dReam Alumni Magazine Mar 2018 Issue by Republic Polytechnic, Alumni Services

Issue 45 l March 2018

OUTDOOR FUN FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS PAGE 4

HOW TO STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION PAGE 13

www.alumni.rp.edu.sg 1

ISSUE 45 MAR 2018

ALUMNI

Together get in touch with fellow alumni

get connected with the latest buzz in RP

Alumni Services

get invited to exclusive events

manages Club Republic (Republic Polytechnic Alumni Club) to engage alumni and graduating students. Through existing communication platforms and services, alumni can stay connected with the institution, celebrate milestones and be supporters of, and advocates for, Republic Polytechnic.

Our Services

EDITOR’S NOTE

DISCOVERING HIS TRUE CALLING

OUTDOOR FUN FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS

SKILLSFUTURE EARN AND LEARN PROGRAMME (ELP)

SKILLSFUTURE EARN & LEARN PROGRAMME (ELP) FOR HOTELS SECTOR

DREAM TO START TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR MONEY!

dREam is a quarterly publication to keep graduates informed about the happenings in RP, continued education, career opportunities, networking sessions and more, in the hope of achieving their aspirations.

RP OPEN HOUSE 2018

HOW TO STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION

No part of the publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed or implied in dREam are those of the authors or contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

ALUMNI@RP EMAIL 5 WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED

CALENDAR OF EVENTS QUIZ TIME & dREam WINNER

DREAM. AN RP ALUMNI MAGAZINE. EVERYTHING STARTS FROM A DREAM.

PUBLISHER

Alumni Mentoring

Office of Student and Graduate Affairs Republic Polytechnic 9 Woodlands Avenue 9, Singapore 738964

EDITORIAL

Editor Nurhadi Khan B H K Designer PurpleCircle Design Pte Ltd

COPYEDITOR & PROOFREADER e-Skills Connect

Visit www.alumni.rp.edu.sg for more information

Grammar Goondu Biz No:53355136J

GENERAL ENQUIRIES

Email dream@rp.edu.sg Enquiries www.alumni.rp.edu.sg Facebook www.fb.com/alumniRP

EDITOR’S NOTE We’re almost at the halfway mark of the year. We hope you’ve had a flying start to 2018 thus far. As always, we’re excited to bring you the stories that matter to you here in dREam. In this issue, we present to you the inspiring story of Magdalene Lim, an alumnus of the School of Sports, Health and Leisure. Magdalene has made it her life mission to empower youths with special needs with outdoor skills, such as kayaking and rock climbing, to help them develop confidence in their own abilities. The world would be a much more compassionate place if there were more Magdalenes around. Next, meet Celeste Neo, who stepped out of her comfort zone to enrol in the Earn and Learn programme, and work in a hotel despite not having prior training or experience. She shares some tips with us on how to keep an open mindset. Nathaniel Ng is another alum who was not afraid to switch tracks and is now happy pursuing his calling. His story is on page 3.

DISCOVERING HIS

TRUE CALLING Nathaniel Ng is the sort of teacher whom you wish you had back when you were in school. He’s passionate, knowledgeable and friendly—he even won an award for ‘Most Friendly Teacher’. But few would know the varied path he took to get to where he is now. He graduated from RP with a Diploma in Mass Communication from the School of Management and Communication. It was only after trying out several jobs upon graduation that he realised teaching was his passion.

If you’re on the hunt for a job, score the best pointers on how to stand out from the competition in job interviews on page 13.

He then enrolled in the part-time Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), which allows him to work and study at the same time. He also managed to obtain a scholarship to help fund part of his studies.

Also check out page 15 for five ways to stay connected to your alma mater. We hope you have a fun time reading. Keep on rocking and we’ll see you in the June issue.

