For one polytechnic student, the British Council helped make her dream of studying in the UK come true.

By Nabilah Husna A. Rahman

Growing up, Tee Ting Hui harboured a fascination with the UK, especially after seeing photographs of her cousins taken while they were there. Thus began her dream of studying in the UK, home to one of the world’s richest historical backgrounds and a plethora of cultures.

Known as an international cultural relations body for Britain, one of the British Council’s aims is to help bring students all over the globe together in an effort to strengthen cultural ties. For Ting Hui, the British Council assisted in making her dream a reality.

“British Council gave me the most useful advice, especially on module exemptions and culture in different parts of the UK. British Council has information on a wide range of universities, from which it is easier to choose the university that meets my criteria, academically and financially,” she recalls.

Three students share their rewarding experiences at Shelton, where they are exposed to a cosmopolitan student population and internship opportunities in preparation for the real world.

By Becky Lo

From a very young age, Vanessa d/o Sundrasagar has always known that she wanted to work in the media industry. Thus, when she was looking through her options in furthering her studies, the diverse and challenging mass communications modules offered at Shelton College International immediately caught her eyes.

The Maldives has long been a coveted holiday destination for many with its gorgeous beaches and crystal clear waters. However, for the TP students who went there for their internships, this idyllic island country is not just a tourist attraction but also a learning site beyond their classroom.

By Becky Lo

In October 2009, a group of 13 final-year Tourism & Hospitality students from Temasek Polytechnic (TP) were given the chance to work at the Four Seasons Resorts in Maldives as part of their internships. Among them were Joyce Xu and Ong Su Lin, both of whom had worked in the restaurants of two separate properties of the Four Seasons Resorts – Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giraavaru.

There is always a sea of opportunities in the flourishing maritime industry for the savvy. Sharpen your skills at YMCA-AMC and you may very well be riding a wave to a brighter future.

By Becky Lo

Since the founding of Singapore nearly two centuries ago, she has been a thriving port at the crossroads of the most important sea trade routes in the region. Her prime position has enabled the island state to grow into one of the busiest ports in the world. As such, the booming maritime industry increasingly needs a large pool of talent.

To ride on the waves of this, Srinivasan Chinta decided to further his studies in November 2006. He chose to take up a MBA related to maritime and logistics management awarded by Australian Maritime College (AMC) through the YMCA as he felt that the AMC is “the best place for maritime degrees”.

The pursuit for creative expression is instinctive to students from Raffles Design Institute, where an array of design-related programmes are available.

By Nabilah Husna A. Rahman

Step into the quaint campus of Raffles Design Institute and you’ll be greeted by an atmosphere of unique inventiveness made alive by the impressive display of students’ designs at its reception.

Established in 1990, the school develops creative professionals and entrepreneurs in the areas of Fashion Design, Interior Design, Interactive Media Design (Multimedia Design, Animation, and Games Design), 3D Design (Product, Furniture, and Jewellery Design), Graphic Design, and Fashion Marketing (Fashion Marketing & Management, Retail Management, and Fashion Communication & Journalism).

The education provider also spans major cities in China, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Vietnam, Australia, and New Zealand.

Stepping out, stepping up
Industry experience might kick-start a career in design, but propelling to success requires the support of a good foundation in design concepts.

Fashion Design student Zhang Xiaoqing has experienced this firsthand.

“Because what I studied in my previous college was very basic knowledge, I had to learn a lot of things by myself,” the 31-year-old reveals.

Backed by a reputation forged through 90 years, respected by contemporaries and renowned for its comprehensive syllabus encompassing both management and accountancy disciplines, CIMA stands out as a brilliant choice for leaders and professionals to get ahead and become a leader in their career.

By Azhar Jalil

“I think it’s important to have varied experiences, so that you come across as an interesting and well-rounded person during interviews,” Xie Jiayin says.

As a finance professional with Barclays Capital, the 23-year-old believes in higher and broader learning level to upgrade and improve both her practical skills and knowledge.

Hence, in a workforce environment where experience counts, it’s not difficult to see why she chooses to take up the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) qualification as part of her company’s graduate programme.

