One LTA scholar shares his zeal for contributing to the improvement of Singapore's transport system.

By Lim Yan Wen

As a child, Ho Chin Ning had always been fascinated with the notion of transport. “I always wondered who determines the duration for the green man to appear and change, and now I know it's my colleagues at the Land Transport Authority (LTA),” says the 26-year-old.

Chin Ning's deep curiosity for all things related to transport turned out to be a major driving force behind his career choice. After being selected for the LTA scholarship, the Raffles Junior College alumnus proceeded to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Cornell University, followed by a Master of Science in Transportation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the space of four years.

Before you shudder upon hearing the word 'taxation', hear what two scholars from IRAS have to say about the organisation – it definitely offers more than just taxing work!

By Lim Yan Wen

If your knowledge about taxation is limited to the Benjamin Franklin quote “In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes”, it might come as a pleasant surprise that there is much more to the business of taxation in a modern economy such as Singapore's.

Just ask Accountancy graduate Linda Cheng. The 23-year-old, who graduated from the Nanyang Business School in Nanyang Technological University (NTU), chose the course based on advice from her cousins. “I have cousins who are auditors and they suggested that I could try this field, and I do not regret my choice,” the Raffles Junior College alumnus says.

If a scholarship that goes beyond the usual package intrigues you, then SPRING’s Executive Development Scholarship may be just what you’re looking for!

By Lim Yan Wen

Be Your Own Boss
From her bright smile to her rapid fire chatter, Arvinder Kaur’s enthusiasm for knowledge, life and creativity is contagious. The 20-year-old is among the batch of 45 scholars that SPRING Singapore welcomed with open arms in June 2009.

Arvinder had seen posters promoting the Executive Development Scholarship (EDS) on the campus of the National University of Singapore (NUS), where she is currently pursuing a degree in Sociology. The EDS’s tagline, “Be Your Own Boss”, caught her attention because of the sense of empowerment these simple words gave her.

If the wonders of science have always captured your imagination, a scholarship with A*STAR might be your perfect gateway to explore the boundless scientific realms, as scholars Pua Khian Hong and Gladia Chork will tell you.

By Lim Yan Wen

Not everyone is cut out for a career in doing scientific research. But guided by a fervent passion for science, a proactive attitude and an inquiring mind, a career in research can be a fulfilling one.

Just ask Pua Khian Hong – the 24-year-old scholar with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is currently serving a one-year attachment with the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN). The bespectacled young man graduated in May 2009 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with a double major in Biochemistry and Chemistry.

Two healthcare professionals at NUH share the meaning behind their work, what continually inspires them, and where their careers are headed.

By Lim Yan Wen

Radiation therapy is a branch of medical treatment that most people do not fully comprehend, until they are faced with the need to understand it better.

This is precisely what Serene Cher experienced when a close friend was diagnosed with leukaemia about seven years ago. Her firsthand experience of being there for her friend as she went through treatment exposed her to the importance of the healthcare profession, and in particular, radiation therapy. This friend's subsequent passing had an inspirational and catalytic impact on Serene, and was her impetus for deciding to join the ranks of the healthcare industry as a Radiation Therapist.

“I've always been interested in the health science profession, but it was seeing my friend go through therapy that got me exposed to this area, and her passing motivated me to pursue Radiation Therapy to save lives,” Serene says.

Given her interest in health science and deep conviction in helping cancer patients put up a good fight, Serene sought out a scholarship awarded by the National Healthcare Group (NHG) to study Radiation Therapy – a medical treatment for controlling and eliminating malignant cancer cells.

With their constant innovations and breakthroughs, the industries of personal care and food technology never fail to fascinate. Now, meet the people who work hard to blend the subtleties of taste and smell into our personal care products.

By Lim Yan Wen

If you have ever wondered how toothpaste gets its flavour and the liquid soap has its fragrance, a career at Symrise will be an adventure.

Alice Leong graduated from Singapore Polytechnic (SP) with a diploma in Food Technology in 2002 and joined Symrise as an Application Technician. Today, Alice has completed her training by Symrise and works as a Junior Flavourist within the Scent & Care Division. She shares that it was by sheer coincidence that she returned to Symrise for a permanent job, having done her school attachment with this global leader in fragrances and flavours.

