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The Career Conversion Programme (CCP) for Agritech Specialist is a Place-and-Train programme aimed at individuals seeking career transition opportunities in the agritech sector. It aims to help jobseekers reskill and acquire the necessary competencies to embark on a successful career conversion in an agritech-related job role.
Facilitated by Republic Polytechnic (RP), candidates are hired by participating employers before undergoing training.
Successful applicants can look forward to placement, progression, and fully-sponsored training opportunities.
These are some key job functions of an Agritech Specialist:
- Lead a team of farm technicians to achieve target yield and output
- Compile production report and yield estimation on a timely basis for supply management of produce
- Develop documentation of operation procedure and ensure quality standards
- Conduct Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) induction/refresher and other quality-related training to operations staff
- Responsible for supporting day-to-day operations through problem-solving and implementation of improvement initiatives
- Perform GAP sustainable farming practices
- Conduct internal audit and attend quality audit
For candidates who are interested in the programme, please click on the "Register Interest" tab. You will be directed to the mycareerfuture webpage. Kindly apply by clicking on the 'Click here to Apply' link on mycareerfuture webpage.
For companies who are keen to participate in the programme, please drop us an email at help-sas@rp.edu.sg
Republic Polytechnic (RP) is the programme manager of the six-month programme, which consists of facilitated/classroom training by RP and structured on-the-job training (OJT).
Participants will be awarded the Certificate in Agritechnology, Agribusiness and Management upon successful completion of the programme.
Module Synopses
Certificate in Agritechnology, Agribusiness and Management
Agriculture Technology
Duration: 100 hours asynchronous eLearning
This is a 100-hour online learning course that introduces participants to the principles and concepts behind production of plant-based materials for food. The participants will also learn about the advances in agriculture technology to increase local produce. The course is delivered via online learning to provide on-demand and flexible learning at the convenience of the learners in terms of pace, schedule, and location.
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
• Identify the type of farm system and ecosystem best suited for their produce
• Manage plant growth, diseases, and pests with the use of pesticides safely and responsibly
• Understand selective breeding for higher-yielding varieties to enhance business output
• Understand applications of soil-based and soilless-based urban farming
Agriculture 101
Duration: 14 hours
This two-day course is an introduction to Urban Agricultural Technology . Participants will learn about essential conditions and effective management for plant growth, seeding, and germination techniques. The operation and maintenance of different hydroponics systems will also be introduced. Participants will be able to grow plants/vegetables in RP's Urban Agriculture Laboratory. The course will provide opportunities for participants to develop competencies, skills, and knowledge needed for a career in the agriculture related industries.
Agri-food Tech for Starts-ups
Duration: 32 hours asynchronous eLearning and 32 hours synchronous Home Based Learning (HBL)
The Agri-Food Tech for Start-ups seeks to develop the brightest business ideas and nurture aspiring start-ups in the Agri-food sector. In line with Singapore’s 30 by 30 vision to produce 30 percent of Singapore’s nutritional needs by 2030, this certificate introduces participants to start-up opportunities in the Agri-food sector and support to translate their ideas into sustainable business.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
• Understand and apply agriculture technologies for urban farming
• Manage production, sourcing, supply chain, and risks related to urban vegetable farm
• Determine pricing based on supply and demand, and formulate strategies to cope with mounting food waste
• Identify, mitigate, and manage the risks unique to agricultural production
• Validate regulatory and funding frameworks that are relevant to agribusiness
• Use the value creation process to generate and evaluate various business ideas. Explore the processes and methodologies needed to take an idea all the way to market
• Explore the funding available for the different types of innovations and learn how to prepare financial forecasting
• Deliver a business pitch through storytelling and adopt different types of pitches for different situations
• Discover the growth hacking techniques that are essential for businesses.
Agribusiness and Financial Management
Duration: 45 hours (synchronous HBL and project work)
Participants will be equipped with vital decision-making skills, leadership, and management qualities in the agri-business industry. Fundamental business management principles and processes, including ethical and legal requirements, resource management, and project management in agri-business will be taught.
