am dRE
An RP Alumni Newsletter Issue 6 June 2008
Everything starts from a dream
Class of 2008 Graduation Party Find out the scoop on our retro-licious party.
What’s H@ppening RP Orientation Programme - Leaping into History! Graduate Spotlight RP graduates organise their very own bash. Watchout!! Career Management 101 - everything you need to know but never got to ask.
+ Graduation Ceremony 2008 highlights
I hope all our RP graduates are getting busy with life, because we sure are, here at dREam! This quarter saw many significant events happening in RP. We took some time to talk to graduates from the Class of 2008 to find out their thoughts and feelings as they left RP for good. Two of our graduates share with dREam their personal accounts of Graduation Ceremony 2008. Find out more, on Pg4 and 5. With graduation also comes the annual Graduation Party to celebrate the coming of age of our graduates! This year, the theme for the Graduation Party was Fever! – needless to say, it was a retro-licious party. All of our graduates came dressed for the occasion and had loads of fun with Jean Danker as hostess for the evening. Want to know what else took place? Read more on Page 2 & 3.
PUBLISHER Office of Student and Graduate Affairs 9, Woodlands Avenue 9, Singapore 738964 EDITORIAL Editor Art work Advertising
Vanessa Choo dream@rp.sg Tay Ling tay_ling@rp.sg Vanessa Choo dream@rp.sg
It was not just goodbyes this quarter. There were new additions to RP’s big family, as we welcomed our new students. Over 8000 students enrolled into RP this year, and there were many fun-packed activities to induct them into RP. This year’s Orientation saw a whole host of games, but on top of that, RP also took part in the attempt to break the world record in the Leap Frog. And guess what? We leap frogged into HISTORY! OSG staff Siti Sarah tells us more on page 6 and 7.
Contributors Michael Lim Deki Soh Bryanmaguire Chia Maya Murni Clinston Tan Siti Sarah Supri
Service-Learning also stepped into the limelight this quarter with the launch of the Tan Ean Kiam Service-Learning Centre (TEKSLRC). Senior Minister of State, Mr Lui Teck Yew, graced the event which marked an important milestone for Service-Learning in RP. Find out more on Pg 8.
General Enquiries dream@rp.sg
For those graduates interested in the Arts, TRCC has given us an update on Arts Platter (Pg 10), where Hafiz, one of our RP graduates and ex-RP Idol, came back to perform. Have some career questions and no one to turn to? No worries! We got in touch with a career counselor who will answer any burning question (Pg 13). We hope this issue of dREam is exciting and a good read for all of you. Write to us if you have any queries at Help-Graduate@rp.sg . Till the next issue, take care! Graduate Services – Adding mileage to your bright future. Vanessa Choo Editor
Nurhadi
URL www.rp.sg/grad dREam. An RP Alumni Newsletter. Everything starts from a dream. dREam is a quarterly newsletter which will keep Graduates informed about the tools available for then, continual education, information, networking sessions and more, to achieve their aspirations. No part of this 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 os the authors or contributors and do no necessarily reflect those of the publisher.
Rooted at heart
An understanding and patient person, Nurhadi cherishes spending quality time with his family. Even though he has been exposed to international cultures at his university, he still remains rooted to Asian values like filial piety and hard work. He’s always punctual for events as he believes that “The early bird catches the worm”. He appreciates the finer things in life and rates personal grooming highly. He loves cats and treats them with kindness. Unfortunately, due to his mum’s allergy to cats, he has not been able to keep one as pet. Every day, he looks forward to his new job as an Administrative Officer at Republic Poly as he feels that he has much to contribute. He enjoys interacting with youths and will go the extra mile to create a pleasant and memorable experience for both the students and alumni of Republic Poly.
Fever! was the theme for this year’s Graduation Party on Saturday, 29 March 2008, and truly everyone was dizzy with retro fever. There were many sporting guests who donned retro gear, which triggered squeals of excitement among their friends at E3 Level 3 Exhibition Hall. The atmosphere was lively and abuzz with many pre-dinner activities, such as balloon sculpturing, and photo-taking. Among the guests were also minglers dressed up as icons from the retro era such as Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis Presley. They were certainly quite eye-catching and a great inclusion during photo opportunities. To give an added touch of exclusivity, Jean Danker (Class 95FM Cartunes DJ), was invited to host the event. The crowd was tickled silly by the impromptu Talent Show which saw some fellow graduates perform on stage. Keeping up to tradition, there was also the Best Dressed Competition, where five male and five female contestants battled it out for the title. Catwalking in the best dress competition
A caricaturist hard at work!