Not one to do things by halves, he threw himself into his studies at SUSS and represented SUSS at the S Rajaratnam Endowment-Youth Model ASEAN Conference. The conference helped him understand how ASEAN operates and allowed him to interact with international students. Currently teaching English and Maths at a primary school, Nathaniel had this piece of advice

“I chose to pursue my passions over what would earn more money. After all, money cannot buy the fulfilment that comes with pursuing your passions.”

for anyone pondering their life path,

KEEP YOUR PROFILE CURRENT! As an RP alumni, you will be able to update your personal particulars conveniently via the combination of SingPass and MyInfo platforms. MyInfo allows forms to be auto-filled with data pulled from various government agencies such as name, NRIC number, registered address, etc. Activate your profile now at https://www.singpass.gov.sg/myinfo if you have not done so. Thereafter, MyInfo will auto-populate with your most updated MyInfo particulars each time you update your particulars in the RP Alumni Portal. Hence, making your profile update with RP easier than ever.

DO YOUR PREFER TO RECEIVE YOUR DREAM IN HARDCOPY? Simply login to Graduates’ Portal at www.alumni.rp.edu.sg to indicate your preference under your personal profile now! (applicable for local addresses only)

OUTDOOR FUN FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS

SkillsFuture

Earn and Learn Programme (ELP)

School of Sports, Health and Leisure (SHL) alumnus, Magdalene Lim Mei Qi, is nothing short of a self-starter and change agent, in the eyes of her RP lecturers and peers. Magdalene, a 2017 graduate from the Diploma in Outdoor and Adventure Learning (DOAL), has a profound love for working with youths with special needs, and introducing the outdoors to them. During her RP days, she used her outdoor skills on various occasions to organise kayaking and rock climbing programmes for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from Starlight Club, a SHL industry partner.

Who is it for? Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents who are: • Fresh polytechnic graduates from relevant courses, within 3 years of graduation or completion of National Service (ORD), or • Current employees who have graduated from relevant courses/ORD for more than 3 years but within 5 years.

On 20 Jan 2018, Magdalene returned to RP to manage a 3-hour high elements challenge for the Starlight Club participants. She rallied 17 DOAL students and 5 of her fellow alumni to volunteer for this programme. Magdalene shared about her experience,

“It’s very fulfilling to witness the participants overcoming their fears as they scaled the high elements and rock wall, and to see the DOALers by their side, encouraging and guiding them along the way. Most of our special needs participants have never had the chance to experience such high elements.”

Magdalene’s goal is to pass this project on to the junior DOALers batch by batch; and to keep it going for the long run. Not only do her efforts bring joy to the children, DOALers benefit by applying their outdoor skills to this meaningful cause. Magdalene is currently employed as a Project Executive at Camp Challenge, where she is involved in character development for youths through high-impact and values-centric programmes.

A 12 to 18-months work-learn programme designed in collaboration with industry to give fresh graduates a head-start in careers related to their discipline of study by acquiring relevant work experience and skills valued by the industry and sectors.

What are the benefits? 1. Sign-On Incentive of $50001 2. Workplace Mentorship 3. Structured Training and Career Development Programme 4. Articulation to University2 5. Industry-Recognised Certifications

DOAL Alumni, Magdalene Lim, briefing DOAL students about special needs participants

1 For fresh graduates who are Singapore Citizens. 2 Advanced standing or credit exemption for the relevant degree programmes in certain sectors, subject to meeting the course entry requirements.

What are the ELPs at RP? Specialist Diploma in Hospitality Business Management Aspiring hoteliers will be able to deepen their understanding of hotel business operations and revenue generation through this 12-month ELP.

Specialist Diploma in Supply Chain Management This 12-month course aims to equip participants with relevant skills and knowledge in the field of supply chain management, including areas of pharmaceutical, bio-chemical supply chain and cold chain management. Log on to http://www.rp.edu.sg/ace_elp.aspx to find out more on the courses available and the application procedure.

Your old laptop can

MAKE a difference

SKILLSFUTURE EARN & LEARN PROGRAMME (ELP) FOR

HOTELS SECTOR BY Celeste Neo Specialist Diploma in Hospitality Business Management (ELP) 2018

Unlike many of my classmates in the Earn and Learn Programme (ELP), I graduated with a Diploma in Customer Relationship and Service Management (DCRSM), now known as Diploma in Customer Experience Management with Business (DCXB). The difference between my classmates and I was that most of them had had prior training or experience working in a hotel, but I had not. So when I received an email with an offer to work and learn in a hotel while getting my specialist diploma, I thought: “Why not?”

