The regional office will be a platform to nurture tech talent and create job opportunities
Shopee, an e-commerce platform serving the Asia Pacific region, this week announced the opening of its new regional headquarters in Singapore.
The move reflects the Singapore-based company’s commitment to the region.
Through the investment, the firm aims to further nurture tech talent, develop the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and create job opportunities.
The creation of job roles may ease the ongoing tech talent war in Singapore, said to be at its worst in five years, according to a recent Robert Half study.
This may ease fears of the more than nine in 10 Singaporean IT leaders who are concerned Singapore does not have the IT talent readily available for the building of a Smart Nation-ready workforce. Additionally, just under half are expecting increased competition for top IT talent.
READ MORE: Tech talent war at its worst in five years
Commitment to tech talent
To contribute to the growing need for IT professionals, Shopee has introduced nation-wide initiatives to upskill local tech talent such as the National Data Science Challenge (NDSC) and the upcoming I’m the Best Coder! Challenge.
This year’s inaugural NDSC was designed to expose students to the technical skill sets essential for tech jobs of the future.
The competition is the largest national data science competition in Singapore, and attracted around 5,000 students, tech professionals, and non-tech professionals. The winners are offered full-time or internship opportunities to join Shopee.
Riding on the positive feedback and strong momentum from NDSC, Shopee will launch the I’m the Best Coder! Challenge in October this year, targeting coders and programmers at all levels, from junior college, polytechnic, or university students to professionals from all fields.
“Our new office reaffirms our long-term commitment to the country and elevates Singapore’s attractiveness as the Silicon Valley of Southeast Asia,” said Zhou Junjie, chief commercial officer at Shopee.
“Grooming more tech talent and nurturing an entrepreneurial ecosystem for sellers, including SMEs, will continue to be areas of focus for us.”
READ MORE: Tech talent: how to retain them in Singapore
Inside the new HQ
Shopee’s new headquarters spans 244,000 square feet, and will be able to accommodate up to 3,000 employees, contributing to its strong established presence in seven markets across Southeast Asia.
The purpose-built space boasts a host of features to facilitate a more collaborative and creative working environment, including a marketing studio, a gym, and a fun zone where employees can relax over a game of darts, air hockey or table tennis.
“Shopee has grown from a start-up to the region’s leading e-commerce platform in less than four years,” Junjie said.
“Singapore has been our headquarters, even when we were just 10 employees strong. This new office marks our rapid growth so far and sets the stage for us to solidify our leadership position.”