DP, Mr. Eden Liew congratulating a Lucky Graduate! Graduates working out a fever!
FE
V
ER!
Graduation Party 2008 By Vanessa Choo
Following that was the lucky draw segment, which adopted the Deal or No Deal game show format. Top prizes up for grabs included a Canon Selphy Photo Printer, a Crumpler bag, an iPod Nano, and more! Our guest-of-honor, Mr. Eden Liew (Deputy Principal, Republic Polytechnic), was more than pleased to give away prizes to the excited winners. Lastly, RP’s very own EMP crew was also present to wrap up the event with fabulous dance tunes laced with retro flavour. At the end of the night, many graduates were reluctant to leave and remained behind after the event to soak up the atmosphere, or to say their last goodbyes to their friends. This intimate and lighthearted event left our guests with many warm memories, and hopefully brings a smile to their faces when they think back to this special night. The Opening Act!
“with you...with you.. with you...”
Jean Danker and the lucky one!
check them out! DP, Mr. Eden Liew and the Best Dressed Male Winner!
graduation ceremony
So long, Republic Polytechnic, goodbye… When I was asked to pen my thoughts on Graduation Ceremony, I had no idea where to start. So, I thought back to when everything first started and asked myself the golden question which many have raised before: “Was RP your first choice polytechnic?”
And there’s no doubt about it, RP still remains my first choice. RP has given me so much - opportunities to serve in areas of responsibility (in Cypher club, X synthesis, student council and more). Through participation in these groups, I realized that my efforts have been paid back in the form of personal character development and acquiring organizational skills in event management. The different way of learning practiced in RP has also made me a more confident learner. PBL has encouraged me to be an independent learner and a good problem solver with necessary soft skills to tackle challenging problems and to get the job done. Being part of the graduating class of 2008, I am blessed to have memories of both the Tanglin and Woodlands campus. Back in Tanglin, we were right smack in Orchard Road, whereas here in Woodlands we have a cool campus situated near many heartland hangouts...
Our graduation ceremony was held on 26 March 2008, graced by Minister for Health, Mr. Khaw Boon Wan. I can remember how it was walking backstage with all sorts of mixed feelings running through my head. A part of me felt elated and glad that I’m finally graduating and receiving my diploma. Yet, another part of me felt sad that my journey in RP was coming to an end. While waiting for my name to be announced, I silently prayed for a distinction, as this was one of the goals that I have set myself since I started studying in RP. To my relief, I heard my name through the sound system in TRCC, “Diploma with distinction, Clinston Tan Wei Jie”. Thrilled with excitement, I walked briskly on stage to receive my diploma from Mr. Lee Hsien Yang. After posing for a photo, I made my way backstage where my friends were waiting. Some of them even mentioned the cheers and applause I received while on stage. Unfortunately, I was so nervous that I did not even hear a thing! To round things up, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my friends, club and IG advisors, facilitators, and the RP staff and management who have been very supportive during my time in RP. You made my student life fun and interesting. I hope all of my schoolmates will be able to move on to achieve many successes and dreams. Myself? Well, I will definitely continue to play my part in doing RP proud. Clinston Tan Diploma in Business Computing
a personal account by Clinston and Maya
It felt like yesterday, when I was climbing up the hill - all alone- to my class at the RP Campus in Tanglin. Three years on, I was climbing up the stairs of the stage, no longer alone.
I was surrounded with friends I’ve made throughout this journey, knowledge and skills I’ve picked up and most importantly, the memories I’ve obtained that will last a lifetime. Looking at my parents beaming with pride made me feel so special to be graduating from the School of Applied Science. The moment came where I took my place on stage, and almost immediately, my parents whipped out their cameras and video cameras to capture this lasting memory. The Graduation Ceremony was an absolutely grand affair. The entrance made by Dr Alwis and the Board of Governors was spectacular. The eagerness and excitement on my friends’ and my face was almost like that of kids on their first trip to McDonalds. The next thing I knew, ushers were asking for my queue number, checking if our robes were being properly worn as well as reminding us to give a big smile.