Accounting for more

While many accounting qualifications focus specifically on external audit and tax management training, CIMA prepares its students for a career in business by teaching skills in managing strategies, project and risk management, analytics that would assist in making important and key decisions.

Entering the workforce may, to most, mark their well-anticipated commencement from education into the adult world. But for early childhood educators Sumitra and Jessie, learning is just another day at the job.

By Nabilah Husna A. Rahman

The line between studying and working is a fine and often blurred one if you are in the early childhood education sector. This vocation entails quality education for the children and, at the same time, provides lifelong skill sets for the educators.

Starting off as an English teacher with NTUC First Campus in 2005, Sumitra Hari was able to obtain her Degree in Early Childhood Studies with Wheelock College through her employer’s ‘Interest Free Study Loan’ scheme. She has since progressed to her current position as Principal for My First Skool in Woodlands.

“When you’re a teacher, you look at things from a different perspective,” she says. “And when you’re a principal, it’s a holistic approach that you have to take. I’m growing and learning at the same time.”

The indistinct separation between work and study also manifests itself for Jessie Lim, a trainee teacher at My First Skool in Bukit Panjang. Her weekly two- to three-day attachment with the centre is a requirement for the one-year WSQ Professional Diploma in Early Childhood Care & Education (Accelerated) course, fully sponsored by NTUC First Campus.

Working in the media is not as easy and glamorous as it seems, but MDIS helps its students to get ahead of the game with hands-on experience and relevant teaching.

By Everlyn Lee

Fauzia Begum d/o Rashid Mohd, 22, adores the glitz and glamour of the media industry. A self-proclaimed linguistics person who “cannot see numbers”, she is positive that the media industry is where she wants to be. Through a diploma programme in Media & Communication awarded by the Singapore Polytechnic, she developed a greater understanding of the different aspects of the industry and is certain that she would love to build a career in the Public Relations industry specifically.

However, upon graduation, Fauzia felt that she was not yet ready to enter the industry and instead, joined the Ministry of Education as an allied educator in her alma mater to teach English. At the same time, Fauzia made plans for post-diploma education so as to better prepare herself for her dream industry.
After doing her research, she eventually set her eyes on the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) Business School and took up a Bachelor of Communications awarded by Edith Cowan University, one of Western Australia’s largest universities. More notably, its advertising and public relations courses are accredited by the International Advertising Association (IAA) and Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) respectively.

Teaching is a noble profession that requires a heart for youths, sound academic foundations, and effective communication skills. Thanks to UniSIM, one teacher is on her way to becoming a better educator.

By Everlyn Lee

Nur Farhana Bte Abdul Kader discovered her love and aptitude for the English Language and Literature as a student, and was since set on advocating the language by nurturing writing talents and reading enthusiasts. “I already knew I wanted to be a teacher back in secondary school and teach either English or Literature,” she says.

Upon graduating with a Diploma in Education offered by the National Institute of Education (NIE), Farhana taught for half a year before she decided to further her studies at SIM University (UniSIM), where she took up a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English and Literature on a part-time basis.

At UniSIM, lectures and tutorials are conducted on alternate weeks – one lecture or tutorial every week for each module. Typically, students submit three to four assignments per module and sit for a final examination at the end of each.

“Every single cent I invested in UniSIM was worth it. Face-to-face tutorials were very interactive, the tutors were extremely helpful and guided us throughout the whole course, and group discussions during classes were very stimulating,” enthuses Farhana.

Private education institutions cater to an increasing number of working professionals who are earnest to upgrade their skills and advance their careers.

By Roland Tan

In today’s competitive working world, most would agree that paper qualifications are paramount for opening up a vista of opportunities. Never mind about job performance because if you are not even given that first opportunity, it remains a non-starter however street-smart you may be.

Joel Poh, a Nanyang Polytechnic alumnus, discovered this for himself after working three years as a sales executive. “After a few years of working, I realised that a diploma is inadequate and business skills are relevant if one wants to move on to bigger things. I aspire to a corporate position where I can get to know more about how an organisation functions. The way to go is to upgrade my skills and work towards a degree,” he enthuses.

“I want a career that gives me a better work-life balance.”