New laptops are bought to replace old, slow laptops in Singapore every day. If your old laptop is gathering dust at home, simply donate it to Republic Polytechnic. It will help benefit a needy student from among the roughly 50% of RP students with household incomes below $1,500. You will help reduce e-waste and equip a deserving RP student with a laptop. Now that’s a double-win!

I had no idea which hotel brand would be suitable for me, or if the management would be accommodating of inexperienced employees like me. Though my friend and I signed up to work for the same brand, we ended up in different hotels. At first, I was worried as I did not have familiar people around me. However, once I got more settled in my role, the camaraderie I forged with my colleagues made me proud of my decision. At Pan Pacific Singapore, I was offered the chance to work in the Rooms Management Department. It’s a different role from the more commonlyknown ones like front-desking or housekeeping. This role requires staff to reply all guest emails, update guests’ profiles and attend to all their requests. All these honed my skills in professional writing, maintaining a calm demeanour in the face of individuals venting strong emotions and treating my fellow hoteliers right.

My advice for you would be to go with an open mind. If like me, you have not had an internship with a hotel before, look forward to the things you can learn. Also, as you are still young, give it a shot—you have nothing to lose. With my manager (R) at the office

Discover Your Hotel Career Pathway with our Earn and Learn Programmes Aligned with SkillsFuture initiatives, School of Hospitality offers a range of workshops and professional development courses to put you and your company at the hospitality forefront. • SkillsFuture Credit applies • Alumni can enjoy 10% discount off Continuing Education and Training programmes

Donate now! Email us at help-graduate@rp.edu.sg for more information.

EARN-AND-LEARN PROGRAMMES FOR FRESH GRADUATES • Specialist Diploma in Hospitality Business Management for fresh Polytechnic graduates

• Programme leading to Diploma in Business Practice (Hospitality Management) for fresh ITE graduates

YOUR LEARNING NEVER STOPS WITH OUR CET PROGRAMMES FOR WORKING PROFESSIONALS • Part-time Diploma in Business Practice (Hospitality Management)

• Short courses in customer experience, events, food and beverage, hotel and wellness management • Customised workshops for companies

Scan the QR code to visit our website https://www.rp.edu.sg/soh/lifelong-learning for more information on our programmes or full list of entry requirements. For enquiries, please email elp-hotel@rp.edu.sg

Dream to Start Taking Control of Your Money! It is never too late to start taking control of your money matters. Get started by thinking about how you manage your money every day and what goals you have for the future that will cost money, e.g. further education, a wedding, your retirement and so on and so forth. In this issue of dREam, let’s talk about how to manage your money!

STARTING WORK As you transition from student life into the workforce, most of you will become financially selfreliant for the first time. These are exciting times—who wouldn’t feel a sense of elation when we see our first salary being credited into our bank accounts? But few of us can afford to spend our money without care. Some of us may already have responsibilities—you may have dependants counting on you financially, perhaps elderly parents or younger siblings who do not have any income of their own. There may also be student loans to clear off quickly too. Even if you land your dream job, or secure your dream income, you can still land yourself in trouble if you are not sufficiently armed with knowledge of how to manage your finances. Money management skills are a must-have.

CONTROL YOUR SPENDING AND CREDIT USAGE • It is quite natural to want to reward yourself for your hard work but do keep this in perspective. If the latest must-have designer bag or IT gadget takes up a generous chunk of your monthly income, maybe you should rethink the concept of reward, especially since these items are not investments and lose their value almost immediately. Little self-control and a strong urge to splurge can only spell trouble in the longer run.

account? Share thoughts with like-minded professionals and engage with your favourite lecturers at RP’s LinkedIn page!

• As the old adage goes, always spend within your means (but this doesn’t mean it’s ok to spend everything you earn). Think hard before you borrow. Getting a loan or credit line should only be a last resort because of the costs you will incur and the complications involved if you cannot keep up with your debt commitments.