Three bittersweet years in RP was almost coming to an end as I stepped onto the stage, waiting for my name to be called out. My heart was beating so fast it reminded me of my Final Year Presentation. Finally, as my name was called, I walked on the red carpet towards my hard-earned certificate. And soon, I was called a Diploma holder and an RP graduate. As the ceremony came to an end, proud parents were in search of their children, eager to snap a picture of their baby holding on to their diploma with the campus as the backdrop. Now that I have graduated, I began to realize the things I was leaving behind. PBL, LEO, the counting down to the start of UTs, the frequent visits to the IT Helpdesk, the laughter and the people who has walked into my life… Thanks, and goodbye, RP! Maya Murni Diploma in Biotechnology
Curiosity, excitement, uncertainty. Sounds familiar to you? These were just some of the emotions faced by RP’s new intake of close to 5,000 students during the start of the three-day Orientation Programme (OP) on 2 April. However with highlights such as the inaugural Leapfrog Guinness World Record attempt and pure Jam ‘n’ Hop entertainment, the campus-wide event successfully forged a strong Team Republic spirit and brought out the Champion in each new student, in line with the OP theme for this year:
There are Champions amon RP Orientation Programme
Heading the itinerary on Day One was the Academic Orientation, which introduced new concepts such as RP’s One-Day, One-Problem problem-based learning process and understanding tests (UTs). As with every Orientation Programme, this was also the best time for the Year One students to have their laptops and ‘paperless system’ mindset all geared up for the new term! Day Two (3 April) saw a host of activities which greeted the students at their respective homebases. Diploma talks and laboratory tours helped them get to know their schools and centres even better, and so did ice-breakers and hands-on activities by enthusiastic facilitators and seniors. The School of Information, Communications and Technology (SIT) for instance, rallied their students on with the Cypher Club Cheer and RP Survival Guide (Treasure Hunt). Leading up to the climax of the Orientation Programme on the last day (4 April) was the Student Council’s very own Amazing Race entitled ‘De Republic’s Edge’, allowing new students to be familiar with locations and icons throughout the campus such as the brand new Adventure Learning Centre. To make sure that no one was left out in the fun, the organisers carefully ensured that every game at each station was designed to be relevant for all the schools and centres.
ngst Us! 2008 By Siti Sarah Supri
Preparations for the must-have Best Mascot Competition and RP War Cry were also under way in the afternoon. Equipped with only water-based tin paints, brushes, newspaper, cardboard boxes and toilet rolls to name a few, each school and centre had to put their creative juices to the test by constructing the most impressive mascot of the lot to “strut their stuff” to the masses during the big show – the Jam ‘n’ Hop – in the later part of the evening. A pit stop to each of the homebases would let you discover a hectic scene where students relentlessly worked on peculiar-looking mascot structures in all shapes and sizes, and rehearsed out-of-this-world renditions of the RP War Cry. Indeed, they went all out to win the hearts of the sporting judges – Mr Eden Liew, Deputy Principal and Mr Ang Keng Loo, Senior Director of Student Affairs. The best bit of the programme, however, had yet to come... By about 6.30 pm, history was written when RP literally leaped her way into the Singapore Book of Records! This was in fact the first time that a polytechnic had done so. As soon as Mr Eden Liew flagged off the Leapfrog event, a total of 1,320 staff and students cheered on one another while taking on the challenge at the Lawn, in synch with the rhythm of Beats Encore and much-needed motivation by the emcee, Michael Lim from the Office of Student and Graduate Affairs (OSG). They had beaten the previous record of 1,197 participants which was set at the UNESCO World Youth Festival in Germany! It certainly proved to be a challenging but nonetheless rewarding feat. The participants began at 5.40 pm but were disqualified for touching the ground with their hands and knees. Lady Luck was clearly on their side when they were given a second chance. The true RP resilience finally paid off when Mr Ong Eng Huat, the Guinness Book of Records official, gave the assuring thumbs up, filling the atmosphere with utmost relief and jubilation. Loud, roaring cheers had set the tone for the Jam ‘n’ Hop event, also known as the Lawn Party – the grand finale for the evening. And what a party it was indeed! A sizzling hot performance, armed with an alpha-male dance number by students from School of Sports, Health and Leisure, deservingly bagged them The