GRADS GOING PLACES: WORKING ON THE SET OF CRAZY RICH ASIANS TOP GRADS' XTRAORDINARY JOURNEYS
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WO R K S M A RT GRADS GOING PLACES: WORKING ON THE SET OF CRAZY RICH ASIANS • TOP GRADS’ XTRAORDINARY JOURNEYS NPnews Cover Nov18 FA.indd 1 9/10/18 3:31 PM
Mr Lai Chung Han,
Second Permanent / features /
Secretary, Ministry
/ contents /
of Education, graced
the inaugural CET
Masters Series.
02 features
01 Building Capabilities for the
Future 13 Boosting Overseas Learning for
Students
Symposium at Ngee Ann equips Four-fold increase in students gaining
educators to engage learners in the overseas exposure, thanks to support
digital age from Ngee Ann Kongsi
02 14 BUILDING CAPABILITIES
Triumph on World's Stage Passionate Asian on Set of
Ngee Ann Polytechnic students score Crazy Rich Asians Among the panellists in a discussion on
triple wins at WorldSkills ASEAN entrepreneurship were: (From left) Ms So-Young
Film, Sound & Video alumnus and
FOR THE FUTURE
Kang, Founder & CEO, Gnowbe; Dr Sinuhe Arroyo,
competition Associate Producer of Crazy Rich Founder & CEO, TAIGER; and Mr Patrice Choong,
Director, The Sandbox, Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
03
Asians reveals what it’s like to work
Lifelong Learners: Study. Work. on the box office smash hit
Family
15
Hear first-hand from our top CET
graduates on their lifelong learning
Intern without Borders Symposium at Ngee Ann equips educators to engage learners
journey at Ngee Ann
Getting real-world learning in the digital age Text: Melanie Wee
experiences through an overseas
04
internship
On the A-List lose to 600 educators and educators to prep themselves for
Inspiring success stories from this
16 The Quake that Shook Ngee C trainers gathered at Ngee Ann the future education landscape. The
14
year’s top graduates Polytechnic on September 27 programme also included an insightful
Ann’s Community into Action
Over $30,000 raised for Lombok for the Continuing Education & Training entrepreneurship-centred panel
cover story earthquake victims within a month (CET) Masters Series, organised by the discussion and talks on developing
08 Agents of Change polytechnic’s CET Academy. The one-day talent for the future.
A leaner and more agile Ngee symposium saw keynote speakers and Participants also attended a range
Ann workforce, thanks to over 80 the last page trainers sharing perspectives relevant of masterclasses and workshops on
The event was well-attended by close to 600
educators and trainers.
innovative staff ideas
17 Building Bonds Across Borders:
A Special Connection with
Lombok
to today’s digital learning age and the
evolving CET landscape.
emerging areas such as micro-learning,
and the creation of chatbots, apps subject experts to discuss strategies and
Mr Lai Chung Han, Second and websites. techniques in building capabilities for
highlights Permanent Secretary, Ministry of “It was encouraging to see a the future,” shared Dr Ravi Rajaratnam,
15 12 Hacking FinTech
Innovative ideas emerge at inaugural
Education, delivered the opening
keynote address that set the tone for
polytechnic taking the initiative to
bring together thought leaders and
Principal of PIC Leadership, who led a
masterclass on digital skills.
FinTech hackathon for polytechnic
students
WORK SMART LEARNING THROUGH TRAVEL
04 ntrepreneurs considering venturing Singaporean entrepreneurs there were a bonus,
GRADS GOING PLACES: WORKING ON THE SET OF CRAZY RICH ASIANS • TOP GRADS’ XTRAORDINARY JOURNEYS
NPnews Cover Nov18 FA.indd 1
Cover photo: sam chin
9/10/18 3:31 PM
E overseas or corporate leaders tasked
with developing new markets will
as nothing beats hearing personal accounts from
those who have gone ahead of us,” said Mr Low
benefit from Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Travel & Cheh Chuan, Managing Director and Executive
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Learn (T&L) Programme. The business learning Creative Director of Salt Creatives, who participated
journey – spanning three to four days – provides in a T&L trip to Myanmar. He has since incorporated Find out more
ASSISTANT EDITOR about the
opportunities to network with seasoned a branch of his business there. Travel & Learn
Melanie Wee
entrepreneurs, hear insiders’ business viewpoints Manila and Cebu are among the destinations Programme:
CONTRIBUTORS and visit local incubators in emerging Asian markets for upcoming T&L trips. SkillsFuture Singapore
Andrea Chua, Chan Yee Chun, Frances Sim,
such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and subsidies of up to 75 per cent are available for
Hafeez Sim, Ian Izdeehar, Kamaruzi Berro,
Lea Wee China. They will also get to connect with local eligible applicants and SkillsFuture Credit can
business owners to explore potential collaborations. be used. Visit www.np.edu.sg/travelandlearn
For enquiries, contact us at
media_enquiries@np.edu.sg.
