IITAAS believes strongly in contributing back to both Singapore and India
Supported by the Indian High Commission (HCI), the India Institutes of Technology Alumni Association – Singapore (IITAAS) has started a programme to deliver structured digital literacy and artificial intelligence (AI) training to close to 1,000 migrant workers in the city state over the next two years as part of the group’s community service.
This IITAAS service is under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on Jun 28 with the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC), a 16-year-old bipartite effort between the National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers Federation to improve the welfare of migrant workers in Singapore.
“HCI has been very actively involved in promoting this partnership. We started with financial literacy workshops conducted by IITAAS at a few dormitories and we are happy today that it has culminated in an enduring partnership,” said High Commissioner Dr Shilpak Ambule as he welcomed the MOU.
The MOU with MWC is built on a foundation of demonstrated action. In March 2026, IITAAS conducted a full-day AI literacy workshop for over 100 migrant brothers and sisters — who, on their weekly day off, chose to spend it learning about artificial intelligence, said IITAAS, a community of Indian-origin professionals working in engineering, technology, finance, and entrepreneurship fields.
The March event was inaugurated by Dr Ambule, underscoring the significance of the initiative for the Indian community abroad, IITAAS added.
Following the MOU, training sessions will be held twice a month at the MWC Recreation Club at Soon Lee in the Jurong industrial zone, with the first programme commencing in August 2026. The curriculum will span foundational digital literacy, practical workplace applications, and emerging technologies including AI — designed to be accessible, relevant, and immediately useful to the workers’ daily lives.
The partnership MOU signed by MWC Director Michael Lim and IITAAS President Dhruv Jain, and was witnessed by NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Desmond Tan.
The partnership marks a significant milestone for IITAAS, which represents IIT graduates living and working in Singapore, and cements the association’s commitment to inclusive technology education for the Indian diaspora’s working community across the city-state, said IITAAS which formalised the MOU at MWC’s annual NTUC May Day Migrant Workers’ Celebrations.
The association convenes alumni working across engineering, technology, finance, and entrepreneurship, and channels that collective expertise into community initiatives that bridge the gap between cutting-edge innovation and everyday lives, IITAAS said.
IITAAS President Dhruv Jain articulated this mission clearly at the signing: “Technology must empower, not exclude. Our alumni network brings deep expertise in engineering and digital transformation, and we believe strongly in contributing back to both Singapore and India through meaningful, inclusive initiatives. No community should be left behind as technology reshapes every industry.”
The MOU with MWC is built on a foundation of demonstrated action. In March 2026, IITAAS conducted a full-day AI literacy workshop for over 100 migrant brothers and sisters — who, on their weekly day off, chose to spend it learning about artificial intelligence.
MWC Director Michael Lim welcomed the partnership: “As digital tools become more widely used in both work and daily life, it is important that workers are equipped with the confidence and skills to navigate these changes. Through this collaboration, we aim to provide accessible and practical training that supports their safety, communication and overall well-being.”
The IITAAS initiative holds particular resonance for Indian audiences. A substantial portion of Singapore’s migrant workforce hails from India, the Philippines, China, Bangladesh and Asian countries, working in construction, marine, and manufacturing sectors. Through IITAAS’s efforts, these workers — far from home, often navigating unfamiliar systems — now gain access to the same AI tools transforming workplaces globally.
The initiative also coincided with the MWC’s Outstanding Employees’ Awards, where 10 marine sector migrant brothers and sisters were honoured for their contributions to workplace safety and professionalism — a celebration of the very community IITAAS is committed to uplifting through digital empowerment. IITAAS is the second largest group of Indian professionals outside of India and the United States. Fiinews.com