Participants will also learn basic marketing principles such as customer behaviour, product, channels of distribution, promotion, and pricing. Core entrepreneurial know-how in setting up a business and the value creation process from generating and evaluating business ideas will be introduced. In addition, participants will learn how to apply cost-benefit analysis and business finance concepts for the management of an agri-business in this module.
JPFA-RP Masterclass for Plant Factories with Artificial Lighting
Duration:7 hours asynchronous eLearning and 7 hours onsite lessons at RP
This is a Masterclass Training for Indoor Vertical Farming/Plant Factories with Artificial Lighting (PFALs), offered in collaboration with
Japan Plant Factory Association (JPFA). With more than a decade’s worth of experience, JPFA focuses on both academic and business advancements in the global industry of plant factory/controlled environment agriculture. This course aims to provide participants with knowledge and skillsets to design and develop an indoor vertical farming/PFAL with technologies.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
• Understand the principle, structure and function of PFALs
• Understand plant growth and development
• Adopt hydroponics for PFALs/vertical farming
• Enable plant growth with artificial lighting
• Understand the design concept of a PFAL/indoor farm
Smart Farming Technologies
Duration: 45 hours (synchronous HBL and project work)
This module aims to equip participants with the knowledge in advancements in agricultural technologies and their integration into farming practices to increase production efficiency and quality of produce.
Participants will explore the use of engineering developments such as mechanisation and automation to replace human labour, sensor technology to better manage resources, and other advancements that enable precision farming. Participants will learn how to leverage Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and a plethora of farming applications, including connectivity of devices to the cloud via Internet-of-Things (IoT), and global positioning systems (GPS).
Though Smart farming technologies is driving the 4th agricultural revolution, it should not be pursued at expense of sustainability. Through this module, participants will develop skills to assess and apply smart farming initiatives to support ecologically and economically sound agricultural management.
Sustainable Agriculture: Clean and Green Standard for Urban Farms
Duration: 21 hours asynchronous HBL
This course aims to provide participants with knowledge and appreciation of the Clean and Green Standard for urban agriculture farms. The Clean and Green Standard for Urban Farms (Agriculture) provides guidance and facilitates local food production to be done in a cleaner and more sustainable manner, while striving towards productivity and leveraging innovation. This standard is envisioned to transform the urban agriculture sector in Singapore, and to position Singapore at the regional and global frontier in the pursuit of sustainable production of quality and safe foods.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to understand and apply the Clean and Green Standard in vegetable farms for certification.
Course Date
CCP commencement to be determined based on date of hire.
Course Duration
6 months
Course Venue
Participants will undergo 6 months of structured OJT with their respective companies, inclusive of training by RP. The facilitated training by RP will be a mixture of Online Learning and physical lessons on RP campus at Woodlands.
Successful applicants will be contacted for an interview by the hiring company.
To qualify for the CCP for Agritech Specialist, the following criteria must be met:
For Employers
- Registered or incorporated in Singapore with a UEN registered with Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)
- Engaged in the Agritech sector, such as agriculture farms growing vegetables and fruits or companies providing farms with system and technology solutions
- Able to offer employment directly related to the job for which the CCP is for, with a minimum fixed monthly salary of $2,500 that is aligned with the market rate
- Offer the new hire a full-time employment contract on permanent terms or contract terms that is no less than one (1) year
- Willing to consider new hires who were not in a similar job role prior to joining the programme
- Be committed to the CCP training arrangements and provide structured OJT training for the new hires
- Be committed to work with Workforce Singapore (WSG) and RP on the necessary administrative matters related to the CCP
For Individuals
- Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident
- At least 21 years old
- Graduated or completed National Service for at least two years1 at the point of application
- Possess at least a relevant diploma/degree in science, engineering, information communication technology, or business
- New job role should be substantially different from previous job role(s), hence require training for career conversion
- Must not be a shareholder2 of the company, or its related companies
- Must not be an immediate former staff of the participating company or its related entities
- Must not be related to the owner(s)3 of the company
Footnotes
1 Counted from the date of graduation of the latest qualification, or date of completion of National Service, whichever is later
2 Does not apply to shareholders who hold publicly traded shares in listed companies
3 Refers to individuals with shareholding per ACRA profile for non-publicly listed companies
This course is fully sponsored by the employer.