic-Clark-Bataan Corridor.
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