MANAGING YOUR INCOME Identify your disposable income (i.e. how much of your salary is left after paying taxes and CPF, rent or contribution for your share of household expenses to your parents, etc.) and make sure your monthly expenditure does not exceed what is left of your income. Having trouble keeping track of your spending? Fret not and read on.

LEARN TO MAKE A BUDGET A practical way of managing your disposable income and monitoring your expenditure is to draw up a budget. A simple one can be planned in just three steps: 1. List all your daily living expenses (transport, meals and rent, contribution to household expenses, etc.). 2. Decide how much of your salary you intend to spend on each item and stick to it strictly. 3. Set aside the rest of your pay and save it. Start with realistic amounts first (maybe $200 per month) and aim to work towards saving at least 10% of your pay. Save more if you can.

Do remember to review your budget every now and then. You may find that your intended expense limits are unrealistic—they may be lower or higher than they really are. If you need assistance, use an online budget calculator. Don’t be too discouraged if you have not been able to follow your budget closely. Motivate yourself to try harder next month by keeping your financial goals in mind: it’s never too early to save for your retirement, for your parents’ expenses when they retire if they are counting on you, your dream flat or a dream holiday.

Have a

The information above was prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Social and Family Development, Monetary Authority of Singapore and the dREam Editorial team.

Scan the QR code to go to RP’s LinkedIn page now!

RP OPEN

HOUSE 2018

BE AN

How to

ALUMNI

Stand Out From the

Volunteer And Make a Positive Difference Today!

Club/IG Advisor

Resource Speaker

Academic Coach

Industry Mentor

Outreach Ambassador

If you think you have the expertise, passion, time and energy to make a positive difference, Republic Polytechnic (RP) welcomes your contributions as an Alumni Volunteer.

Donor

Competition

1. Be open to interim positions or consulting projects.

2. Consider posts that are a pay grade, or title, below your most recent position.

http://community.jobscentral.com.sg/node/1536

Be an Alumni Academic Coach and guide your juniors to ace their modules or provide valuable feedback during academic reviews.

You’ll be positioned to exceed expectations and possibly turn the “downgrade” into a dream job later on. This is a particularly relevant strategy at organisations with reputations for promoting from within. By consistently over-performing and demonstrating your value to the company, you will ensure that you are at the top of its shortlist when more prestigious opportunities become available.

3. Be willing to relocate — domestically or even internationally.

Do you have great ideas about governance, curriculum, event planning and communications? Be an Alumni Club/IG Advisor to your CCA groups or serve on the Republic Polytechnic Alumni Committee (RPAC). Be an Alumni Resource Speaker and share your experience related to industry, career and advancement.

These will allow you to draw an income, keep your skills fresh and position yourself for prime roles once regular hiring levels return. So-called independent workers now comprise more than 30% of the American workforce, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, demonstrating an increased willingness on the part of employers and professionals to consider unconventional working arrangements. With many companies unable to hire full-time employees, highly-seasoned project, or temporary, professional workers are an appealing alternative.

Look for opportunities that might ultimately keep you at the cutting edge of your field. While demand for talent will certainly rebound world-wide over time, job creation for top professionals may be more robust in emerging economies such as Brazil, Russia, India and China in the near-term. Career success in any type of job market is often as much about perseverance, preparation and timing as it is about talent and passion. Keeping an open mind about the path you take to reach your long-term career objectives is one of the best ways to ensure that you are seen as highly marketable. It will stimulate organisations— even those challenged by poor economic conditions—to see the advantage of hiring you.

Contribute as an Alumni Industry Mentor and share your expertise, skill sets and knowledge with potential mentees on various platforms. Support RP events such as Open House, Orientation Programme, Career Fair and Graduation Ceremony as an Alumni Outreach Ambassador. Make a difference and provide the best educational experience for your juniors by giving back to RP as an Alumni Donor. No amount is too small.

Visit www.alumni.rp.edu.sg for more information

It’s and it’ll last you a lifetime!

