GEARING UP FOR THE FUTURE

The needs of our customers change with advances in technology. The projects that DSTA undertakes now require multi-disciplinary competencies. The rapid diffusion of knowledge shortens the time between innovation and application. To stay relevant, we must constantly update our competencies.

Developing our talent

People are our most valuable asset. We attract some of the best and brightest Singaporeans to join us. We believe in developing our people to their fullest potential. The DSTA professional is one with deep knowledge in specific technological areas as well as a broad understanding of systems engineering and business skills.

Learning is of paramount importance to us. As a knowledge enterprise in an increasingly complex environment, DSTA leverages our competencies as our most enduring source of competitive advantage. The value we deliver to our customers comes from our providing cutting-edge technology solutions.

The more we learn and share experience, the better we become, and the greater the value we create for our stakeholders. This is part and parcel of our journey towards becoming a learning organisation.

Setting standards with DSTA College

DSTA and its predecessor organisations have been delivering the technological edge to MINDEF and the SAF for nearly 40 years. The expertise, experience and knowledge accumulated in the last four decades is something that we cannot learn from anyone else. The lessons are specific to the MINDEF and SAF context. DSTA College, established in August 2004, ensures that sound systems engineering practices gathered over the years are passed on to new staff.

DSTA College's courses are extended to the SAF, and other agencies and ministries. By bringing them together in a learning environment, DSTA helps them gain a richer understanding of the different roles played by the members of the defence technology ecosystem.

DSTA College conducts four milestone courses. Focusing on defence systems engineering and project management, these prepare the participants to take on various roles as they progress in their careers. DSTA College also draws on the expertise residing in DSTA to teach a wide spectrum of defence systems engineering and management courses.

DSTA College also publishes DSTA Horizons, a journal featuring articles written by DSTA staff. Through this publication, DSTA College aims to provide a vehicle for staff to pass on their wealth of knowledge to latter generations.

Investing in professional education

Each year, DSTA sends promising members to leading universities overseas on postgraduate scholarships. This sharpens their technological and managerial skills. Our scholarships include programmes in Defence Science and Engineering, IT and Communications Engineering, and Building and Infrastructure in the US and Europe.

Playing a wider national role

DSTA's technological expertise is a critical national resource that is also leveraged by other ministries and agencies.

DSTA works closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs and its agencies in enhancing Singapore's homeland security. DSTA's services include technical consultation to the Singapore Police Force and programme management for select capital acquisitions.

In 2003, DSTA's multi-disciplinary teams worked with industry partners and government agencies to combat the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) crisis. Our engineers adapted military technology in a creative way to develop the first Infrared Fever Screening System that was quickly recognised as the first-in-class product for frontline defence against SARS. At very short notice, DSTA also set up the IT infrastructure for monitoring and contact tracing.

The scope of our defence and procurement expertise also allowed us to support the more recent tsunami relief efforts in December 2004. Our engineers and professionals were deployed with the SAF to provide technical advice and engineering support in areas including communications setup, and the construction of air, land and sea facilities.

DSTA will continue to reinvent itself to remain a technology application leader in the years ahead. DSTA will also build upon its heritage in delivering value-added and cost-effective defence capabilities to sharpen the technology edge of the SAF, the bedrock of Singapore's security. Our people are committed to doing their best in ensuring that Singapore continue to have a strong and formidable SAF.