“The team here is very united and cooperative. All the colleagues and bosses provide a conducive working environment and give me a lot of support in my area of work,” Alice explains, with regard to the draw of working in Symrise.

Create and evaluate
Dressed in her white laboratory coat, Alice looks every bit the scientist of flavours. Her enthusiasm for her work is evident as she discusses her day at Symrise. Alice’s job scope mainly involves applying flavours into oral care products such as toothpastes and mouthwashes. However, she also does housekeeping for the raw materials library in Symrise, where hundreds of smell and flavour samples are kept.

Fuelled by her love for Business Management, Charlotte shares how her work at SPRING helps to develop local enterprises.

By Lim Yan Wen

Clad in a fitting black jacket complete with heels that exude confidence, Charlotte Lin is in her element when she enthuses about her work in SPRING Singapore. “I've always wanted to work in businesses, or anything related to business and marketing,” Charlotte says.

The 25-year-old, who has worked with SPRING for close to three years, is now a Manager who holds concurrent appointments in Retail and the International Partnership Office (Europe) (IPO). Armed with a degree in Business Management from the Singapore Management University (SMU), Charlotte has a double major in Marketing and Corporate Communications.

This academic combination has prepared her well for her work with SPRING today. Besides accumulating classroom knowledge, Charlotte gained invaluable networking skills and knowledge through overseas exchange and immersion stints in Sweden's Lund University and Switzerland’s St Gallen University, as well as a business study mission trip to Silicon Valley in the United States.

Staying in the same company for 15 years might seem implausible to career-switching professionals of today. But for one veteran, the decision to join and stay put in Accenture is the best career choice he has made.

By Lim Yan Wen

Mok Juang-Wei graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1991. He chose this major because of his aptitude for Mathematics and the Sciences. After graduating, he realised that his career options were aplenty.

“I spent three months deciding, and along the way, consulting came up as one of the jobs where you can do a lot of things at once,” Juang-Wei says. The diversity and eclectic nature of consulting became a major draw for him to join Accenture, a leading management and technology consulting company that started its operations in Singapore in 1975.

Working Within Constraints
While the fields of engineering and consulting seem unrelated, Juang-Wei reckons that the beauty of university education lies not in its professional association with one's future career, but in the intangible skills that one learns along the way.

A warm corporate culture, energetic employees, and a commitment to excel – that is the winning formula adopted by Deloitte Singapore to strive in the changing economy.

By Lim Yan Wen

Philip Yuen has certainly come a long way from his early days as an auditor in the professional services industry. The bespectacled senior audit partner also holds the position of Chief of Operations at Deloitte – a dynamic and challenging profession which also requires long hours of commitment.

After graduating with a degree in Computer Science from the University of Liverpool, Philip obtained his professional qualification in Accountancy with Deloitte Haskins & Sells in the United Kingdom where he worked as an auditor in the early 90s. Over the years, he has moved through several roles which also involve managing and developing talents – an aspect of his work that gives him great satisfaction.

“I enjoy dealing with people a lot. It is very fulfilling for me to see our people grow from a junior auditor to a manager and even partner within the firm. When it comes to serving our clients, there is also a great sense of achievement for me as we help in the development of our clients, some growing from a small set-up to a listed company and then expanding regionally,” Philip says.

For Jeffrey Cai, an EDB scholarship has opened the door to a career where assimilating various viewpoints is a daily challenge he takes on with great relish.

By Lim Yan Wen

Candidate description
Jeffrey Cai
FIREfly Scholar (EDB)
Designation: Assistant Head, Transport Engineering, EDB
Studied: Chemical Engineering and Economics, University of Minnesota
Master’s in Quantitative Economics, Columbia University in New York

If you are contemplating which step to take now that your ‘A’ levels are over, FIREfly scholar Jeffrey Cai will throw you two questions.

“Consider these first: ‘Do I want an overseas education?’ and ‘Is there something I want to do at this point in time?’ If you find yourself interested in public service, then maybe taking on a scholarship is a good path for you,” says Jeffrey.