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Republic Polytechnic (RP) and IBM will invest a total of S$6.3 million in the RP Enterprise Computing Learning Centre - including provision of training by IBM on the IBM System z (mainframe) curriculum, materials and resources and collaboration opportunities with Mainframe end users.
The announcement was made on 1 November 2006 to over 50 guests including management executives from Citigroup, National Computer Systems, Housing &Development Board and Singapore Press Holdings.
"RP is the first Institution of Higher Learning in ASEAN to have an IBM mainframe and this will offer exposure to mainframe computing technology, including training on System z Operating Systems (zOS) curriculum. We have received industry input that there is a healthy demand for graduates who have some hands-on experience on mainframes. This initiative will provide our students a strong edge when seeking employment in industry." - Mervin Beng, Director of Republic Polytechnic's School of Infocomm Technology.
Republic Polytechnic will tap on the System z Worldwide Academic Initiative Program and will be among the 266 global community colleges and universities that offer training in mainframe technology. The Academic Initiative program aims to fill the marketplace with new mainframe talent. According to IBM's Mainframe Charter, IBM aims to produce 20,000 mainframe-skilled professionals globally by 2010. RP is the first institution in ASEAN to embrace the IBM System z Academic Initiative program.
"This initiative underlines the commitment by Republic Polytechnic and IBM to develop students and equip Singapore's workforce with world-class technical skills. This initiative with RP to grow more mainframe professionals will put Singapore's IT resources in a more competitive position in the global IT industry. IBM is happy to collaborate with RP in enabling its students and industry practitioners with much-needed mainframe skills locally and globally." - Patricia Yim, Managing Director, IBM Singapore.
RP will house an IBM System z890 mainframe and 50 students from its Diploma of Information Technology will be offered this training from April next year. The centre will run curriculum modules related to operating systems and data centre management of large-scale enterprise computing infrastructure like the IBM System z9. Such enterprise computing infrastructure is crucial to the back-end operations of large organisations such as banks and government organisations. Industry professionals will also be able to train within the Centre for Professional Development at RP from next year.
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