SINGAPORE, Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tinkertanker, a Singaporean technology education company, and Affinidi, a decentralised identity solutions provider founded by global investment company Temasek, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") to jointly establish and issue digital verifiable credentials ("VCs") to Tinkertanker's trainers and trainees who complete learning courses for adults.

The collaboration aims to simplify and accelerate the upskilling and reskilling process of digitalising the local workforce, by leveraging cryptography and decentralised technology to verify and authenticate job applicants' identities and credentials.

Under the MOU, it will be the first time Tinkertanker, a home-grown small and medium enterprise (SME), integrates Web 3.0 related technology into its core business. Tinkertanker will bring to the collaboration its capabilities of advanced-level adult learning courses such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotics processing automation, and blockchain technology to meet the heightened demands of courses arising from the pandemic.

Affinidi expects to provide its expertise in VCs through its proprietary mobile app and digital wallet, Ceal, where users will be able to convert their Tinkertanker physical certificates into VCs, and store them securely on their mobile phones using decentralised technology. Users can also build and manage their digital identity on the Ceal platform and control what information to share and when to share it.

Many Singaporeans have begun to recognise the importance of digital skills and technology training. In 2020 alone, 6,270 professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) opted for courses to upskill themselves.^[1] Meanwhile, more recently the Singapore government also set an ambitious goal of retraining at least half a million mid-career workers a year.^[2]

With skills training gaining traction, Tinkertanker's collaboration with Affinidi allows Tinkertanker to keep its focus on offering stellar training curriculums, while streamlining the certification process by collaborating with Affinidi and leveraging on Affinidi's Ceal. Tinkertanker's trainers and trainees are expected to enjoy control over which VCs to share and whom to share it with. 

"As we move closer to the next generation of web technologies and the promises of what Web3 innovations may bring, it is critical to establish trust in the digital world by empowering people to secure and control their digital identities, without falling into the wrong hands," said Glenn Gore, CEO of Affinidi. "Verifiable credentials can help reduce the time and cost for organisations while offering accessibility and convenience to users. Our collaboration with TinkerTanker is poised to offer significant benefits to both employers and employees in the long term."

"Using Ceal, we'd be offering our community of over 10,000 learners and educators with a one-stop hub for all their training certificates", said Akmal Abdul Rahman, a director of Tinkertanker. "And that's only the beginning. We're looking forward to other synergies arising through this collaboration."

ABOUT AFFINIDI

Affinidi is a core technology company that enables the creation, sharing, and verification of VCs that are portable and verifiable. Affinidi's solutions empower trusted institutions to issue VCs to users, who can provide consent to share their VCs with other institutions, applications, or service providers, for verification. By sharing these VCs, users can access valuable products and services across platforms and geographies in a trusted, open and interoperable manner.

ABOUT TINKERTANKER

Tinkertanker is a technology and education company that runs coding and digital making classes for learners of all ages, across topics such as micro:bit, iOS, Python, Arduino, Unity, and more. Additionally, Tinkertanker also sells STEM toys via the Get Hacking store, and develops various apps,  e.g. GuestDay, a guest registration service; IC Photo app; Spickify, now Helpling Singapore; Arclab, a nano-learning platform; Friction, and EchoClass.

SOURCE Affinidi