“The networking and sharing sessions by the for updates.
2 1
/ features /
triumph on world's stage LIFELONG LEARNERS: Khaw Poh Chuan
Diploma in Engineering (Mechanical)
STUDY. WORK. FAMILY
Poh Chuan is a 48-year-old port service engineer who took
Ngee Ann Polytechnic students score triple wins at WorldSkills ASEAN competition Text: Melanie Wee up a diploma to advance his career. What he liked most about
the course was its relevance to his work. It equipped him with
hey had gotten off to a “Mechatronics is a team event, so for a better partner in the competition. knowledge of the latest technologies in his industry, which
T rocky start as a team due
to personal differences. But
each of us needed to be clear about our
roles and tasks,” said Shi Jie. “Arthur
“Being able to represent Singapore
and win a gold medal has been the
Hear first-hand from our top CET graduates 2018
on their lifelong journey at NP Text: Andrea Chua
he could apply on-the-job. The support of his wife, children,
employer and colleagues helped him to do well in the course.
Arthur Liew and Wong Shi Jie overcame and I had a rough start at first. But greatest experience and achievement of He encourages future NP CET learners to push ahead to
their initial struggles to bring home my life. I’m thankful to my coaches, family e caught up with three graduates from Ngee Ann
W
we learnt how to communicate better upgrade themselves. “Don’t think you cannot until you
a gold medal for Singapore at the and work towards our common goal of and friends for their support throughout Polytechnic’s (NP) Continuing Education & Training
have tried,” he said. “Think positively – and keep on trying
WorldSkills ASEAN competition held in winning the gold. I couldn’t have asked my WorldSkills journey,” he added. (CET) Academy to find out what motivated them to
because learning never ends.”
Thailand in September. take up CET programmes, and how they juggled work, family
The two Mechanical Engineering and studies. Poh Chuan was promoted after receiving his diploma. He
Arthur Liew (left) and
students came up tops in Mechatronics, Wong Shi Jie celebrate is now a service engineer who manages a group of over 20
a win for Singapore
a first for Singapore in the category. in the Mechatronics Normisah Binte Mohd Sah technicians in the care of port equipment.
Other Ngee Ann Polytechnic students category at the
Worldskills ASEAN Diploma in Business Practice (Administration &
also did the country proud. A team competition. Rahmat Bin Abdull Latif
of Electrical Engineering students, Management)
Daphne Tan and Lim Gao Min, came The 45-year-old single mother of four signed up for a Diploma in Engineering (Marine & Offshore Technology)
in second in the Internet-of-Things diploma to upgrade her skills in order to give her children a Rahmat felt that the best thing about Ngee Ann is its
category, a new skills area introduced better future. It was tough returning to school after such a support for part-time students. The 27-year-old said that
at the competition; while Electronic long hiatus. learning technical skills such as AutoCAD and MS Project in
& Computer Engineering student and “One of the most daunting challenges was getting back his course has given him better job prospects. The knowledge
Singapore team captain, Merick Fong, into ‘study mode’ after being out of school for over two he gained from the diploma also helped him understand and
was awarded a Medallion for Excellence decades,” she said. However, with strong support from her communicate better with his colleagues.
in the Electronics category. family, bosses, colleagues and lecturers, she was among the His tip to anyone who wants to take up a part-time course
top graduates in her course. is to arm themselves with a never-give-up attitude. “It is going
Doing this diploma not only helped Normisah at work, but to be tough. Hold on to the ‘why’ you are doing this and keep
also gave her a chance to be a role model to her children. Her on fighting,” he said. “Pay attention during class and ask
survival tip for future NP CET learners is to be mentally and questions. As a part-time student, you have to juggle many
NEW BEGINNINGS FOR NGEE ANN GRADUATES physically prepared to juggle work, family and studies. She
said: “Do the best you can and never give up!”
responsibilities. So you need to study efficiently and effectively
to make full use of your time.”
Normisah was recommended for a promotion after attending Rahmat went on to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Technology,
ome 5,000 Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) students were
S asked to unwrap a unique “present” on their mobile
devices during their graduation ceremonies in May.
this course. A believer in lifelong learning, she intends to take
up a university degree in Business Studies with Psychology.
majoring in Software Engineering at the National University
of Singapore.
“Beginnings”, NP’s first mobile micro-learning package,
was a gift to its graduating students this year. Comprising four
curated courses powered by online learning platform Gnowbe,
“Beginnings” was launched by Senior Minister of State for
Education, Mr Chee Hong Tat, during 2018’s graduation
session at NP on May 8.