BE AN

ALUMNI

– brought to you by Alumni Services, Republic Polytechnic

Mentor and Mentee

alumni@rp email—your complimentary, lifelong email account that immediately identifies you as a member of the Republic Polytechnic community! Evoke your sense of pride and belonging to Republic Polytechnic by using an alumni@rp email account. alumni@rp uses the email address format userid@alumni.myrp.edu.sg and helps you stay connected with your friends long after you have graduated. It is your gateway to maintaining strong bonds with other alumni and serves as a lifelong connection between you and your alma mater.

Have any burning questions related to internship, career advancement or further studies?

You need only one EASY STEP to start using your alumni@rp email account! Simply email us at help-graduate@rp.edu.sg and we will provide you with the link and user ID to log in with.

Now, you can seek help from an Alumni Mentor and get a step closer to succeed academically and professionally! If you think you have the expertise, passion, time and energy to make a positive difference, this is your chance to contribute back to RP as an Alumni Mentor!

What can you gain from an Alumni Mentor?

Connect with your juniors and fellow alumni through sharing of useful tips and advice on internships, industry attachments or further studies. Be a good role model, inspire others through your success stories and motivate them to achieve excellence and scale greater heights.

Visit www.alumni.rp.edu.sg for more information

This service is currently available for PET (full-time) students only. We are looking to expand this service to CET (part-time) students soon.

WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED WITH YOUR ALMA MATER!

Discover realistic expectations of the industry or further studies under the guidance and support of an Alumni Mentor with relevant working or study experience

Gain useful survival tips and coping skills in the primary stages of your career or education upon graduation

Set short and long-term goals that will aid in your decision making process related to internship/career planning/ further studies

LET YOUR ALMA MATER ORGANISE YOUR GATHERING

USE YOUR CLUB REPUBLIC CARD TO GET BIRTHDAY GIFTS FOR YOUR LOVED ONES

READ dREam MAGAZINE

GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO YOUR ALMA MATER

MAKE A DONATIONBANK IN YOUR KARMA CREDIT

Stay connected with your alma mater through the official RP alumni Facebook fanpage at www.facebook.com/ alumniRP

Your gift will make a difference to the well-being of financially-needy students. It frees them from financial worries and allows them to concentrate on pursuing academic excellence at RP. Logon to www.alumni.rp.edu.sg

Have your professional, social and personal needs met through our diverse range of alumni programmes.

This card identifies you as an alumnus and offers you exclusive benefits and discounts. Apply for your Club Republic Card at www.alumni.rp.edu.sg

Be updated on campus activities through this complimentary quarterly publication. Also available online at www.alumni.rp.edu.sg

Get Rewarded CALENDAR OF

for reading

EVENTS

CASH VOUCHERS!

MAY

QUIZ FOR MAR ISSUE

* Dates subject to changes

1 May 2018

Labour Day

2 to 4 May 2018

Name any of the new alumni volunteers scheme?

7 to 9 May 2018 RPAC Meeting

12 May 2018

One Heart

29 May 2018

Vesak Day

JUNE 7 June 2018

RPAC Meeting

19 June 2018

Hari Raya Puasa

To participate, simply email your answer to dREam@RP.edu.sg with your name, NRIC, and Club Republic membership number. Closing date for the contest is 31 May 2018. All winners will be notified by email.

dREam Dec 2017 Contest Winners

All December 2017 winners will be notified through email

RP Alumni only

WINNERS GET

Graduation Ceremony

10 May 2018

Exclusive to

Club Republic is an alumni club exclusively for Republic Polytechnic (RP) alumni. As a Club Republic member, you will enjoy many privileges such as the use of campus facilities, invites to exclusive events and a discounted rate for membership with the RP Library. Plus, you get to enjoy great deals from Club Republic merchants and special discounts from the Academy for Continuing Education@RP (ACE@RP) for its Continuing Education and Training (CET) Programmes. Sign up for your Club Republic membership today to enjoy various benefits and stay connected with RP. To find out more, log on to the RP Alumni Portal at www.alumni.rp.edu.sg or visit the RP Alumni Facebook Fanpage at www.fb.com/alumniRP today!

Special discount for CET programmes

Visit www.alumni.rp.edu.sg for more information