Scaling AI talent: An AI apprenticeship model that works

AI Singapore is a national AI R&D program, launched in May 2017. We are fully funded by the Singapore government with the mission to accelerate AI adoption in industry, groom local AI talent, conduct top-notch AI research and put Singapore on the world map as an AI powerhouse. We have five different pillars focusing on various aspects of this mission, and my focus is on innovation — how we can get industry to accelerate the adoption of AI. Along the way, we’ve created capability development programs like the AI Apprenticeship Programme (AIAP) and LearnAI, our online learning platform for AI. 

The AIAP was singled out by Margrethe Vestager, executive vice president of the European Commission at the “A Digital Future for All” panel in New York this past September. “I would encourage everbody to look at the AI apprenticeship model that is implemented in Singapore because that allows businesses to get to use AI while people in all walks of life can learn about how to do that. And you get experts who are embedded in the local community. So, this idea of AI apprenticeship, the Singaporean model is really, really inspiring.” 

Ms. Vestager’s comment was truly a validation of our program and its success. She found it inspiring, and I’d like to think that our program can inspire other organizations and countries to adopt a similar approach. We are happy to share our learnings and what works — and what doesn’t. The whole idea is that with the apprenticeship program coupled with our 100 Experiments program, we can train a lot more local talent to enter the AI field — a different pathway from traditional academic AI training. 

AIAP in the beginning: Goals and challenges 

The AIAP started back in 2017 when I was tasked to build a team to do 100 AI projects. To do that, I needed to hire AI engineers. Like any other hiring manager, we started with the traditional route of putting out a job description and trying to recruit. But the applications that came in, while not bad — we had 300 from all over the world — only 10 were from Singapore. As a Singaporean AI R&D outfit, I couldn’t have only 10% of our engineers be Singaporeans and the rest foreigners. I needed the ratio to be the other way around! So, based on a hunch, we created the AI Apprenticeship Programme. The hunch was that there were a lot of Singaporeans out there learning about data science, AI, machine learning and Python on their own. There’s a lot of buzz around it, and these are people who could be quickly brought in and, given the right training and guidance, become real-world AI engineers. 

Very early on, we knew that we wanted to bring in people with the right skills and attitude; academic qualifications or background wasn’t a primary concern. So, AIAP was open to anyone with any background as long as they could pass our technical assessment, which assesses whether they can do the job of a junior AI engineer. That’s the role we expect an incoming apprentice to be able to fill. And why that role? Because a lot of Singaporeans and locals have been learning AI, machine learning, and Python on their own. They know enough to do that, but they don’t get hired by large organizations because they lack real-world experience. With AIAP, coupled with 100E, we solved that problem. It becomes a win-win-win situation: the apprentice gets to work on real-world problems and beef up their resume, I get good enough AI engineers working alongside my more experienced engineers to deliver on the 100E projects, and the company gets an AI model or product developed in seven months. 

The impact of AIAP on individuals, companies and the AI ecosystem in Singapore 

Over the last seven years, we’ve approved nearly 180 projects, of which more than 100 have been completed. We’ve trained more than 400 Singaporeans to become AI engineers, and nearly all of them are today AI engineers, AI consultants, managers, or data scientists. There’s no other program in Singapore, or I guess in the world, that has nearly a 100% placement rate of their students into the role they were trained for! We are thrilled with the outcome and honored by the support of Singaporeans who have given up their jobs to join AIAP, and the companies that took the risk to work with us in the early days when we were new and untested. 

Of course, we’ve learned a lot over time about how to improve both 100E and AIAP. A lot of this is discussed in my book, AI-First Nation, a blueprint for policymakers and organizational leaders. It describes many of the learnings and the rationale behind some of the programs we’ve created. 

An AI-powered approach to talent development 

AIAP Foundations builds on the success of AIAP but leverages AI to scale talent development. It utilizes AI agents to replicate the authentic mentorship and project experience of the formal AIAP. These agents act as AI engineers, project managers, and consultants, guiding individuals through a virtual apprenticeship with personalized guidance and feedback. AIAP Foundations serves as a crucial stepping stone to the formal AIAP, allowing a larger pool of individuals to gain foundational AI skills and experience. 

This approach has the potential to massively scale AI talent development, not just in Singapore but globally. It complements our existing LearnAI and 100E programs, creating a comprehensive AI talent pipeline. AIAP Foundations also has broader implications for education and apprenticeship programs, demonstrating the potential of AI agents to personalize and enhance learning experiences. 

Building a future where AI benefits everyone 

AI talent is crucial for national competitiveness in today’s world. AI Singapore is committed to empowering individuals with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the AI era. AIAP Foundations is a testament to our dedication to accessible and scalable AI education. We urge readers to explore AI Singapore’s programs and join us in building a future where AI benefits everyone. The key takeaway is that AI talent can be manufactured. We have a proven methodology for developing AI talent and are happy to share it. My goal is to enable as many organizations and countries as possible to tap into their untapped talent and get as many people as possible onto the AI wave and ride the AI revolution. 

Laurence Liew an AI innovator, educator, and global advisor with over 25 years of experience in technology leadership and pioneering roles. As the director of AI innovation at AI Singapore, he spearheaded the explosive growth of artificial intelligence and deep learning, building a high-performing team of AI engineers from scratch. Laurence and his team have collaborated with over 100 organizations, accelerating their AI journey and developing impactful AI products and solutions. His AI Apprenticeship Program and Learn AI initiatives have equipped thousands of Singaporeans with deep, practical AI skills.