These bite-sized, interactive programmes provide NP
graduates with access to in-demand skills, industry advice and
career hacks, while enabling them to network with their peers
and practitioners to share ideas. Each micro-learning course
comprises four to 12 learning units, with each unit lasting
about 10 minutes. Upon completing each course, they will
Above left: “Beginnings” comprises four curated micro-learning courses on receive a digital certificate which can be shared on LinkedIn.
online platform Gnowbe. “With the introduction of mobile micro-learning courses,
Above right: Mr Chee Hong Tat (middle), Senior Minister of State for we hope our graduates will find it easy and convenient to pick
Education, launching “Beginnings”, a gift for graduating NP students. up new skills and knowledge every day, and therefore make
Looking on are Mr Tang Kin Fei (left), NP Council Chairman, and Mr Clarence
Ti, NP Principal. learning a way of life,” said NP Principal, Mr Clarence Ti. Graduation Day: This year's top CET Graduates – Normisah Binte Mohd Sah (second from left), Rahmat Bin Abdull Latif (fourth from right) and Khaw Poh
Chuan (not pictured).
2 3
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ON THE A-LIST
LYNETTE LAU and business development, coupled with
Inspiring success Course: Business Studies her lecturers’ encouragement to follow her
stories from this year’s Formerly from: Singapore Chinese Girls’ dreams, prompted Lynette to apply for a six-
top graduates School month internship with Grab Indonesia.
Awards: Ngee Ann Kongsi Gold Medal and At Grab, Lynette helped to reduce the
Text: Melanie Wee
Lien Ying Chow Gold Medal backlog of driver signups and automate staff
efficiency reports. Travelling throughout
ynette Lau’s entrepreneurial streak 10 different cities in the country, she
L first shone through when she was
just a primary school student. “I
even picked up Bahasa Indonesia so that
she could communicate with staff in
would get a big bag of snacks and sell them local offices.
to my classmates by the handful to make As an NP student, Lynette also served as
a profit. That was my first venture into President of the Current Affairs Club, which
entrepreneurship,” she said. involved helping out in Meet-the-People
Lynette has not looked back since then. Sessions at her constituency. “I saw cases
An active seller on Carousell, an online of needy families seeking financial aid and
marketplace, she is constantly on the lonely elderly residents who simply wanted a
lookout for new business opportunities. listening ear,” she said. “It was meaningful
Lynette currently co-runs a startup – Picxels, to be engaged at such a level, and I hope
which provides photobooth services – my startup business in the future can be
while studying for a degree in Business beneficial to communities that need help.”
Administration at the National University Lynette’s grit and determination to
of Singapore (NUS) under the NUS Global succeed have been driven by the words of
Merit Scholarship. someone she is close to. “My grandfather
Her business acumen was nurtured grew up in a poor family. He has always
as a Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) student, believed that education is the key to
when she participated in the Global breaking out of the poverty cycle. Although
Entrepreneurial Internship Programme, he is now stricken with advanced colon
which provides students with internships at cancer, his words still inspire me to work
startups worldwide. Her interest in strategy hard to achieve my ambitions,” she said.
EMMETT GOH “I wanted to make the most out of my time
Course: Business Studies in poly. I knew that this was my chance to start
Formerly from: ITE College Central and Naval afresh,” said Emmett.
Base Secondary School Life did not begin on a rosy note for him. With
Award: Tay Eng Soon Gold Medal an absent father during his growing up years, his
mother juggled several jobs as the family’s sole
ust six years ago, Emmett Goh found breadwinner. Left to his own devices, Emmett
J himself in the lock-up of Ang Mo Kio Police
Station. Then 16, Emmett was arrested
started mixing with bad company and got into all
manner of trouble.
after fighting with his school mates. While it was Agreeing to take his O levels was his first step in
not his first brush with the law, his 12-hour ordeal reversing the years of going downhill.
there jolted him out of complacency. Emmett seized every opportunity that came his
“I started thinking about what I had done and way in NP, including a six-month internship at Metta
decided that I couldn’t continue living this way,” Nairobi in Kenya, an entrepreneurs’ club that brings
recounted Emmett, whose turning point came after startup communities and ecosystems together.
a friend advised him to take responsibility for his life Describing it as a “challenging experience”
and sit for his O levels. that shaped his life, Emmett added that it also
And so he did. The former Normal (Technical) strengthened his resolve to serve the community.
student then joined the Institute of Technical Emmett hopes to become an inspirational
Education (ITE) where he achieved a near perfect speaker in the future. “I want to encourage other
GPA score, earning him a spot in NP’s Business students and at-risk youths to persevere and not to
Studies course. give up on their lives,” said Emmett.
4 5
/ features /
TEY MING CHUAN ANNE FOO HE SHIYING
Course: Biomedical Engineering Course: Engineering Science Course: Pharmacy Science
Formerly from: Zhenghua Secondary School Formerly from: Presbyterian High School Formerly from: School of Science and Technology
Awards: Lee Kuan Yew Award & Ngee Ann Polytechnic Awards: Lee Kuan Yew Award & Ngee Ann Polytechnic Awards: Lee Kuan Yew Award & Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Outstanding Achievement Award Outstanding Achievement Award Outstanding Achievement Award
aving a father who fixed his electronic gadgets and ne of Anne Foo’s most distinct childhood memories he may be soft-spoken and genteel, but He Shiying
H household appliances was what inspired Tey Ming
Chuan to pursue a career in engineering.
