Ngee Ann Polytechnic Launches SH1F+ to Advance People-Centric Workforce Transformation

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 September 2026 – At a time when enterprise AI adoption is gaining momentum, Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) launched its Centre for Shaping Human-First Transformation (SH1F+) on 29 July 2026. This workforce transformation initiative is built to support people whose roles are evolving and the organisations they work in, so that change is made to last. The event was graced by Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment.

A Human-First Approach to Workforce Transformation
While technology is a powerful catalyst for change, it does not drive workplace transformation. Research by the TIAA Institute noted that technology adoption is fundamentally a human and organisational challenge that requires workforce readiness, capability development and buy-in^[1]. In the face of AI-driven changes, ADP Research Institute also found that only about 15 percent of workers in Singapore feel secure in their current jobs, reflecting growing uncertainty about the future of work^[2].

As an institute of higher learning with close links to both industry and capability development, NP is uniquely positioned to help organisations transform from within. Specifically, SH1F+ does this through its rigorous methodology that focuses on how people experience and respond to change, providing end-to-end consultancy, training and support to ensure viability.

SH1F+'s people-centred approach is evident in two main ways. Firstly, its proprietary Sandbox software is a key toolkit used for stakeholders – from leaders, managers, to teams – to assess current workforce capabilities, explore future possibilities, and align transformation strategies to business priorities. Employees remain firmly at the centre of this human-led and data-driven process, helping to shape redesigned roles, identify new skills, and prepare for new ways of working. Secondly, based on capability needs, SH1F+ designs and delivers structured programmes to build the competencies, mindsets and confidence of their employees. The result is workforce transformation that creates lasting value for both organisations and the people within them.

"Technology is accelerating the need for workforce transformation, but many organisations still face gaps in strategy, culture, capabilities and job redesign. Leveraging NP's experience in consultancy and training anchored in human-centricity and behavioural insights, coupled with our high-touch support, SH1F+ will help organisations make and sustain change for the long term," said Mr Lim Kok Kiang, Principal and CEO of Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Funding Support for Transformation
NP is collaborating with global professional services organisation Ernst & Young Advisory Pte. Ltd. (EY) to provide end-to-end consultancy services through SH1F+, from advisory, capability building, technology adoption to workplace learning. Eligible organisations can tap on the SkillsFuture Workforce Development Grant (Job Redesign+) scheme, with funding support of up to 70 percent for SMEs and 50 percent for non-SMEs, capped at S$150,000 per enterprise.

"Workforce transformation in the age of AI must be human-first, not technology-first. As organisations accelerate AI adoption, many are rethinking how jobs are designed, how people are trained and how work is organised. Through SH1F+, EY and NP bring together complementary strengths to help organisations redesign roles, upskill talent and enable meaningful human-AI collaboration," said Mr Goh Jia Yong, Partner, People Consulting of Ernst & Young Advisory Pte. Ltd.

Transformation Begins with People
SH1F+ draws and builds on NP's growing ecosystem of centres that help organisations support people through change. Since 2022, NP's Human-Centred Design Institute (HCDI) has been helping teams strengthen their creativity, collaboration and problem-solving skills. NP later established the Centre for Organisational Resilience and Inclusion (CORI) in 2024 and the Centre for Behaviour and Nudge Design (BaND) in 2025, expanding its work in building organisational resilience and harnessing behavioural insights.

NP will further strengthen this ecosystem with the Centre for Workplace Well-Being (coWELL), which will promote workplace mental well-being through wellness and stress management initiatives.

Together, these centres give SH1F+ its edge – a human-centric approach that helps organisations transform by strengthening its people's capacity and confidence to change.

(Please refer to Annex A for details on the SH1F+ model and how it draws on NP's ecosystem.)

Real-World Shifts: Supporting Workforce Transformation in Practice
The human-first workforce transformation approach adopted by SH1F+ has already been piloted successfully.

Through UOB's Better U Pivot Programme, NP is supporting up to 500 employees transitioning into evolving job roles through structured training, personalised coaching and workplace learning. Early results have been positive: Employees participating in the programme have successfully moved into new roles and are continuing to deepen their skills in areas such as AI and digital capabilities.

Murata Electronics Singapore partnered NP to create a talent growth and capability development framework. As part of the project, the company's New Business Architect role, including its job scope and required skills, was redesigned and standardised across six countries. Through structured on-the-job training, the team effectively gained and applied new competencies, proving that transformation works best when employees are supported.

(Please refer to Annex C for partner quotes on the impact of workforce transformation initiatives delivered in collaboration with SH1F+.)

