DBS opens tech academy in skills training drive

Singapore’s DBS Bank has launched an in-house digital training institute to keep its nearly 5,000-strong technology workforce updated with cutting-edge skills for the future.

Dubbed the DBS Future Tech Academy, the institute will focus on three technology disciplines for a start – site reliability engineering, data processing and analytics, and application security. DBS will evaluate more programmes to cover other key technology domains in the next twelve months.

DBS said the institute will take a blended pedagogical approach in delivering its training programmes – by tapping external experts and internally developed content and certifications.

It added that this will enable its employees to acquire the latest technology skillsets from external industry experts and immediately apply their new skills to relevant technology projects being rolled out by the bank. 

To complement the training programmes offered by the DBS Future Tech Academy, the bank’s technologists will also be granted complementary access to technology-focused digital learning libraries such as O’Reilly and Pluralsight, enabling the bank’s technologists to pick up salient skills and knowledge in a just-in-time manner.

DBS group CIO Jimmy Ng said: “DBS is always looking for innovative ways to maximise the potential of existing and emerging technologies to deliver differentiated and exceptional services to our customers.

“To do that, we need to ensure that our technologists are equipped with the right skills so that we can continue delivering joyful banking experiences. Having our own DBS Future Tech Academy gives us the agility to adapt our training curricula according the bank’s needs and enables us to stay ahead of the massive changes around us.”

At the same time, DBS is doubling down on its commitment to help grow the technology talent pool in Singapore by sponsoring the training of around 200 Singaporeans who are currently undergoing traineeships with the bank.

The trainees will go through skills certification programmes offered by the DBS Future Tech Academy and will also be given free access to the digital learning libraries.

By equipping the trainees with foundational skills in growth technology areas, DBS hopes to encourage them to pursue a longer-term career in technology regardless of whether they stay on with the bank after their traineeships.

Ng added that as a purpose-driven organisation, DBS is contributing to the Singapore’s smart nation agenda by helping to groom a pool of young Singaporean technologists prepared for the future.

“With digital trends and adoption set to accelerate in the next normal, technology will continue to be a core driver of change in the way we live, work, and play. Growing the pool of technology talent in Singapore will place the country in good stead as we respond to the disruptions ahead.”

Ng told Computer Weekly in April 2020 that DBS has been looking into technologies that it should focus on moving forward.

These include 5G, which will make it easier for the bank to extend its services amid a pandemic or emergency, internet of things (IoT) and video analytics which will allow it to monitor crowds at ATMs and branches, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

“If we have 5G and IoT coupled with AI, ML and data, we’ll get a formidable suite of tools to enable our customer businesses and support our internal operations,” he said.