O was spending afternoons watching her late
grandfather tinker with home appliances and fix
S is a big-hearted advocate for spreading the green
message.
“My father has always been there to repair spoilt items. faulty gadgets. Her interest in environmental issues was piqued during
The engineering tools and control systems that he brought “He was always so excited about taking things apart a community service trip to the Philippines, where she saw
home also fascinated me,” said Ming Chuan. and examining how they work,” said Anne, recalling how how trash was managed in a landfill. “It made me realise how
As he was also interested in biology, Ming Chuan decided her grandfather had ignited her interest in engineering at a much waste we generate and motivated me to work towards a
to pursue the Biomedical Engineering course in NP. “I wanted young age. zero-waste lifestyle,” she said.
to explore the seemingly limitless possibilities in integrating (From left) Tey Ming “Although he is no longer around, his sense of wonder Shiying then started a green social enterprise to reduce the
Chuan, He Shiying
biology and engineering,” he said. and Anne Foo. and curiosity inspired in me a love for learning, as well as use of disposable containers at food courts. She now brings her
Ming Chuan’s opportunity came during his final-year discovering new solutions to problems,” she added. own food containers and cutlery whenever she eats out.
project, a collaboration with the National University Anne was naturally drawn to NP’s Engineering Science “I hope we can all be more mindful of our consumer habits
Hospital to aid in administering liquid food to patients with course because of its strong focus on research. At NP, she and not buy more than what is needed,” said Shiying, who is
swallowing difficulties. Instead of tapping on x-rays to trace worked on several research projects, including developing currently pursuing a degree in Global Studies at NUS under the
the internal placement of the feeding tube, the project an algorithm for the detection of coronary artery disease NUS Global Merit Scholarship.
utilises air pressure from an electromechanical pneumatic using electrocardiograms (ECG). Her support for worthy causes also led her to give free
system which is a safer, simpler and cheaper method. tuition to children from low-income families and volunteer
The project received a Merit Prize at the Tan Kah Kee with Beyond Social Services and Trans Family Services.
Young Inventors’ Award and a Bronze Award (Polytechnic [Working on my research During her internship at Hougang Polyclinic, Shiying gained
Category) at the Biomedical Engineering Society’s 11th project] got me thinking practical experience in dispensing medicines to patients. Being
Scientific Meeting. immersed in the healthcare system, she also saw how different
Graduating at the top of his cohort, Ming Chuan has about the possibility healthcare professionals worked together to treat patients.
come a long way from his secondary school days, where he of pursuing a career as “My course at NP gave me a good grounding in the
was often placed near the bottom of his class. “Being ranked
36th out of 38 students in my class woke me up. It made me
a doctor, so that I can development and prevention of diseases, which is what I am
passionate about,” she said.
reconsider what I was doing and I was determined to pick make a direct impact on Shiying hopes to pursue a career as an epidemiologist,
myself up,” he said.
“I hope to be involved in the world of technology, and
the lives of others. researching the spread and management of diseases – an
aspiration shaped by her experience in the Philippines.
– Anne Foo
use my technical skills and knowledge to develop a new “We visited a local hospital and saw patients lying on beds
innovation which can benefit the community in future,” in the hallway and lobbies,” she said. “I wanted to do more to
he added. For their efforts, her team won the Best Project Award at help people like them as I believe healthcare is a basic right
the annual Polytechnic Student Research Programme. They for every individual. This has inspired me to pursue a career in
were also selected to present their project findings at the public health where I can touch the lives of others directly.”
I hope to be involved in International STEM Students Forum in Hong Kong.
“While working on this project, I saw how I could use my
the world of technology, skills to make people’s lives better. It got me thinking about
and use my technical pursuing a career as a doctor, so that I can make a direct My course at NP gave me
skills and knowledge to impact on the lives of others.”
Anne has been accepted in the new SUTD-Duke-NUS
a good grounding in the
develop a new innovation Special Track, which is jointly offered by the Singapore development and prevention
which can benefit the University of Technology and Design and Duke-NUS Medical of diseases, which is what I
School. The interdisciplinary programme prepares students
community in future. with an engineering background for leadership roles in am passionate about.
– Tey Ming Chuan healthcare as clinicians who can treat patients while – He Shiying
harnessing technology to develop medical innovations.
6 7
/ cover story /
IoT
Lights NP’s Work Smarter Work Smarter
off! projects in numbers Help Each Other
Over from
80 20
treamline and automate work processes,
Work Smarter
and remove what are repetitive and
frustrating. This is what the Work Smarter, ~
Help Each Other
Help Each Other movement at Ngee Ann
projects schools/depts
Polytechnic (NP) has been encouraging
staff to do.
