Left: Kenny Khoo | Right: Phua Jia Kai

From operating advanced machinery to protecting the people you love, a career with the RSAF allows you to make a real difference. It really is time to let your dreams take flight.

By Farhan Shah

Many years ago, there were two young boys who wanted to pursue their love for aviation. They found it with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).

For 30-year-old Major (MAJ) Kenny Khoo, his fascination with aviation sprouted when he witnessed the RSAF Black Knights in action. Singapore’s military aerial aerobatics team, the Black Knights are a group of elite pilots who perform daring manoeuvres in the air.

The second young boy was Captain (CPT) Phua Jia Kai. “The culture and image of the RSAF as a dynamic and professional organisation, with that extra bit of ‘cool’ appealed to me,” the 27-year-old reveals.

With this resolve firmly in mind, the duo signed on the dotted line of their respective scholarships without any hesitation. CPT Phua, a recipient of the SAF Overseas Scholarship, went to the London School of Economics & Political Science to major in Government and Economics. Thereafter, he travelled over the Atlantic Ocean to Harvard University for his Master’s degree in Arts & Social Sciences.

As for MAJ Khoo, he decided to take an unconventional route, studying Aeronautical Engineering at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) instead. “One of the reasons I decided to study at the ADFA was to experience the military culture of another country. I’m glad I took this route; the regimentation that I experienced in the Academy has instilled in me a sense of discipline and independence that is absolutely crucial to succeed in life,” MAJ Khoo says.

In The Beginning

Top: Huang Liang | Bottom: Ng Choon Guang

Singapore is one of the most connected countries in the world, with more than 80% of the population possessing an Internet broadband connection. And the industry is taking even more rapid strides towards becoming a global infocomm hub, with companies such as HP Labs, IBM and Oracle setting up critical IT functions in Singapore to serve the region. Two National Infocomm Scholarship recipients share their ventures into the burgeoning frontier of technology.

By Mabel Tan

Unlike other revolutions that happen once, the world of technology is constantly experiencing revolution, rapidly evolving from one stage to the next. In the 1990s, the Internet was just a budding technological discovery. Today, the Internet has become an essential and central component of our lives.

25-year-old Ng Choon Guang, a Systems Engineer from Avaya, admitted that he never thought the world would be as connected as it is today.

Choon Guang: “In the past, IT was solely used by enterprises. But with the rise of Wi-Fi and instant messaging systems, the Internet has become a global village, connecting people from around the world. The infocomm industry is fast-moving and rapidly growing as technology becomes more ‘consumerised’. To me, this is really exciting!”

An example of a consumer technology set to be launched in Singapore by mid-2012 is the Near Field Communications (NFC) mobile payment project, adds 29-year-old NFC Project Manager Huang Liang, who is an Assistant Manager at the Finance, Tourism, and Business Services Department with the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA).

Left: Ang Chye Peng | Right: Aqil Esmail

Environmental advocates all over the world are clamouring for people to control the rapid depletion of environmental resources in efforts to secure the future of mankind. We speak to two public officers from NEA and PUB to find out what Singapore is doing.

By Mabel Tan

Over the past decades, humankind has faced the threat of possible self-destruction. While the indisputable idea of development may seem oxymoronic to sustainability, there is an impending need to mitigate the eco-toxic effects of environmental pollutants that have accumulated in our ecosystem.

“Climate change is happening as a result of uncontrolled human activity, such as rapid deforestation and widespread use of fossil fuels in power stations,” 30-year-old Ang Chye Peng says.

The Acting Senior Manager of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Department at the National Environment Agency (NEA) adds, “If we don’t act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change, we may experience more extreme temperatures, heat waves and more frequent heavy rainfall in all cities, including Singapore.”

24-year-old Aqil Esmail, a Master’s degree holder in Economics and Senior Officer at the3P Network Department of national water agency PUB, agrees fully with Chye Peng.

“We have to work towards self-sustainability. But at the same time, we have to minimise the impact that it has on the environment,” says the London School of Economics alumnus.

Save the Environment, Save the Earth

Many students enter a degree programme with no clue of what to expect. Some flounder and some survive but what matters most, according to one Law student, is finding your path by the time you graduate from the programme.

By Mabel Tan

If you are an aspiring lawyer, like 20-year-old Zeslene Mao, she has the one piece of advice for you: You really can’t tell how much you’ll like law school until you’re in it.

The NUS Undergraduate (Merit) Scholar initially wanted to major in English Literature but was convinced otherwise by her parents, who thought having a Law degree would be a better option.

Despite her initial apprehensions, the second-year Bachelor of Law student is now having the time of her life in university.

Left: Jin Wei Krishnan | Right: Lim Xin Yi

A double degree may require much more academic effort but to these two NTU students, developing oneself, meeting new people, and spending time in school fruitfully are just as important.

By Benjamin Lim

One would be surprised to learn that Jin Wei Krishnan, a Nanyang Scholarship recipient at NTU once envisioned a different educational path.

The 21-year-old initially wanted to study in an overseas university but on the advice of his family, Jin Wei decided that studying in a local institute would be more beneficial instead.

“When I was deciding on a university course after receiving my ‘A’ level results, it seemed natural for me to choose business and accountancy because both my parents are working in the industry,” says the ex-Innova Junior College student.

With all three universities in Singapore offering business degrees it was a tough decision to make, but after doing some research Jin Wei was ultimately won over by the Nanyang Business School (NBS) of NTU.

By JobsCentral editorial team

Further education is essential for career progression, or even survival, in the modern corporate world. Yet, there is a declining trend in the number of Singaporeans intending to upgrade their skill sets in recent years.

According to the 2011 JobsCentral Learning Rankings & Survey, which polled 3,413 Singapore residents between the ages of 16 and 65 between August and September 2011, about 3 out of every 10 respondents reveal that they have no intentions of pursuing further education – an increase from 2 in every 10 in 2009.

By Juliet Soh

70.3% of the respondents expect pay increases of at least 25% more after obtaining their next level of academic qualifications, according to the 2011 JobsCentral Learning Rankings & Survey. Further, 22.8% of young working adults expect to be paid at least 50% more.

A total of 3,413 respondents took the 2011 JobsCentral Learning Rankings & Survey, which was conducted online from August to September this year. The survey respondents were predominantly young working adults aged 21-40 years old. This survey has an error margin of 1.68%, at a 95% confidence level and has been conducted every year since 2009.

Despite having a plethora of Mass Communications programmes to choose from, one student decided that the programme at MDIS was the one for her. We sit down with her as she shares with us her experiences in the institute.

By Farhan Shah

UC Berkeley is responsible for discovering 16 chemical elements, more than any other university in the world, and at least 66 Nobel laureates have been affiliated with Berkeley – as alumni, faculty or researchers. We talk to the Chancellor when he dropped by Singapore for the Spring Reception at the Ritz Carlton.

By Farhan Shah

Established in 1868, the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) is one the world’s most renowned academic institutes for producing distinguished and talented graduates.

Recently coming in at fourth spot in the 2011 Times Higher Education University Ranking, UC Berkeley continually attracts some of the brightest minds to its campus despite experiencing cuts in funding from the state of California.

We talk to Robert Joseph Birgeneau, Chancellor of UC Berkeley, and find out more about the university, its numerous collaborations with Singapore, and what he plans to do after he finishes his term.