Most Entertaining Performance Award. The Best Mascot Award went to defending champions, School of Hospitality (previously known as the Centre for Innovation and Enterprise) for the second time running. With original choreography, catchy taglines and a true-blue unmistakable SOH team spirit, the winners showed what they were made of and performed like there was no tomorrow! The creative RP War Cry demonstrations by the schools and centres also literally rocked the stage, with close to 50 performers at one go! And of course, what would the iconic Jam ‘n’ Hop be without good ‘ol live music. Performances including those by RP’s very own nippon-themed Jammerz Arena, pulsating Beats Encore and smooth-spinning mixes of Electronic Music Production (EMP) were simply electrifying and definitely hyped up the crowd in more ways than one. The stage limelight was not just limited to these students, though. Even Mr Mohd Heikal Yusope, Manager from OSG, roped in his own band, QED, and brought the house down with covers such as “Face Down” by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and “Numb” by Linkin Park, marking the night as a truly grand and unforgettable event. This might have marked the end of the OP 2008 but in fact, it is only the beginning for the Year One students. It is hoped that the journey to come will still greet them with curiosity and excitement, but in addition, with a new bout of confidence and optimism to face the future challenges which await them! 07
The Official Launch of the
A Paradigm Shift in Thinking about Community Service and Learning By Siti Sarah Supri
An inaugural event was held at the West Agora of Republic Polytechnic on 25 April 2008 to announce the launch of the first physical set-up in Singapore to be built specifically for service-learning. The Tan Ean Kiam Service-Learning Centre aims to educate and equip youths to learn and reflect from their community service experiences both in Singapore and abroad. The centre, supported by the Tan Ean Kiam foundation through a $200,000 grant, aspires to train as many as 2,800 students and volunteers to support up to 15 local and eight overseas projects annually. Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, RAdm (NS) Lui Teck Yew graced the official launch of the learning centre. The opening of TEKSLRC marks a new milestone for RP since it first started the service-learning programme in 2005 following the Asian tsunami disaster. The service-learning programme began as an effort for RP’s students to connect community service and dynamic learning, and have them play an active role in meeting the needs of the underprivileged. Since 2005, RP students have successfully implemented more than 25 projects. The focus has now shifted towards curricular-based service-learning projects, where students have the chance to apply what they have learnt in the classroom to solve real-world needs.
For example, students from the School of Applied Science (SAS), together with fellow residents, helped to organise and nurture an organic garden for elderly residents of one-room flats in the Marsiling area, allowing them to enjoy a healthy hobby that was not only therapeutic but also allowed them to enjoy the social company of their neighbours and friends. With TEKSLRC, RP will continue to explore collaborations with community agencies to benefit the community while developing our youths through projects in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Besides being a service-learning training and resource centre for RP’s staff and students, the TEKSLRC also hopes to cater to schools and community agencies around the North-West region and of course nation-wide. A number of local and overseas partners have been identified, including Man Fut Tong Nursing Home, Sunlove-Marsiling Neighbourhood Link, YMCA Project Bridge, Prolung Khmer Centre (Cambodia) and the Mirror Art Group (Thailand). Each service-learning project caters up to 20 student participants. Professor Low Teck Seng, the Principal and CEO of RP, highlighted his wish for the TEKSLRC to clearly articulate “the objectives as well as the leadership development potential of service-learning programmes.” Mr Wilson Ang, Deputy Director, Office of Student and Graduate Affairs noted, “This is a strategic development for RP as it enables us to reinforce our role as a hub for service-learning and to strengthen our linkages with social communities. Our priority is to equip our staff and students with the necessary skills and knowledge as well as to pass on the learning to our community partners. We hope that this centre can be a model for other service-learning centres in the region.” Fittingly, RAdm (NS) Lui Tuck Yew hopes that the Tan Ean Kiam ServiceLearning Resource Centre will inspire our youth to see the world beyond their classrooms, serve in these communities and in the process, transform their own lives and the lives of those whom they serve.