Cost Savings
And the response has been resounding. In the
last year, about 20 schools and departments have
conceptualised over 80 “Work Smarter” projects, >$290,000
featuring new technology and tools such as data
analytics and e-ticketing. This has led to estimated
>5,800
annual savings of over $290,000 and more than Man-day
5,800 man-days. Savings
Being lean, agile and digital are among the
welcomed outcomes of the current theme in Public
Sector Transformation, which are aligned along
three As: Ambition, Alignment and Action; in other
words, to aim higher, work together and make Data analytics software like Tableau
things happen. allows staff to efficiently prepare
customised interactive reports.
It is necessary to work smarter as resources
are tightening, but there is no need to fear
transformation, said NP Principal, Mr Clarence Ti.
He said: “We have been through it all before
and thrived. Remember the days of OHPs,
transparencies, typewriters and night soil collectors?
Adapt quickly; don’t be afraid to ask questions and
try new things.”
k force, e We have been through
w o r
e
nn
Ngee A f ideas Text: Le
a We it all before and thrived.
a g i l af
r a
re
nd mo nnovative st Remember the days of
n e
A le a ov e r 8
0i OHPs, transparencies,
k s t o
than typewriters and night
be
ow
soil collectors? Adapt
Gn
quickly; don’t be afraid
to ask questions and try
new things.
– Mr Clarence Ti, NP Principal
data
The AskNP chatbot can answer about
200 questions relating to Ngee Ann’s
courses and admissions.
8 9
/ cover story /
Work Smart idea #1 Making data analytics
Work Smart idea #3
Better Insights with Data Analytics tools accessible to NP
staff are Mr Lim Hock
Chuan (left) and Mr Hang
Arts Fiesta Goes Cashless
Kim Yam (right) from the
Data analytics is no longer a rarefied field for the highly-
numerate. To get more staff to work smart around data,
Centre for Learning &
Teaching Excellence.
The number of Arts Fiesta performances has been increasing
– from six in its inaugural year in 2011, to 24 last year. Staff Other
NP’s Centre for Learning & Teaching Excellence (CLTE) began
introducing data analytics such as Tableau, a self-service data
from the Student Development Office (SDO), which manages
the annual event had to allocate more resources to manage Work Smarter
analytics tool.
Mr Hang Kim Yam, NP’s Data Strategy Lead, said: “We
its ticketing.
Previously, students had to design and sell the tickets
projects include :
aim to let users connect to and combine data from different before depositing the proceeds – which could reach $100,000
sources, build highly-interactive visualisations, as well as – with SDO.
analyse data to gain insights for better decision-making.” SDO staff, along with Finance officers would then tally the Smart Lighting
Since 2017, more academic schools have been using stubs and cash, which occasionally went missing, said Mr Soh At the Corporate Communications Office, staff can
Tableau to prepare customised interactive reports to get Ee Shaun, SDO’s Senior Student Development Officer. “It was now turn on their workstation lights via a mobile
better insights into student performance. NP’s Finance also difficult to determine the sales rate running up to each app. The system also automatically turns off 50
department also published its interactive year-end activity and intervene if they were poor, as some students per cent of the office’s corridor lights during lunch
procurement report online using Tableau. handed in their tickets late,” he added. break and after working hours, cutting down
The process used to take six Finance staff almost 200 man- To resolve these issues, SDO tapped on e-ticketing app, lighting time per day by 33 per cent.
hours to complete. Report generation required several stages, Ticket Tailor, which lets users purchase tickets online,
including the extracting, cleansing and blending of data. The version of the report. Hence, only one report Watch the
project video:
eradicating the need for physical tickets. There was no need
data then had to be separated into different datasets, and needs to be prepared. The entire process takes to design and print tickets, as well as count stubs and money. Online Safety Training
reports were prepared for each school and department. a staff only four to five man-hours to complete. Plus, with electronic payments, there were no longer reports Instead of attending face-to-face safety orientation
With Tableau, staff can use the cleansed data directly Said Mr Hang: “Moving forward, our aim is of missing cash. training, new staff at NP’s Risk Management
to populate the report before publishing it online. A “User to equip all schools and departments with self- All in, about 614 manhours, or 60 working Watch the
Office (RMO) now learn through bite-sized
Filter” feature lets schools or departments view only their service data analytics capability.” days, which translated to about $62,400 in cash, project video: modules on mobile platform, Gnowbe. This has
were saved. The initiative bagged a bronze award saved RMO 12 man-hours of training per year and
in this year’s MOE Innergy and Outstanding allowed new staff to learn anytime and anywhere.
Innovator Awards (Statutory Board).
