Ng Sin Yi developed a growing fondness for her studies after learning some of life’s lessons and attending classes at the Management Development Institute of Singapore

By Ashley Choo

A decision had to be made between studying for an important examination and planning a large birthday party. Ng Sin Yi has had to face predicaments like this before. And as always, she chose the latter option.

Unlike on earlier occasions, guilt was an uninvited guest at this birthday party. “I was worried about my examination results,” she laughed nervously.

The 20-year-old’s attitude towards her academic grades was quite different when she was still a student at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College West. Leading a more free-spirited life then, she “wasn’t interested in studying.” Now however, she harbours some regret for “not having studied hard enough and gaining admission into a polytechnic.”

Taking charge of her life, she decided to pursue a Diploma in Business Management with the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS). This decision, as Sin Yi declares, is a blessing.

The right choice
Sin Yi had noted that she was facing difficulties getting a job with just a Higher National ITE Certificate. What she needed were qualifications that would increase her employability.

After graduating from ITE in March 2008, she wasted no time in looking for a diploma programme to enrol in. Motivated by her friends’ recommendations and testimonials and also attracted by the courses offered at the established institute, Sin Yi chose MDIS.

Sin Yi could have chosen to take up a Diploma in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Management under MDIS’ School of Tourism and Hospitality. Eventually however, she took up a Diploma in Business Management offered by MDIS in collaboration with the University of Bradford, UK.

An easy transition
Sin Yi felt a greater sense of familiarity with the management course as she had previously majored in Business IT. This helped to ease her academic transition from ITE into a diploma programme. Also, the eight modules that management students had to go through were diverse in terms of subject matter. For example, Sin Yi noted that the Organisational Behaviour module gave her an idea of what event management is about.

In contrast to the three-year polytechnic courses, MDIS compresses the curriculum to allow students to complete a diploma within six-and–a-half months. This is possible by eliminating the need to take up internships and working on final-year projects. Aside from attending lectures regularly, all she needs to do are just assignments.

Still, that keeps Sin Yi on her toes. “It’s actually quite stressful,” she explains, “We do one topic a day for each lecture which means I have to buck up and do my revision as soon as I get home; otherwise it’s very tough for me to catch up!”

Sin Yi’s growing enthusiasm for her studies is reflected in her grades. While others may consider accounting modules to be dry and boring, she found her Business Accounting & Finance module impressive and interesting. Sin Yi scored a commendable ‘B’ in the subject, despite being relatively new in the field.

For her good grades and grasp over the subject, she has her MDIS lecturer to thank. He made accounting seem “less technical and easy to understand.” She is also fond of another easy going and humorous lecturer who helped in preparing her for the examinations. More importantly, he worked with Sin Yi’s often wavering attention span and kept her interested.

A global experience
Sin Yi’s current class is also a melting pot of culture. She has classmates from Indonesia, Vietnam and China. Despite an occasional language barrier, she likes that MDIS gave her the opportunity to understand different nationalities and cultures.

Looking to the future
As soon as Sin Yi graduates, this extrovert is looking forward to working outdoors in a dynamic environment in an industry such as event management. She believes that equipped with the skills learnt in the programme, a variety of jobs and opportunities will be accessible to her.

Now it will be up to Sin Yi’s grades at the end of the year before she decides on her next move. She first joined the course thinking that she her ultimate goal would be in gaining a diploma. Now, with her interest piqued by theory based academic programmes, Sin Yi is toying with the idea of pursuing either an advanced diploma or a degree.

For Sin Yi, MDIS will be the natural choice for furthering her studies. As she simply puts it, “I feel at home here.”

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