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This year, TRCC and Campus Arts Productions (CAP) are out to excite the RP community with the new series of lunchtime concerts, named “Arts Platter”! The first series of Arts Platter opened with local singer-songwriter Bevlyn Khoo presenting songs from her EP Album entitled ‘Lonely Afternoon’ on 11 April. Bevlyn serenaded and won over the audiences who were present at South Agora with her melodic, soothing voice. Bevlyn has been pursuing her interests in music through demo-singing, song-writing, regular performances at food and beverage establishments, ad-hoc performances at special events as well as participating in musical production. Singing a wide repertoire of songs like classics, pop and jazz in various languages like English, Mandarin, French and Japanese, her dream is to share her passion for music with as many music-lovers as possible. DJ Ken from Radio 100.3 DJ, current host of night time programme “Night Euphoria!” was also there to support Bevlyn’s 30-minute concert by being the DJ! Knowing the diverse preferences of the RP audience groups, Arts Platter next dished out a highly charged boy-band group, Merah Band on 24 April at the Student Lounge. Music enthusiasts were treated with a wide genre of music ranging from Indie Rock, J Rock to Indon Rock! The 45-minute performance attracted more than 1200 students and they were blown away by the list of songs that were played; among them were “Pura-pura”, “Chasing Cars” and “Andai”, another song which won the hearts of many listeners. Definitely an energetic show, no doubt!
By Yeo Meng Yee, The Republic Cultural Centre
The last of April’s Arts Platter ended with TRCC and Campus Arts Productions inviting media personalities like John Klass and 91.3FM DJ Jeremy Ratnam under the Samsung iPOP School Tour Workshop series. More than 200 students registered for the workshop, which was held at TRCC Studio, heard first hand information from these media celebrities on what it takes to remain successful and competitive in the fast paced media industry. Not only these, these students were also entertained by performances put up by Paul Twohill! Along with it, they were also thrilled to find out more about the ‘Create.Original.Contest.’ competition where they stand the chance to create their own hit song/video in 15 minutes and stand a chance to win attractive prizes from Samsung! What’s more, they get to have their winning piece played on 91.3FM too!
MERAH MERAH MERAH MERAH MERAH Merah Band, was nominated in the Prestigious Regional Music Awards, Anugerah Planet Muzik 2007 through their hit song, “Cintaku”, which also became a BIG hit in RIA 89.7FM. The band was subsequently featured in TV “Suria Segar” and local Malay paper “Berita Harian”. And by the way, the band’s front man, Hafiz, used to be a student of Republic Polytechnic too. The band will be launching their second album, “Emosiku Merah” and it is due for release in May 2008.
STUDENTS DIVE INTO THE EXCITING WORLD OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Murdoch’s Mass Communications students take on the challenge of being PR Professionals’ Voice for select NGOs The students of Murdoch University’s Mass Communications Programme (offered through the SMa School of Management; SMa SOM) have come up with distinctive public relations strategies for four Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to help them in their branding and public outreach. This initiative between SMa SOM students and NGOs aims to help both sides benefit from the knowledge garnered during the course of their studies, while offering students the hands-on experience vital for their future careers in the public relations industry.
About Murdoch University Murdoch is a modern, dynamic university committed to excellence in teaching and research within an international context. With a student population of 15,500, Murdoch supports excellent staff student relations, and provides stateof-the-art facilities, excellent student services and a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The Australian Good Universities Guide has awarded Murdoch University the highest graduate satisfaction rating of five stars for 12 out of 13 years, an achievement unmatched by any other Australian university. For more information on Murdoch University visit: www.murdoch.edu.au
The final year students from the Murdoch Mass Communications programme developed strategies tailored to suit the needs of the participating four NGOs: Alzheimer’s Disease Association, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Environmental Challenge Organisation (Singapore) and the World Toilet Organisation. Commenting on the collaboration, Dr John Teo General Manager of SMa School of Management says, “This is a truly admirable display of student initiative and community cooperation. I think the Murdoch University students have set an outstanding example for other institutions of higher education to follow. I am confident that this experience will give them a distinct edge in the public relations industry.”