Work Smart idea #2 He’s friendly, available 24/7 and has virtually all the answers
Electronic MC Submissions
A 24/7 Digital Assistant to your questions about courses and admissions at Ngee
Ann Polytechnic. NP’s Engineering and InfoComm Technology
Meet AskNP, a chatbot developed by NP’s Student & schools streamlined student submissions of
Alumni Services Office (SAS). Thanks to the Student medical certificates, using e-applications and
The chatbot has reduced the number Development Office’s Mr Lee
of admissions enquiries received by Thanks to AskNP, phone enquiries on admissions through Mee Shin (left) and Mr Soh self-service kiosks. This lightens administrative
Ms Audrey Chong (left) and Ms Siti Ee Shaun (right), hard copy workload as staff only need to approve
Zubaidah (right) from the Student & the polytechnic’s main line in January this year – usually the Arts Fiesta tickets (inset) have
Alumni Services Office.
busiest month due to the Joint Admissions Exercise – dropped been replaced by e-tickets, submissions at the end of each day.
eliminating the need to count
by 28 per cent, said Ms Audrey Chong, SAS’ Assistant Director. physical cash and ticket stubs.
SAS Executive, Ms Siti Zubaidah, one of two staff manning E-donation Drive
the main line, welcomed the change. “I used to feel like a Fund-raising went digital during a recent donation
robot, repeating the same reply to the same questions again drive for Lombok’s earthquake victims. Staff and
and again,” she said. students donated by scanning a QR code for
SAS currently receives about 12,000 enquiries – mobile payment, reducing the cost and risk of
comprising 10,000 calls and 2,000 emails – a year. counting and depositing cash. By going digital,
“We aim to divert at least half of the enquiries to the the team was also able to launch the fund-raising
chatbot, so our frontline staff can be deployed to answer effort within a short time.
only the more complex questions which the chatbot cannot
handle,” said Ms Chong.
All conversations are reviewed by a chatbot trainer, Automated Scripting
who inserts “new knowledge” into a bot training platform The Computer Centre automated work via
developed by local start-up, KeyReply. scripting for the Exam Repository System Setup for
Watch the
The chatbot can now answer about 200 project video: over 1,000 modules per semester. This saved 59
questions. SAS plans to further develop the man-hours, and cut down on errors and repetitive
chatbot to answer queries covering student life work for staff.
as well as continuing education courses.
10 11
/ highlights /
HACKING FINTECH Innovative ideas emerge at inaugural FinTech
hackathon for polytechnic students Text: Hafeez Sim BOOSTING OVERSEAS Four-fold increase
in students gaining
overseas exposure,
LEARNING FOR STUDENTS
nce thought of as technology thanks to support from
O used only for a bank’s back-end
functions, financial technology
Ngee Ann Kongsi
Text: Melanie Wee
or FinTech today is disrupting the
or aspiring entrepreneur,
traditional banking and financial sector.
Thanks to FinTech, consumers can now F Cheryl Dee, her two-week trip
to Hong Kong was an eye-
access personal banking information
opening experience.
and purchase financial products with
She travelled there as part of
their smartphones. Chatbots can also
Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s (NP) Overseas
attend to customers’ queries 24/7.
Innovation Challenge, which provides
Thus, it is no surprise that the opportunities for student innovators
younger generation is already and budding entrepreneurs to propose
diving into this emerging field – the solutions to industry challenges.
inaugural PolyFinTech 100 Hackathon “The trip really broadened my
saw over 120 participants from the understanding of innovation. It was
five polytechnics try their hand at satisfying to see how our idea could
developing application programming potentially help a company to grow,”
interfaces or APIs (see box story) for said Cheryl.
the financial services sector. This is just one of the programmes
Spearheaded by Ngee Ann made possible by annual funding from
NP’s Team Unitym came up tops with an innovative solution (From left): Mr Clarence Ti, Principal, Ngee Ann Polytechnic; Mr Tang Kin Fei, Chairman, Ngee Ann
Polytechnic (NP), and supported by Ngee Ann Kongsi, alongside others such Polytechnic Council; Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Manpower;
to help SMEs build and retain their customer bases.
the Monetary Authority of Singapore Mr Richard Lee, President, Ngee Ann Kongsi; Mr Goh Kim Hock, Chairman, Education/Scholarships &
as the Global Entrepreneurial Internship Bursaries Sub-Committee, Ngee Ann Kongsi.
(MAS) and other local polytechnics, Programme and Social Leadership
the Hackathon also provided Choong, Director of The Sandbox, NP’s problems. You begin to see what you Challenge which enable NP students to by over four-fold since 2013. “Ngee Ann Kongsi’s generous
opportunities for participants to meet innovation and entrepreneurship office. learn in the classroom really come to deepen their skills, experience foreign This year, the philanthropic contributions will ensure that all
and network with industry partners Eighteen teams vied for the top spot life as you tackle issues,” said Jeremy cultures and give back to society. organisation donated $8.4 million students regardless of background or
including Citibank, DBS, OCBC, UOB, in six categories during the month-long Soh, team leader of UniTym. Thanks to Ngee Ann Kongsi’s to NP, in a ceremony graced by Ms financial ability, can achieve their full
NETS and PayPal. competition. NP’s UniTym, comprising a The Hackathon was part of unwavering support, the number of Low Yen Ling, Senior Parliamentary potential and take advantage of the
“We are excited to host the team of Financial Informatics students, PolyFinTech 100, a framework by MAS students participating in such overseas Secretary for Education and Manpower learning opportunities that NP offers,”
largest API Hackathon in Singapore won the PolyFinTech 100 Award and the five polytechnics to equip development programmes has increased on September 20. said NP Principal, Mr Clarence Ti.
for the financial services sector as it category for its innovative customer graduates with the necessary skills
is a great opportunity for not only loyalty programme to help SMEs build that will allow them to do well in the
participants to gain industry insights, and retain their customer bases. future economy.
