Workato has launched the AI Institute Alliance in Singapore to help accelerate talent development and foster stronger collaboration between industry and education. The initiative brings together several of Singapore’s leading polytechnics and universities with the aim of equipping students and professionals with advanced AI and automation skills.
Building future-ready skills
The alliance has been created in partnership with Nanyang Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore University of Social Sciences and the National University of Singapore. Together, they will focus on preparing the next generation of AI professionals with hands-on learning that aligns with real-world business needs.
Simon Chesterman, Senior Director of AI Governance at AI Singapore and Vice Provost at the National University of Singapore, addressed the challenges and opportunities facing higher education in the age of artificial intelligence. “As AI disrupts the traditional model of higher education, universities can benefit from collaboration with industry to ensure that our graduates have the skills both to survive and to thrive in this brave new world,” he said. Chesterman stressed the importance of adaptability, resilience, and lifelong learning.
The launch event also featured a panel discussion on “Bridging Education and Enterprise: Preparing the Next Generation of AI Leaders,” moderated by Carter Busse, CIO of Workato. The panel included Colin Yip, Regional Head of IT for Southeast Asia at PSA, and Miguel Ho, Head of Process Automation at FairPrice Group, who shared perspectives on workforce readiness and the skills gap in AI.
Expanding on past achievements
Workato has already trained over 3,000 tertiary students in automation and integration skills in Singapore. Building on this success, the alliance will extend training to enterprise-level automation, enabling students and educators to make a greater professional impact. By linking students with companies, Workato aims to close the skills gap and prepare them for evolving hiring needs.
Several organisations have already benefited from these efforts. PSA Singapore recruited Workato-certified students and a lecturer from Nanyang Polytechnic to enhance IT automation in its intern onboarding and offboarding processes. Following this success, NTUC FairPrice Group began engaging certified students for its Digital HR project, which uses an internal app to manage flexible work arrangement requests while ensuring compliance with Ministry of Manpower guidelines. Workato’s platform supports these initiatives by managing records and integrations in the background.
In addition, Workato has driven developer engagement through initiatives such as the Workato x IMDA National Developer Challenge, which brought together students, developers, and citizen technologists. The company also supports educators by connecting them with businesses through guest lectures and industry learning programmes.
June Lee, Senior Vice President and General Manager for APAC at Workato, said the initiative is part of Singapore’s wider ambition to become a global AI hub. “By bringing together leading educational institutions with industry expertise, we are creating pathways for the next generation of AI talents to drive meaningful transformation across enterprises. We’re not just teaching technology, we’re shaping the future of work by creating good jobs and better lives for all Singaporeans,” she said.
Supporting national AI strategy
The alliance also aligns with Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0, which emphasises workforce readiness and the responsible use of AI. Through Workato’s agentic orchestration platform, participants will gain practical experience with AI tools, while receiving guidance from mentors and internship opportunities across Workato’s partner ecosystem.
Looking ahead, Workato will also partner with AI Singapore to sponsor a track at the National AI Student Challenge 2026. This competition will allow students to develop solutions for the future economy, including AI agents that function as digital twins to boost workplace productivity and generative AI tools that enhance business operations.
With this initiative, Workato aims to create stronger links between education, industry, and innovation, ensuring Singapore continues to grow as a leading AI talent hub.