About Murdoch University International Study Centre Singapore / SMa School of Management SMa School of Management was established with the aim to enhance the human capital development of Singapore workforce and strongly advocates education and training as the key to human capital development. Through the provision of quality and industry recognized qualifications, graduates are well equipped to meet the challenges of today’s knowledge based economy. At SMa School of Management, we believe strongly that a holistic education, which incorporates both academic rigorousness and practical knowledge as a critical cornerstone of success. To ensure that our courses stay relevant with the latest development, we work closely with our 2,800 industry members to taps their specific expertise and skills to combine academic vigour with hands-on practical knowledge. For more information, visit: www.sma.edu.sg 11
The human neck is the joining section between our heads and our torsos. This complex structure of seven bony segments, incredibly strong muscles and cartilage packs sufficient flexibility to allow our head to flex in almost all directions, while still offering a secure protection and connection between our heart, brain and our bodies. In spite of these attributes, our necks are still plagued by frequent sources of pain and discomfort. Common ailments range from minor physical muscular injuries, like strains, to deeper spinal and nervous injuries.
Whiplash or Whiplash-Associated Disorders (WAD) “Neck pains” can originate from a variety of causes, including bad posture, motor accidents, sports injuries and even roller coaster rides. Most sufferers would experience pain in the back of their neck that may also extend to the back, frequently also known as pain “between the shoulders”. The main difference between a WAD injury and one caused by bad posture is that the former involves a stretched or even torn anterior ligament (that runs along the back of the neck) caused by a sudden or violent movement of the neck. In most cases, the pain will only be felt a few days after the incident, with specific ailments like tenderness in the neck, a limited range of motion in the neck, even headaches and pins-and-needles. A common cause of WADs is motor vehicle accidents, in particular, from rear-end collisions. The severe force of impact tosses the occupants back and forth, putting their necks at high risk of “whipping”. This injury is further amplified by the occupant’s height, gender and seating positions in the vehicle. If you suspect that you’ve had a whiplash, or are showing signs of WAD, see your physician immediately and relate as much details of the incident as you can to help with the diagnosis. Medical treatment available range from X-rays and medical imaging to determine if any spinal bones have been fractured, or nervous systems have been affected. As with most ailments, the sooner you get the problem addressed the better; after all, you’ve only got one neck.
dREam Body Essentials Series By Michael Lim
This issue of dREam takes a closer look at the essential but frequently over-looked neighbor of last issue’s topic: the neck.
Cervical Herniation Injuries / “Slipped Disc” The term “slipped disc” would be a common term used to describe internal joint injuries related to the spine, with associated symptoms of numbing pain, tingling sensations and pain in the lower back. Medically, the “discs” (discus annulus) between our spinal bone segments (vertebrae) do not “slip”. In some cases of neck injuries, the discs may be torn or ruptured during a whiplash-associated injury or with a severe jerking force to the neck. In these injuries, the tough external fibrous coverings of the disc is damaged, allowing the softer internal gel-like component to spill out, causing inflammation, pain and even compress nearby nerves. Typical symptoms include continuous local or distal numbness of body parts, tingling or unexplained muscular weakness, all on one side of the body. Inflammatory diseases: Rheumatoid arthritis This disease involves a chronic autoimmune inflammation of the neck joints where the body’s immune system attacks the joint, causing loss of movement, pain, numbness and even the destruction of the joint. In the neck, it mainly affects the upper neck area. As a ground rule, if any pain and numbness in the neck is noticed, in particular, a radiating pain to the arms and legs, medical attention should be sought as soon as possible. Headaches, numbness and weakness should not be ignored either. Of particular importance is the danger of neck injuries from falls from heights. These sources of injury may imply a severe neck injury where nerves and the rest of the body’s health are jeopardized. It is paramount that anyone suspected of having sustained such an injury should not be moved unless absolutely necessary, to avoid complicating the injury.
Neck health safety is extremely important, and it’s our main connector between our head and the rest of our body. While it is not easy for us to sustain neck injuries from our daily functions, we need to be aware of the associated symptoms and seek medical assistance where necessary.