STRENGTHENING INDUSTRY TIES
but also for participating companies “The Hackathon was a wonderful
to nurture the next generation of opportunity for us to apply our
FinTech API developers,” said Mr Patrice classroom knowledge to real-world Just what is an API?
An application programming
interface (API) helps developers lose industry partnerships are key at Ngee Ann SAP: Polytechnic graduates and mid-career professionals
The Hackathon was a wonderful connect to a function within
an operating system or acts as
C Polytechnic (NP), giving students access to applied
learning opportunities, internships, real-world
will benefit from infocomm courses, including predictive
analytics, artificial intelligence and blockchain technology.
opportunity for us to apply our an intermediary between two projects and industry mentors. Some recent collaborations The programmes are part of SAP Skills University Singapore,
classroom knowledge to real-world applications. This may sound include Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) signed with: launched under an MOU signed by enterprise software
complicated, but one just has to
problems. You begin to see what you imagine an API as the bridge that Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA): Under
giant, SAP, with SkillsFuture Singapore and the five local
polytechnics, including NP.
learn in the classroom really come to lets an app such as Instagram the partnership, NP students will gain exposure to cutting-
life as you tackle issues. access a smartphone’s camera,
without first having to develop its
edge technologies and training opportunities. Hackathons, EM Services Pte Ltd: The MOU will boost students’ exposure
internships and lectures by DSTA engineers will give students and arm them with industry-ready skills. It covers Service-
– Jeremy Soh, Team Leader, UniTym own camera app software. valuable insights into emerging technologies such as artificial Learning partnerships, internships and research projects to
intelligence, automation, robotics and data science. prepare students for careers in facility management.
12 13
/ highlights /
PASSIONATE ASIAN ON SET INTERN WITHOUT BORDERS
On the movie set, Janice experienced
amazing attention to detail by the
professionals. While filming at Newton
OF CRAZY RICH ASIANS
hawker centre, Janice recounted ordering
mutton soup, satay, chilli crab and other Getting real-world learning experiences through an overseas internship Text: Ian Izdeehar
local dishes for the crew before the shoot.
She said, “Jon [the director] gave me
Film, Sound & Video alumnus and Associate Producer of Crazy a huge bunch of money to buy food and
Rich Asians reveals what it’s like to work on the box office told me that the the crew needs to fall in
smash hit Text: Chan Yee Chun love with the food; otherwise, they can’t
shoot it well. It made me realise how
hen Janice Chua visited Ngee Lady Luck smiled on Janice when she much you need to be in tune with the
W Ann Polytechnic’s (NP) Open
House at the age of 15, she
met Terence Chang, producer of Chinese-
Hong Kong film, The Crossing. An industry
subject matter to achieve excellence. That
was a level of professionalism I’ve never
did not guess that it would set her on mentor to her, he advised her to venture encountered,” she said.
the road to Hollywood. The associate to America, because “not many people Samantha Voon, a second-year
producer of Hollywood smash hit, Crazy have experience with both China and FSV student who attended the sharing
Rich Asians revealed this during an on- Hollywood”. With her bilingual English session, said that she was inspired by
campus sharing session on her film career and Chinese language skills opening new Janice’s resilience throughout her journey
with NP students in August. doors, Janice relocated to Los Angeles to Hollywood. Course mate Daniel Lee
Janice first had her interest in stage after joining Ivanhoe Pictures (now SK was similarly encouraged. “I’ve realised
props piqued when she was in secondary Global), an American production company that it’s okay to take the time to discover
school, thanks to the Arthur Miller plays which had just bought the intellectual our own areas of expertise while learning
she had read then. Deciding to pursue her property rights for Crazy Rich Asians. from others’ experience,” he said.
passion in stage production, she enrolled
in NP’s Film, Sound & Video (FSV) course.
Upon graduation, Janice pursued
a degree in Creative Producing from
Chapman University. By then, she had Visiting the Reichstag
discovered her interest for long form films building, where the
German Parliament sits.
and producing, a perfect match for her
creative talent. However, unable to break
aving a mother who is programming and coding temperature
into the American market despite a film
internship in Los Angeles, Janice moved to
China and worked with a film production
H German, Reinhard Tan
has been understandably
sensors, and designing and wiring
circuit boards.
company, where she was responsible for fascinated by the country, supporting
distributing Asian movies to Hollywood its World Cup team and researching BEING INDEPENDENT: I’ve grown so
the many historical figures who shared much from living in Germany on my
audiences. Yet she never gave up on her Janice Chua, Associate Producer of Crazy Rich Asians, sheds light on her Hollywood experience during his name. So when the opportunity own – trying out simple recipes, doing
dream of becoming a producer. the sharing session.
came for a five-month internship at laundry regularly and travelling alone
Mannheim University, the Biomedical to cities like Berlin and Heidelberg.
