Work-learn schemes fast-track young specialists into frontline cybersecurity roles
While most polytechnic students spend their final year in internships, some in Singapore are stepping straight into the front lines of national cyber defense.
Over 1,000 Specialists Graduate
On February 20, 1,020 cadets graduated as specialists and military experts at the 66th Specialist Cadet Graduation Parade at Pasir Laba Camp. Of these, 778 were from the army, 77 from the navy, 47 from the air force, and 118 from the Digital and Intelligence Service, Singapore’s fourth military service.
Among them was Third Sergeant Khaimelruzzaman Kamaruzzaman, a 20-year-old cybersecurity and digital forensics diploma student from Temasek Polytechnic. Instead of pursuing a traditional internship, he enlisted early under the Polytechnic Cyber Work-Learn Scheme, launched in 2024.
Students Can Fulfill Final-Year Internship
The program allows selected students to fulfill their final-year internship requirements through national service while receiving structured cyber defense training.
Training the Next Generation of Cyberspecialists
After basic military training, 3SG Khaimelruzzaman was posted to the Cyber Defence School at Stagmont Camp in June 2025. There, he strengthened his skills in Python programming, digital forensics, and penetration testing, which involves simulated cyberattacks to uncover system vulnerabilities.
The three-year-and-three-month scheme prepares participants to handle advanced cyberthreats and participate in real-world operations. During what he described as a “mini internship,” he supported a live cyber defense operation within the Singapore Armed Forces, gaining hands-on experience as a cyberspecialist.
He will now join the Defence Cyber Command’s Cyber Protection Group as an incident responder, supporting national-level investigations and working alongside professionals from the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore.
“At this new posting, I should be able to learn what happens to Singapore at a national level,” he said, adding that the exposure will be valuable for his future career.
Expanding Work-Learn Pathways in NS
Since 2018, the Ministry of Defence has introduced multiple work-learn schemes to help full-time national servicemen gain industry-relevant skills while serving. Beyond the Polytechnic Cyber Work-Learn Scheme, eight other pathways allow servicemen to pursue diplomas or partial university credits across vocations such as medic, naval warfare systems, and digital specializations.
Another graduate, 19-year-old Third Sergeant Goh Hern Yee, took the Digital Work-Learn Scheme route. Enlisting in April 2025, he is concurrently pursuing a degree in information systems at the Singapore Management University.
Participants in the four-year program complete their national service while earning half the academic credits required for their degree, which they can finish over two additional years.
AI and the Future Battlefield
3SG Goh splits his time between university coursework and on-the-job training at the SAF Artificial Intelligence Centre. There, he develops AI-driven solutions to support military units. His upcoming work involves image classification, training AI models to automatically identify and categorize visual data.
He noted that the training modules are highly applicable and often more in-depth than university coursework.
Speaking at the graduation parade, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and Health Tan Kiat How highlighted the growing complexity of threats facing Singapore, including cyberattacks, supply chain disruptions, and the misuse of artificial intelligence.
He pointed to the launch of the Defence Cyber Command in March 2025 and the integration of drone and counter-drone operations into training as examples of SAF’s transformation.
The graduation of these cyber-trained specialists reflects Singapore’s broader strategy to future-proof its defense capabilities in an era of digital warfare. As regional economies, including Indonesia and Singapore, grow increasingly interconnected through technology and trade, building a resilient cybersecurity workforce has become essential to protecting national infrastructure and maintaining regional stability.
Sources: Straits Times (2026)
Keywords: Defence Cyber Command, Cyber Protection Group, Cyber Security Agency Singapore, Polytechnic Cyber Work Learn Scheme, Digital Work Learn Scheme