Career Management 101 Everything You Wanted to Know About Career Management but Never Got to Ask a Career Coach By: Steven Chong (schong@nexttransition.com) Career Consultant, Next Transition Typical Student (TS): When considering my course of studies, should I pursue something of interest, or should I pursue something of value (able to make money from the career)? Career Coach (CC): If you have no interest in your career, it would be difficult to imagine you can do well in it. Along the same argument, it would be difficult to imagine that you would earn a lot of money by not doing well on your career. If your motivator is money, it can help to “overcome� the undesirability of the career, if the money is enough to compensate. However, money is an infinite measure. It can only be used as a short term motivator. However, if you have an interest in a career, even if the benefits are not up to expectation, you may still consider the option. Having interest in a career will result in performing well for the career. Being good in your career, you will be able to command the benefits and compensation you desire. Furthermore, with a career that you are happy with, the material benefits may not be such an important consideration, thereby making the money reward less important. TS: I would like to pursue a career an industry but I really do not think I have the aptitude to be in that industry. What should I do? CC: Knowing that you have an interest is good. However, having the interest does not mean that you have to pursue a career in that area. In career planning, it is good to understand yourself in the most fundamental manner. Why do you like that industry? What are the reasons behind your liking? Are you able to identify the motivators and the wants behind your interest? That is important because if you cannot qualify for that industry for whatever reason, you may want to consider other industries that can provide the same motivators and wants that the industry provides, and you have the aptitude to pursue it. Getting to the most generic and fundamental of your motivators and wants would be the key to understanding alternative career interests. So, it is possible to have an interest in an industry, and not pursue a career in that industry, yet able to be fulfilled with the excitement that you will get if you were to be in that industry. TS: Can I apply for a job not in my field of studies? CC: Certainly. Hiring managers are not looking for one skill or one criterion to select the suitable candidate. Hiring managers look for a suite of skills and competencies from the suitable candidate. So though having the paper qualification may be one of the criteria, the hiring managers would still require many of the skills and competencies that are relevant to the job. However, as in any job, it is up to the candidate to prove to the hiring manager that he/she possesses the suite of skills and competencies necessary for the job. So whether you can apply for a job within or outside your field of studies, you will still be required to show the hiring manager, if you possess the necessary skills and competencies.
TS: For my industrial attachment/part-time job, I did not do something very constructive. What can I do? CC: Internships are becoming a vital edge for candidates, as they provide the necessary experiences, directly or indirectly related to the jobs the candidates may be applying for. Even if an industrial attachment is not a requirement, you may want to consider getting one, as it will certainly add value to your experience. But if an industrial attachment turns out not to be how you wanted it to be, if you are still in the attachment, you may want to talk to the supervisor to look for opportunities to do tasks that are of greater value. If the attachment is over, you may want to consider a part time job to override the industrial attachment. Though you should not lie or hide your industrial attachment experience, having an additional part-time job which gives you a greater value-add will help to show that you are a proactive and diligent individual after all. TS: I have no idea what I want for my career. What I studied I am not interested in. How can you help me? CC: As in all career planning, knowing yourself and knowing your interests are the key starting points. You may use profiling and assessments tools to have a better understanding of yourself or rely on self-assessment, or talk to those around you, to get a better idea. Knowing your likes, your interests, your motivators, would help to initiate the journey. Talking to career professionals in school or externally will streamline the exploration, and to know the options available quicker and in a more structured way.
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Log on to www.ntuc.org.sg to sign up online now! Terms & Conditions: Promotion is valid from 1 June to 30 June 2008. Gift is given only upon successful card approval. Gift item is not exchangeable for cash. NTUC reserves the rights to change any of the terms and conditions at its own discretion without any notice. NTUC holds the final decision in any matters arising from this promotion. Some Advanced Features of SQ Card: Enjoy fastest transfer speed Best USB 2.0 Embedded Solution Shift the capacity of SQ card, don’t need to delete or remove the files Support Windows Vista Boost Easy to carry, store data, music, pictures & videos * While stocks last. Terms & conditions apply.
GRADUATION CEREMONY 2008 A solemn moment on stage.
Chairman, Board of Governers, Mr Lee Hsien Yang making a connection.
Snapping a shot with Mum and DP MR Eden Liew.
Many happy faces!
Minister for Health, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, graced the ceremony.
ORIENTATION PROGRAMME 2008 Happy campers attempting the RP War Cry.
School of Hospitality won the Best Mascot Award for the second year running!
We broke the Leap Frog record!
Hip Hop IG wow-ed the crowd once again.
Someone’s getting the party started.
Bryan and his friends we merely looking for another opportunity for RP graduates to party, but now they are loving it so much, they did it again. Want to know more? Read on!