Engineering student jumped at the I’ve even learnt to start a conversation
SPECIAL MENTIONS
chance to visit the land of his dreams. with “Entschuldigung sprechen sie
English?” which roughly translates to
NEW COUNTRY, NEW SKILLS: I worked “Excuse me, do you speak English?”
● Five Biomedical Science and Environmental & Water Technology ● Senior Manager, School of Engineering, Mr Sunarto @ mainly with microcontrollers in With that, I’ve always gotten help
students won the Lee Hsien Loong Interactive Digital Media Smart Quek Siaw Miang was shortlisted as one of four finalists Mannheim University. Though I wasn’t from friendly locals, so I didn’t need to At the Brandenburg
Gate, one of
Nation Award for their “Gravitrap” project. The team worked with for the President’s Award for Teaching 2018 (Post- familiar with them, I wanted to learn use a map or GPS. Germany's most
the National Environment Agency (NEA) to develop the device that Secondary Education Institutions), Singapore’s highest something new and improve myself iconic landmarks.
traps and kills female mosquitos by using bait-water to lure them accolade for teaching excellence. Over 6,000 nominations – and what better way to do it than SAME, BUT DIFFERENT: I learnt
to a sticky tape. Its automated system pinpoints low levels of were received for the award, which is presented annually in a country that’s renowned for its from my roommates that Germany’s many students who were pursuing
bait-water which need to be refilled by staff, thus allowing NEA to on Teachers’ Day to exemplary teachers who have gone engineering expertise! Along the way, education system is very similar to their Bachelor or Master degrees. Even
allocate its manpower resources more efficiently. the extra mile for their students. I picked up new hardware and software Singapore’s. But university education housing rental would cost more than
skills too. Some of my projects included there is more affordable, so I met further education in Germany!
14 15
/ highlights / / the last page /
THE QUAKE THAT SHOOK NGEE ANN’S
COMMUNITY INTO ACTION
Over $30,000 raised for Lombok earthquake victims within a month Text: Melanie Wee
hen news of the first Lombok 555 fatalities and damaging almost
W earthquake broke in July, it
did not just rock the country
77,000 homes.
Within a day of the second
of Indonesia. It also shook a community earthquake, NP staff and students had
of Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) staff and set up a digital donation drive to raise
students, who had built strong bonds funds for the earthquake victims. Many
with the locals in Lombok, having contributed generously to the campus-
travelled there on community and wide drive, which raised over $30,000
Service-Learning trips since 2014. in a month, far surpassing the original
So, when the recent earthquakes $10,000 target.
hit the area, Mr Raja Mohammad The funds were channelled towards
Fairuz, a Senior Manager from the basic food provisions, rebuilding efforts
School of Design & Environment (DE), and shelter kits. In addition, four NP staff
was concerned. visited the area to deliver relief supplies
He said, “I started receiving and build shelters. While there, the team
WhatsApp updates from the villagers also tested out a prototype transitional
there after the first earthquake, which shelter called Shelter+, which is easily
had damaged some buildings.” A assembled using local materials. The low-
week later, a second 7.0 magnitude cost Shelter+ was developed by etc.lab, a
earthquake followed, destroying homes collaborative design and research centre
and buildings in the villages of Sembalun launched by DE.
Lawang and Sembalun Bumbung. In the past four years, over 200
“Some of the homes that we had students from various schools in NP
stayed in previously had collapsed as have visited villages in northern and
The appeal for digital donations which was sent
out to NP’s staff and students. they were built with bricks and concrete eastern Lombok, building libraries and
and were not reinforced,” added Mr kindergartens, and teaching IT and
Raja. In total, four earthquakes struck English classes as part of their Service-
Media coverage of NP’s fund-raising efforts
helped to raise awareness of the donation drive, the area within three weeks, causing Learning projects.
with over $30,000 collected.
BUILDING BONDS ACROSS BORDERS
A Special Connection with Lombok
Singapore and Lombok may be almost 3,000 kilometres apart, but for Ngee Ann Polytechnic staff and students
who have forged a special bond with the locals there, the distance is but a number. On their Service-Learning
trips to Lombok, our staff and students have been warmly welcomed into local communities. They have walked
into the lives of the villagers and understood their needs. And with a huge dose of empathy, they use their skills
and knowledge to build from scratch kindergartens and libraries, and run programmes for the little children. In
return, the villagers extend their hand of friendship. The chemistry is almost spontaneous, and the bonds built
Source: The Straits Times ©Singapore Press Holdings Limited.
over time and space are a beautiful reflection of a world without borders and prejudices.
Permission required for reproduction.
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