Annex A - The SH1F+ Model & NP Ecosystem Integration

SH1F+ draws on the expertise of the signature centres in NP's ecosystem according to the workforce transformation needs of each organisation. These centres include:

Human-Centred Design Institute (HCDI) Established in 2022	Provides training and certification in the globally acclaimed LUMA System of Innovation that develops an innovative mindset, laying the foundation for transformative work.
Centre for Organisational Resilience and Inclusion (CORI) Established in 2024	Provides expanded training, consultancy and research in human system design to support organisations in building resilience and readiness for change, strengthening teams' ability to navigate uncertainty and embrace new ways of working.
Centre for Behaviour and Nudge Design (BaND) Established in 2025	Combines proven behavioural science and design thinking with AI tools to help organisations embed new habits that enhance workforce productivity and engagement.
Centre for Workplace Mental Well-Being (coWELL) Launching in 2026	Equips teams with practical strategies to strengthen mental well-being, supporting individuals through change as they adapt and thrive in new ways of working.

Established in 2022

Established in 2024

Established in 2025

Launching in 2026

Annex C - Partner quotes on the impact of workforce transformation initiatives delivered in collaboration with SH1F+

"Transformation goes beyond new technology or operating model changes. Its success depends on people – their ability to adapt, learn and grow alongside the organisation. As AI opens up new possibilities and enhances the way we work, organisations have a responsibility to equip employees with the skills needed to seize new growth opportunities. Reskilling benefits both individuals and businesses, allowing organisations to retain valuable experience and institutional knowledge while building a future-ready workforce." Dr Bryan Lim Head, Group Talent & Development UOB

Dr Bryan Lim

Head, Group Talent & Development

UOB

"Our partnership with Ngee Ann Polytechnic has enabled Murata Electronics Singapore to redesign roles and develop future-ready New Business Architects across Singapore, and ASEAN and India. By partnering with our employees, HR, reporting managers, and senior leaders, Ngee Ann Polytechnic helped create an enabling ecosystem that supports sustained role transformation beyond individual learning. Through a structured, workplace-based learning model embedded in real business projects, the programme equips our people with future-ready skills and competencies while strengthening our organisation's ability to adapt to evolving industry needs and drive regional business growth." Mr DM Venkatesan General Manager Regional New Business Development Murata Electronics Singapore

Mr DM Venkatesan

General Manager

Regional New Business Development

Murata Electronics Singapore

Hashtag: #NgeeAnnPolytechnic

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Ngee Ann Polytechnic started in 1963 and is today one of Singapore's leading institutions of higher learning with over 13,000 enrolled students in close to 40 disciplines. It seeks to develop students with a passion for learning, values for life, and competencies to thrive in a global workplace. The polytechnic also supports Continuing Education and Training (CET) through its CET Academy, which offers a wide range of part-time programmes and short courses. It works closely with industry partners to curate programmes for emerging skills, develop talent pipelines for the industries and help adult learners stay agile in today's rapidly changing global economy. For more information, please visit www.np.edu.sg.

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Large-scale urban developments, integrated ecosystems and transparent pricing platforms address longstanding concerns over information access and product quality.

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 September 2026 – For overseas Vietnamese considering investment in their country of origin, two persistent concerns have traditionally been access to reliable information and confidence in product quality. As large-scale, internationally oriented urban developments continue to take shape across Vietnam, that landscape is evolving. With projects spanning thousands of hectares, living standards refined over nearly two decades, and an integrated ecosystem rarely matched in the market, Vinhomes has emerged as a natural destination for overseas Vietnamese investment.

Vinhomes currently has a land bank of approximately 29,500 hectares.

Global Remittances: A Steady Flow Increasingly Directed Toward Real Estate

Globally, remittances have long ranked among the most stable sources of external finance for developing economies. According to World Bank estimates cited by the U.S. Federal Reserve, global remittance flows reached a record approximately US$818 billion in 2023⁽¹⁾, nearly four times the combined official development assistance (ODA) provided by OECD countries. Increasingly, these funds are moving beyond day-to-day consumption toward long-term asset accumulation, with real estate ranking among the preferred choices of financially established households.

Vietnam offers a particularly clear illustration of this trend. Total remittances to the country reached approximately US$16 billion in 2024⁽²⁾, keeping Vietnam among the world's ten largest recipients. Notably, nearly US$8 billion in remittance capital flowed into Vietnam's real estate market in the first nine months of 2025 alone⁽³⁾, a strong indication of growing confidence among overseas Vietnamese in the domestic market.

Unlike short-term speculative capital, overseas Vietnamese buyers tend to view property as a means of preserving and building wealth over the long term. This helps explain why large-scale urban developments with coherent master planning, transparent legal frameworks and proven operational capabilities are increasingly prioritized by this demographic.

Recent amendments to Vietnam's Land Law and Law on Real Estate Business, which took effect in 2024, have further expanded the rights of overseas Vietnamese. Those of Vietnamese origin who retain Vietnamese citizenship enjoy land-related rights and obligations broadly equivalent to those of domestic citizens. Those of Vietnamese origin without Vietnamese citizenship have also gained a more accessible legal pathway to home ownership.

This policy shift addresses a substantial unmet demand. Potential housing demand among overseas Vietnamese in Vietnam has been estimated at more than three million homes, a market whose development was previously constrained in part by procedural barriers and concerns over the transparency of project information.