By Bryanmaguire Chia It was a journey that started during our third year in Republic Poly which was in 2006 without us even knowing it…! The idea of Party Rendezvous was borne when we came across a poster in school. It was suppose to be our first ever graduate dinner & dance, and sadly, none of us were interested as the tickets were too costly. This gave us the idea to hold a bash just for RP graduates. Using what we learnt in RP, we did some market research and found out that some graduates were not in-tune with the traditional D&D, but would rather have a social party. After some deliberation, we decided to hold our first bash, and call it PartyRendezvous. In fact, it was more than just a bash – there was even a pageant and several performances! Keeping to the idea that the party was meant for RP graduates, the letters “RP” were emphasized in our ticket artwork. In addition, one of the taglines for our party was “Where People Meet People”, where our graduates would be able to network in a more social setting. It was tough organizing the party, as we had to juggle it with our final-year project. We were elated that our months of hard work paid off and the party turned out to be a success! In fact, the turnout was so good that we decided to turn this party into an annual event, which is why we launched PartyRendezvous 2008. You may have noticed a two-year gap in the parties, as in 2007, all of us were enlisted into the army, which hardly gave us any spare time to organize this event. However, one year later, we found some time between training to discuss ideas and the rest is history. As we are no longer students from RP, we had to come up with a corporate identity in order to get sponsorship so we decided to register ourselves as a business. Guess what we named ourselves? – PartyRendezvous! From drafting out proposals, doing presentations and interacting to our sponsors were what we deemed as the best learning experience we had. After few months of searching for sponsors, we were glad that we managed to get a few big names like Singtel, LIME, SuperDog, etc, to sponsor our event. Dealing with such sponsors really allowed us to learn a lot, such as earning their trust and delivering what was promised. Not forgetting how PartyRendezvous started, we decide to return to RP to involve the student body. We spoke to some staff during the Open House in December, and managed to enlist the help of dREam, @LOUD and the Student Council in areas of publicity. We would like to thank them for helping us out. We also managed to engage Photo.Republic to do the event coverage, Modern Dance IG and Percussion IG to perform, and CAP IG as stage managers. It was some good exposure for them, and all of them were fantastic.
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The “shopathon” period is back ladies. Grab on your shopping heels and start cruising down the shopping precincts of Orchard Road as well as the Heartlands this Great Singapore Sale! 08
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Remember the breathtaking musical pieces in LOTR? Catch The Lord of the Rings Symphony accompanied by original storyboard sketches by renowned Tolkien artists. Get your tickets at Sistic today.
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Catch your favourite players’ battle it out in the Singapore Indoor Stadium at the Aviva Open Singapore 2008. For more information on ticket prices and match dates, log on to Sistic now! 15
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It’s the Third Sunday of June. Why not take your dad out on a Father’s Day dinner this weekend!
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Famous evergreen soft rock duo, Air Supply, are finally here in sunny Singapore! Don’t miss your chance to catch them at the MAX Pavilion. Visit Sistic for more! 23
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Buzzzzz! Get your EZlink cards ready because Buzzer Bazaar is back! Join in the fun and help charity by selling clothes, candies, or bags. You can also do your part for charity buy purchasing from the various stalls! 29
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Pictures tell a thousand stories. So why not explore photographic works by renowned photographer, Alain Fleischer this Camera Day @ Singapore Arts Museum! Drop by the Uniquely Singapore official webpage for details.
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Catch dinosaurs come back to live at the Singapore Science Centre dinosaur animatronics displays! For more details, log on to the Singapore Science Centre website.
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It’s every Singaporean’s favourite month! Why? ‘Cause it’s the Singapore Food Festival! More delicious details on food carnivals and other activities can be found at singaporefoodfestival.com .
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Strawberry Sundae? Banana Split? Rocky Road? It’s the time to enjoy all your guilty pleasures…without the guilt, on this National Ice Cream Day! 20
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Have a get together session with your multi-racial group of friends. It’s the perfect day to busk in each other’s culture as a way to celebrate peace and Racial Harmony in Singapore!
President SR Nathan is planning to visit RP. Come and join in the celebrations!
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30 Let’s end this Food Festival month by indulging in a rich, high calorie and cholesterol filled cheesecake. Why? Because National Cheesecake Day gives you the reason to do so! Yum!
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