The Singapore BusTech Grand Challenge (SGBTGC), organised by Singapore Bus Academy[1] and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), took place today in conjunction with the Singapore RailTech Grand Challenge (SGRTGC), organised by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Singapore Rail Academy[2].
2 Both Challenges celebrate the deep technical mastery of our technicians who keep the bus and rail systems running safely and reliably, and their commitment to continually build new capabilities. By involving students, the competitions also provide young talent an early opportunity to explore opportunities in the local rail and bus industry. The joint event was held at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, presented awards to the winning teams.
Singapore BusTech Grand Challenge
3 This year’s bus technician category had teams compete on common practical tasks across electro-mechanical and diagnostic domains, together with an assessment on theoretical knowledge. Bus technicians were evaluated on their technical skills and knowledge, competence in diagnosing problems, and compliance with safety requirements. There were eight participating teams from the four public bus operators – SBS Transit, SMRT Buses, Tower Transit Singapore and Go-Ahead Singapore.
4 In the student category, teams from Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) were tasked to design a comprehensive USB charging system with a more efficient maintenance monitoring process. They also had to establish standardised specifications and optimal quantities of USB chargers across different bus models. Their proposals were evaluated according to their viability, functionality, and creativity. A total of nine teams from five IHLs[3] participated in this category.
Singapore RailTech Grand Challenge
5 Rail technicians and ITE students were challenged to complete hands-on tasks across different rail systems, allowing them to demonstrate their skills. In addition to the domains of signalling, power, and rolling stock systems, permanent way was included in this year’s challenge. Six teams comprising ITE students paired with rail technicians from SMRT and SBS Transit were judged based on their technical skills and competency in tasks such as modifying signalling circuits and troubleshooting a high-speed circuit breaker. The mixed team composition of rail technicians and ITE students helped gave the future generation of our rail workforce an opportunity to work alongside and learn from skilled professionals.
6 A new open innovation challenge segment was introduced to the RailTech Grand Challenge this year, for IHL students to bring their innovative thinking and fresh perspectives into solving real-world problems in the rail industry. Given the importance of safety during maintenance works requiring track access, ten teams from seven IHLs[4] were tasked to develop a prototype to monitor in real time the movement of personnel working on a rail track.
Public Transport Career Fair
7 In tandem with these Challenges, and as part of the ongoing Public Transport Workers’ Appreciation Month, e2i and LTA are co-organising a Public Transport Career Fair on 4 December 2024 at the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability. The event will showcase more than 300 job vacancies from the four public transport operators, featuring roles spanning from Assistant Engineers, Station Managers, Bus Captains, Bus Technicians to Technical Officers. Visit https://e2i.sg/ptcf24f to find out more.