Vinhomes: A Key Destination for Overseas Vietnamese Investment

If policy reforms have opened the door, Vinhomes has become one of the key addresses through which overseas Vietnamese are choosing to invest.

Over nearly two decades, beginning with developments such as Royal City, Times City and Vinhomes Riverside, Vinhomes has helped introduce and scale a model of integrated urban living in Vietnam, bringing homes, education, healthcare, retail, green mobility and essential services together within a single, connected environment. In doing so, the company has helped raise the benchmark for urban development across the domestic real estate sector.

The scale of that platform is reflected in figures that few developers in Vietnam can match. Vinhomes currently holds a land bank of approximately 29,500 hectares, equivalent to nearly two-thirds of Singapore's total land area, making it the country's largest real estate developer by land holdings. The company has brought 32 projects and urban developments into operation, supporting the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of residents across Vietnam.

Its momentum in 2025 further reinforced that leading position. Vinhomes recorded VND205.3 trillion in contracted sales in 2025, up 98% year on year. During the year, four new mega-urban developments were introduced to the market: Vinhomes Wonder City in Hanoi, Vinhomes Golden City in Hai Phong, Vinhomes Green Paradise in Can Gio, Ho Chi Minh City, and Vinhomes Green City in Long An.

The company's approach to raising living standards has also received recognition beyond Vietnam. At the Dot Property Southeast Asia Awards 2025, Vinhomes was named "Developer of the Year Southeast Asia 2025", the highest distinction presented by the awards.

It is this combination of scale, brand credibility and transparency that is proving particularly relevant to the global Vietnamese community.

At Vinhomes Royal Island in Vu Yen, Hai Phong, the project attracted nearly 10,000 visitors and close to 2,000 purchase bookings within just over a month of its launch. A significant proportion of these prospective buyers were overseas Vietnamese from Germany, Poland and other European countries.

The project was also among the first Vinhomes developments to publicly list property prices on the Vinhomes Market platform, enabling buyers anywhere in the world to access product information, pricing and sales policies remotely. For overseas Vietnamese, this directly addresses one of the most persistent obstacles to investing from abroad: the difficulty of obtaining comprehensive and reliable information without being physically present in Vietnam.

At Vinhomes Hai Van Bay in Da Nang, a number of overseas Vietnamese families have chosen to acquire two different types of property within the development: one designed to generate rental income while they remain overseas, and another, such as a villa, intended for their eventual return to Vietnam, whether for retirement or long-term residence.

Behind the appeal of individual developments is the broader Vingroup ecosystem, which brings together education through Vinschool and VinUni, healthcare through Vinmec, retail through Vincom Retail, hospitality and entertainment through Vinpearl and VinWonders, and green mobility through VinFast and Green SM.

The significance lies not simply in the number of businesses involved, but in how these services work together. They allow a Vinhomes development to function as a complete living environment, with the convenience, connectivity and service standards increasingly expected of international cities. For overseas Vietnamese who have spent years accustomed to high-quality urban environments abroad, that continuity of experience can be an important consideration — whether the intention is to invest today or plan for a future return to Vietnam.

A Two-Way Connection: When Confidence Becomes a Growth Driver

The convergence of more open policies, substantial remittance flows and a leading urban developer with Vinhomes' scale is creating a reinforcing cycle.

Greater confidence encourages more overseas Vietnamese capital to enter the domestic property market. At the same time, the scale, credibility and operating track record of large urban developments give investors greater confidence that their capital is being placed in an environment they can understand, access and ultimately return to.

For the global Vietnamese community, property can serve as one of the tangible links between financial participation and a deeper connection with their country of origin. As Vietnam's cities continue to evolve, the opportunity increasingly moves in both directions: capital can flow back before people do, while the developments they invest in can become the places to which they eventually return.

In that sense, Vinhomes is not simply participating in the flow of capital back to Vietnam. Its urban developments are helping give that flow a more tangible destination, one where investment, quality of life and the prospect of returning to Vietnam increasingly converge.
Hashtag: #Vinhomes

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Vinhomes

Vinhomes is a premier real estate developer in Vietnam, committed to creating integrated, sustainable urban communities that set new benchmarks for quality of life, environmental stewardship and long-term value creation.

1. Federal Reserve — Global Remittances Cycle, February 27, 2025: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/notes/feds-notes/global-remittances-cycle-20250227.html
2. The Saigon Economic Times — Remittance flows into Vietnam in 2025: https://thesaigontimes.vn/dong-tien-kieu-hoi-do-ve-viet-nam-2025-xu-huong-chon-bat-dong-san-trung-tam-tphcm-lam-kenh-dau-tu-an-toan/
3. Cong Luan — Nearly US$8 billion in remittances flows in as overseas Vietnamese increase domestic real estate investment: https://congluan.vn/gan-8-ty-usd-kieu-hoi-do-ve-viet-kieu-tang-manh-dau-tu-bat-dong-san-trong-nuoc-10315605.html

** This press release is distributed by Media OutReach Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **