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The Exchange - a Supplement of npTribune| February 2015
NUTSHELL
When School Becomes A Place for your Business
It’s a final farewell at ahrenheit after three years of business. (Photo: Rachel Yeo)
Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s homegrown entrepreneurs explain the perks of having a social enterprise in campus.
Rachel Yeo rachelyeo@nptribune.com January saw the beginning and the end of two significant social enterprises, The 2 Monkeys and 8 Fahrenheit respectively. It was the last day of operations for ice cream café 8 Fahrenheit on Jan 30, selling out ice cream and waffles mostly with fanfare. Metres away, The 2 Monkeys, a sandwich and bubble tea store, have just completed a month of food and beverage operations. Such businesses run by students often come and go for a period of two to three years. Managed by EntrepreneursConnect@NP (EC@NP), this ensures that a fair opportunity is given for students to start their own businesses.
Passion Pays Devoted and hardworking healthcare workers are about to get a raise.
Yonas Ngaturi yonasngaturi@nptribune.com Working with the ill and injured may not be the dream job but it is in demand and some are keen to take it up. “Many people think of nursing students as the ones who would be future nurses, but in fact there are so many avenues in healthcare that could pay a lot, what’s more is that healthcare is in demand,” says Chen Huixian, 19, second-year nursing student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP). Huixian also entered the course through Direct Polytechnic Admission (DPA). Germaine Lim, a 19-year-old NP nursing student agrees, “At the end of the day what matters is seeing patients get better and that is what keeps me going no matter how hard it is.” For Huixian and Germaine, their passion will eventually pay off.
Despite the limited time frame, there are still a myriad of advantages for budding, young and passionate entrepreneurs. “Rental is really low compared to outside,” says Muhammad Zulkifli, one of the founders of The 2 Monkeys. He also adds that he pays less than a quarter on rent compared to outlets in shopping malls or elsewhere. EC@NP also aids financially
Speaking at the Nurses’ Merit Award 2014 Presentation, health minister Gan Kim Yong announced an increase in nurses’ base salaries. There will be a five to 20 per cent increase, in two stages; in 2014 and 2015. The ministry recognises that the nursing industry is made up of mainly females. They may need to attend to their children or elderly parents, hence they will need work towards having more flexible job arrangements. These are some of the latest policies in the changing healthcare landscape. Healthcare was listed under the Strategic and Skills-In-Demand list in 2009. The Deputy Chair of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Health, Dr Fatimah Lateef told Channel NewsAsia in 2012 about the demand for healthcare jobs. "For emergency departments that see about 500 to 600 patients in a day, we are really understaffed at a tertiary level. So I think in primary health, as well as at polyclinics, we definitely need to boost this as well,” she says.
The Exchange EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rachel Yeo Si Hui
REPORTER Vanessa Yeo Xiang Yi
SUB-EDITOR Yonas Ngaturi
EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Mrs. Sng-Fun Poh Yoke
DESIGNER Chetz Chloe Tan Yan Hui
LECTURER-IN-CHARGE Mrs. Sng-Fun Poh Yoke
by covering renovation costs and sponsoring students some money if they have done well in business competitions. “This really gave us a chance to start earning first,” says Foo Yong Long, 19, a final-year student in Business Studies and the other founder of The 2 Monkeys. The origins of The 2 Monkeys began when Zulkifli and Yong Long won a sum of money in a business
competition by EC@NP, giving them a monetary boost. Starting a social enterprise on school premises also allows students to remain protected. “It’s a good training ground for students who aspire to become good businessmen and women,” says Tan Jia Hui, 19, a final-year student in Business and Social Enterprise. There is still room for improvement to groom potential businesspeople. Jia Hui hopes that there will be more avenues for students to open physical shops, coupled with more chances for amateurs to network and seek professional mentorship. But for now, students are mostly satisfied in what they are doing, and the extra help they receive. “Ngee Ann always supports us in many ways,” says Yong Long.
Life Education Learnt Overseas Are pastures greener outside Singapore? Vanessa Yeo vanessayeo@nptribune.com It has been two years since Andrea Tan, 21, has returned to Singapore since starting at the University of Melbourne, and she has not looked back since. Andrea registered for the University of Melbourne after receiving her GCE ‘A’ Levels in 2012. Studying for her Bachelor of Arts Undergraduate degree, she feels as if time has passed really quickly in the land down under. “I really like the degrees they offer here. The pace they study at here in Melbourne is way more relaxed,” Andrea says. She pays up to $10,000 an academic year, depending on the number of subjects she takes per year. Studying in the National University of Singapore (NUS) would only require her to pay about $8,000 for an academic year. “Sure, compared to Australia, Singapore would be cheaper due to the fact that I am a Singaporean, but I have wanted to studying in Australia for a really long time,” Andrea says. “It’s very quiet and relaxed here, and I’ve made friends with so 64% many people from different countries and cultures,” says Sarah Chong, 22, 8% 27% an undergraduate at the University.
Figures from the Australian government indicate that 10,000 Singaporeans are now enrolled in universities there at all levels. From 2008 to 2014, the number of students from Singapore studying in the UK has grown by between 10 and 18 per cent each year. The number of students who applied to study at a university in the US rose to 4,316 last year, from 3,039 in 2006.
She keeps in contact with her family via weekly Skype calls with them. “It’s great to be able to study overseas. I wanted to immerse myself in a different lifestyle and culture and I got to do that here. I’m very happy with the choice I made," says Sarah. On their off days, both students work at local establishments for pocket money to spend. Sarah works as a waitress, while Andrea is a shop assistant downtown. “If you come from a middle-class background like me, then try and find a job while you’re here.” says Andrea. Andrea and Sarah both take care of their own living expenses. “It’s not hard to juggle a job and school if you manage your time well enough,” says Sarah.
