incoRPorate Issue 3 / 2017

All Ready for a

New Journey

Pg.10 Feature Celebrating our Pride and Joy at RP’s 12th Graduation Ceremony

Pg.5 Partnerships Forging new partnerships and strengthening existing ones

Issue 3 / 2017 Published for industry partners of Republic Polytechnic

Thank You for 15 Years of Partnership and Friendship

On 19 May 2017, over 200 partners, donors and friends joined us at our Partners’ Appreciation Nite.

We would like to thank all our partners for joining us in this evening of dance, dinner and celebration in the theme of “Friendship and Colours�.

Cheers to creating many more lasting memories together!

* Active engagement with over 1,800 companies *

17 industry joint labs and growing

* Industry projects valued at more than

$5 million with

over 340 companies *

89% of RP interns received positive workplace assessments

*

85% of RP interns considered for full-time employment

EDITOR’S NOTE

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CONTENTS

t has been a fruitful year for us and we are excited to share our updates with you in this celebratory issue of incoRPorate.

On 19 May 2017, over 200 guests joined us for a night of music, dance and food at our Partners’ Appreciation Nite event. Relive the vibrant colours of that aptly-themed night of ‘Friendship and Colours’ on the facing page. We take this opportunity to thank you for your strong support.

We are very excited with our newly-completed Foley Arts Studio, which will enhance the learning experience of students. Read more about its official launch that was officiated by Associate Professor Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information on page 2.

Graduation is an important milestone in a student’s life. It is the pinnacle after years of effort and hard work. Share our pride as we commemorate our graduates’ joys, gratitude, and laughter through the stories from pages 10 to 13. The success of these graduates is the direct result of the close partnership with you, our industry partners. Read more about new collaborations forged between RP and organisations from pages 5 to 9.

To conclude this issue of incoRPorate, we leave you with an inspiring Profile on page 16 of our Diploma in Restaurant and Culinary Operations graduate, Muhammad Danial Suboh, who will represent Singapore at the international WorldSkills competition in Abu Dhabi!

Till the next issue, please take care!

Ronald Wong Director, Office of Corporate Communications Republic Polytechnic

NEWS & UPDATES Staying in touch with our latest happenings

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PARTNERSHIPS Enhancing students’ skillsets and fostering industrial growth through valued partnerships

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FEATURE Celebrating our 12th graduation ceremony with our students

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HEART RP students contribute with heart as with intellect

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PROFILE Realising dreams with grit and perseverance

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Advisor Seto Lok Yin Editor-in-Chief Ronald Wong Editors Renee Loh, Charlene Soh and Fiona Chia Publishing Consultant Verztec Consulting Pte Ltd

Contributors Amelia Heng Amos Hoe Christopher Tapia Cindy Neo Eve Zeng Fahreeq Fattah Goh Phaik Lan (Dr)

Janice Aw Julian Soh Khartini Junaidi Leslie Teo Mandy Seow Patrick Seng Pavithra Nathan

Seow Khee Wei Shahida Ariff Sharon Ng Valerie Ng Vincent Lee Yang Hong (Dr)

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited.

The views and opinions expressed or implied in incoRPorate do not necessarily reflect those of Republic Polytechnic or Verztec Consulting Pte Ltd. Information is correct at time of print. OCC / OCT 2017

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News & Updates

RP Launches Top-Notch Foley Arts Studio

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aking films more realistic and immersive is what “foley“ aims to do. Foley, a process whereby everyday sound effects are reproduced and added into films and media, comprises sounds like footsteps, crockery clinking and the like. These tiny details help to make films come alive with realism.

In a bid to offer immersive and holistic learning experiences to our Diploma in Sonic Arts (DSA) students, Republic Polytechnic (RP) has invested in a Foley studio. Recently completed, the Foley Arts Studio was officially launched on 20 June, with Minister for Communications and Information, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, gracing the occasion as Guest-of-Honour.

Located in RP School of Technology for the Arts (STA), the facility contains three breakout rooms where students can produce highquality everyday sounds for use in films and broadcast.

Sounds are reproduced in the “Foley Live Room” with the aid of props like water troughs while postproduction processes are

carried out at the “Foley Control Room” where industry-grade equipment are fitted. Lastly, voiceovers and dialogue are recorded in the aptly-named “Dubbing Room”, which also serves as a second audio post-production suite.

Enhancing this newlyfitted facility at RP are the formalised partnerships with established production houses – Yellow Box Studios and Beach House Pictures.

Two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) were signed with the awardwinning entities at our Foley Arts Studio’s official launch.

(From left to right) Mr David Wong Cheong Fook, Chairman, Board of Governors, RP; Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs; and Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO, RP

These tie-ups allow us to tap on the new Foley Arts Studio and collaborate with both production houses to create audio content. They also provide internship and mentorship opportunities for our STA students.

In view of the ever-changing landscapes of the audio production industry, RP and Yellow Box Studios will also be co-developing Continuing Education Training programmes to help working adults maintain industry-relevant skillsets.

Dr Yaacob Ibrahim having a first-hand experience on the props at the Foley Live Room

Guest-of-Honour Dr Yaacob Ibrahim with RP’s key representatives and our industry partners from Yellow Box Studios and Beach House Pictures at the MOU signing ceremony 2

incoRPorate

News & Updates

RP Holds 5th International Problem-based Learning Symposium for Educators

Guest-of-Honour Mr Ng Cher Pong, together with the Symposium’s Keynote and Invited Speakers, and RP representatives

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he 5th International Problem-based Learning (PBL) Symposium was held at The Republic Cultural Centre at RP.

The three-day event received over 500 prominent local and overseas education and industry practitioners from countries such as America, Europe, Japan and Singapore.

The symposium, themed “PBL and the Future of Skills”, was graced by Mr Ng Cher Pong, Chief Executive of SkillsFuture Singapore and Deputy Secretary (SkillsFuture) for Ministry of Education.

Participants engaged in a series of seminars, workshops and roundtable sessions where best practices and experiences with PBL and related pedagogies across various disciplines were shared.

Learning Journey tours were organised simultaneously to allow participants to get a taste of the unique PBL pedagogy that has been benefitting our students.

In the face of winds of change, including the rise of smart technologies and increasing global connectivity, there is a clear need to support learners in developing relevant skills and capabilities by adopting appropriate learning approaches and redesigning learning experiences. We believe PBL can be one such applied learning approach that can transform Singapore’s education system from a “Learning for Doing” approach to one of “Learning by Doing”.

Education and industry practitioners participating in an interactive workshop at the Symposium 3

News & Updates

New Umbrella-Sharing Initiative Introduced at Heartlands

Minister Ong Ye Kung with members from the Sembawang-Gambas Citizen’s Consultative Committee testing out the sHarella initiative at its Gambas launch

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aptivating and Ground-breaking.

These were some of the terms used to describe the collection of Final Year Projects on showcase at Symbiosis 2017.

The best works from RP School of Technology for the Arts (STA) were featured in the annual graduation showcase where pioneering innovations and intriguing exhibits were unveiled. sHarella, the brainchild of four Diploma in Design for User Experience (DDUX) students, was one of such projects.

An umbrella-sharing initiative, sHarella aims to provide commuters with an option for shelter during rainy days. Noticing how commuters often became trapped in downpours due to a lack of umbrella, the four DDUX students decided to create sHarella.

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Developed in partnership with the Land Transport Authority (LTA), sHarella was tested under the rainy weather along unsheltered pathways near Woodlands and Admiralty MRT stations in a 10-day trial.

Users borrow umbrellas from a kiosk at the unsheltered route and return them at corresponding kiosk after using the brollies.

An LTA spokesman said the project showed potential and also highlighted the students’ understanding of community needs and user behaviour.

The project has been expanded to other estates such as Sembawang as well. Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung, who graced the official launch of sHarella at Gambas division in Sembawang Group Representation Constituency, commended the quartet for their enterprising nature in tackling social needs.

“When we see problems, we no longer ask, ‘What’s the Government doing about it?’” Mr Ong said, “gradually, progressively, I’m seeing more and more people doing something about problems they face every day.”

Well-covered with RP’s DDUX students’ innovation – sHarella.

(From left to right) Ms Chan Min Yi, Year 3 student, DDUX, STA, RP; Mr Chua Wei Feng, Don, Year 3 student, DDUX, STA, RP; Mr Seto Lok Yin, Deputy Principal (Industry Services), RP; Mr Mohd Farook Abdul Wahab, Deputy Director, Community Partnership, LTA; Mr Joshua Hong, Assistant Director, STA, RP; Ms Sharen Liu, Director, STA, RP; Ms Nicole Wong, Manager, Community Partnership, LTA; Mr Eugene Teo, Manager, Community Partnership, LTA; Mr Christopher Tapia, Project Supervisor of sHarella, Lecturer, DDUX, STA, RP; Mr Wayne Lim Bin Xian, Year 3 student, DDUX, STA, RP; and Mr Kishan Kumar, Year 3 student, DDUX, STA, RP

incoRPorate

Partnerships

All Wired for a Smart Nation

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n support of Singapore’s vision of becoming a Smart Nation, Republic Polytechnic (RP) held an Internet of Things (IoT) Industry Day on 30 June.

Co-organised by RP School of Infocomm (SOI) and School of Engineering (SEG), a number of IoT-centred initiatives were unveiled at the Industry Day. A new Specialist Diploma in Internet of Things, jointly developed by SOI and SEG, was launched to cater to the increasing integration of IoT in business operations.

Through the Specialist Diploma, professionals will gain an in-depth knowledge about IoT and transfer this knowledge to their workplace processes.

Course participants will also be exposed to industry-standard technologies such as specialised sensors and work on IoT industrybased projects. These projects will be centred on smart city and smart manufacturing applications.

Two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) were also signed with Sierra Solutions Pte Ltd (Sierra Solutions) and Allin Technologies Pte Ltd (Allin Technologies) at the IoT Industry Day.

An SOI student explaining his innovation to a guest at our IoT Industry Day

Under the MOUs, students and staff will have opportunities to collaborate with the two technology services companies on industry projects and IoT-related research work. The inked MOUs will also provide for internship and mentorship opportunities, academic awards and scholarships.

In addition to the above, Sierra Solutions is developing a RP-Sierra Healthcare Innovation Lab with us to support Digital Health and Wellness projects.

Meanwhile, the IoT Makerspace Lab was officially opened to students and staff on the same day. Industry partners can look forward to collaborating with our staff and students on innovating interoperable solutions and services in the lab.

The MOU with Sierra Solutions was one of two MOUs inked at our IoT Industry Day

FOUR NEW TECHNOLOGICAL LABS LAUNCHED AT RP! In view of Singapore’s move towards digitalisation, RP School of Infocomm (SOI) has also teamed up with leading industry players Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) Singapore Chapter to provide internship placements, study trips and industry-based development projects to our SOI students.

Two MOUs were inked with the organisations at SOI Industry Day. The collaboration will equip our SOI students with advanced data analytics and cybersecurity capabilities to take on the increasing digitalised business operations.

SOI Industry Day also saw the launch of four joint labs with our partners – RSA Security, Palo Alto Networks, Trend Micro and IXIA. The joint labs will provide a simulated training experience for our students in rapidly-evolving areas such as cloud technology, networks and infrastructure security.

Guests and RP staff previewing the RP-RSA Security Operations Centre Lab at the launch

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Partnerships

Scaling New Heights with RP-Changi Airport Group MOU Renewal

The team from CAG together with our RP representatives all poised for another fruitful collaboration ahead

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ingapore’s aviation industry appears well-positioned for growth with industry players projecting that a third of the world’s aircraft would be delivered to the AsiaPacific region over the next two decades. This will signal a higher demand for skilled labour in the aviation industry.

With our MOU with Changi Airport Group (CAG) recently renewed, our Diploma in Aviation Management (DAVM) students look poised to contribute to that talent pool.

The MOU provides opportunities for student internships and joint programmes such as symposiums and training courses.

Our DAVM students will be guided by mentors from CAG on their Final Year Projects (FYPs).

The MOU will supplement the industry with a skilled group of RP graduates to support the growing aviation sector.

Cheers to a new MOU together, as formalised by Ms Justina Tan, Managing Director, People, CAG (left) and Mr Seto Lok Yin, Deputy Principal (Industry Services), RP (right)

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incoRPorate

Partnerships

Gearing up for Industry 4.0 with Bossard in Factory Logistics

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anufacturers are emphasising more on digitalisation and flexible production lines and sites to meet the changing and increased economic demands of the industry.

At the same time, “Smart Factories” have been gaining momentum globally and such emerging smart technologies enable agile productions while saving time and costs significantly.

Riding on this trend, Bossard Group has created a concrete methodology to prepare the industry for the imminent changes it entails.

Named “Smart Factory Logistics”, this new methodology enhances productivity by allowing manufacturers to keep track of inventory movement within their facilities.

Mr Tobias Berchtold, Specialist, Smart Factory Logistics, Bossard introducing Smart Factory Logistics to industry guests

Bossard’s launch of Smart Factory Logistics aims to resolve the gaps that manufacturers experience in their parts management processes.

This is achieved via three specific and field-tested solutions — intelligent systems communication along the supply chain, customerspecific solutions for all needs, and the use of big data software to create transparency.

The new solution supports companies in developing a lean and errorfree implementation. These help the supply chain and manufacturing process see better agility, improved predictability, leaner processes, maximised flexibility and enhanced productivity.

Ultimately, Bossard’s Smart Factory Logistics solution aims to equip companies with a holistic package for tackling the challenges that Industry 4.0 will bring.

Bossard’s customers, industry guests and RP representatives attended the Smart Factory Logistics launch

This article is adapted from “Fit For Industry 4.0 with Smart Factory Logistics” by Desmond Chan, 2017, Industrial Automation Asia, April 2017, p. 54-55. Copyright 2017 Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd. Adapted with permission.

LAUNCH OF BOSSARD’S SMART FACTORY LOGISTICS AT RP Bossard’s Smart Factory Logistics solution was showcased at RP’s Supply Chain Innovation Laboratory on 26 May as part of our collaboration with Bossard.

A new MOU was inked with Bossard at the occasion too. This is our third MOU together since 2010.

Started with collaborations on our students’ Final Year Projects, our joint partnership has since expanded to include internship opportunities, mentorship offerings under the Engineering Mentorship programme, the SmartBin supermarket establishment at RP’s Centre of Innovation for Supply Chain Management (COI-SCM) and the setting up of the Smart Factory Logistics at RP.

The addition of Smart Factory Logistics to RP’s Supply Chain Innovation Laboratory will enhance the skills learning and mastery of RP School of Engineering students, spurring them towards Industry 4.0.

Over 65 guests and industry partners witnessed both the Smart Factory Logistics launch and the MOU signing, networking with the various companies present and creating potential business opportunities.

Dr Wang Jianguo, Director, School of Engineering, RP (left) and Mr Kelvin Bek, General Manager, Bossard Singapore (right) at the MOU signing ceremony

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Partnerships

Fostering Growth in our Local Sports Scene with IRONMAN (Asia)

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iding on the wave of increasing public interest in sporting events, IRONMAN (Asia) Pte Ltd has inked an MOU with RP School of Sports, Health and Leisure (SHL).

No stranger to the sports scene, IRONMAN (Asia) has extensive experience in hosting sporting events, including the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series and the UCI Velothon Majors road cycling series.

It recently secured a 10-year partnership with Sport Singapore to become the operator behind the ever-popular Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS).

With the signed MOU, our Diploma in Sports and Leisure Management (DSLM) students will participate in the event organisation of SCMS 2017.

All signs of weariness gone as our DSLM students pose to conclude the completion of SCMS’ Pacer Run and running clinic

Through classroom lessons and field work in collaboration with IRONMAN (Asia), our students gain real-life experiences while applying their skills in areas such as market research, event publicity, sponsorship activation and volunteer management.

RP and IRONMAN (Asia) will also be collaborating on joint projects, initiating staff exchanges and student internships, developing Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses and researching on best practices.

Building on RP’s niche course offerings in Sports Science and IRONMAN (Asia)’s expertise, this RP-IRONMAN collaboration looks set to create greater growth for the local sports arena.

A DSLM student grouping a participant into his respective Pacer Run category. Such activities and more are planned as part of the students’ Sports Management module learning

With high hopes for an exciting collaboration ahead. (From left to right) Mr Thibault Vellard, Director, Commercial, IRONMAN (Asia); Mr Geoff Meyer, Managing Director, IRONMAN (Asia); and Mr Seto Lok Yin, Deputy Principal (Industry Services), RP 8

incoRPorate

Partnerships

Tackling the Need for Skilled Healthcare Professionals with SingHealth In addressing the manpower needs required to facilitate Singapore’s shift from a hospital-centric model of care to one of a community-based approach, SingHealth has partnered RP to develop a new Specialist Diploma in Integrated Care Management.

Upon completion of the part-time programme, participants have the opportunity to join SingHealth as Care Coordinator Associate (CCA) Executives. The CCAs form part of a multi-disciplinary team of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, coordinating health and social support services, allowing patients to transit seamlessly from hospitals into their communities.

Both RP and SingHealth all ready to meet the needs of the changing landscape of the medical field

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s Singapore prepares for a rapidly ageing population, it is even more critical that patients, particularly those facing multiple chronic conditions, remain well-supported to prevent post-discharge complications.

Another joint initiative is the enhancement of our Diploma in Health Services Management (DHSM). Together with SingHealth, we will be co-designing a module on Transitional Care to value-add to DHSM’s curriculum, allowing graduates of the diploma to join SingHealth as Senior CCAs. The terms for both of these healthcare-based initiatives were cemented in an MOU signed by SingHealth and RP in June.

RP-GLOBALFOUNDRIES MOU to Boost Semiconductor Industry

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e are making greater strides in our sevenyear partnership with GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore by inking an MOU on 22 March.

GLOBALFOUNDRIES, the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry, has been actively working with us in student mentorships and internships, industry-based Final Year Projects (FYPs), industry visits and academic prize sponsorships.

To date, a total of 127 interns and 16 FYP students have received training from GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore.

This new MOU marks a significant moment for both RP and GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore as we explore having more student internship opportunities as well as promote learning opportunities for students through industrial visits or talks, industry mentorship programmes and scholarships.

The team from RP and GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore at the MOU signing ceremony. Exciting opportunities await our students with this MOU

In line with the government’s emphasis for a skilled workforce and continuous learning, we will also be working closely under this MOU to organise Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes to support GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore’s training needs.

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Feature

Celebrating our Pride and Joy at RP’s 12th Graduation Ceremony

“(Technology) will progressively take over many jobs-of-today that can be done cheaper, better and faster…however, it will at the same time create many jobs-of-tomorrow.”

Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister for Manpower, on the impact of digitalisation and on staying relevant for the future.

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incoRPorate

Feature

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he importance of a quality and industry-ready education was emphasised at Republic Polytechnic’s (RP) 12th graduation ceremony in May. This year’s graduation ceremony was especially poignant for both our staff and students as it represented the pinnacle of RP’s 15th year of founding and growth.

RP has grown from just a handful of classes to our current 41 pre-employment training (PET) diploma programmes and seven schools.

REINVENTING FOR THE FUTURE Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO of RP, also shared the cruciality of reinvention for our graduates to remain “industry-ready, innovationready and international-ready” amidst this era of globalisation and technological convergence.

Our pioneer cohort of students from the Diplomas in Marine Science and Aquaculture (DMAC) and Human Resource Management with Psychology (DHRMP) proudly took to the stage to receive their diplomas.

These new PET courses were developed to respond to the needs of the changing industry and to enhance the growth of the sectors.

The ceremony also saw the graduation of our inaugural batch of students from the Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP), a through-train programme for academically well-performing Normal (Academic) students.

The embracement of such initiatives shows RP’s conviction towards developing and refining the skills of prospective matriculants and its commitment in providing quality education.

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Feature

STAYING RELEVANT FOR THE FUTURE Apart from quality, education needs to be essentially relevant and applicable as well. Our 12th graduation ceremony also received our largest number of Continuing Education and Training (CET) graduates.

This cruciality in skills upgrading and relevance was echoed

by Guest-of-Honour and Minister for Manpower, Mr Lim Swee Say, in his speech to the graduands. Referring to the rapidly changing landscapes of the job market, brought about by the onset of technology, Mr Lim affirmed that higher unemployment could result “not because of shortage of jobs, but shortage of skills.”

ENCOMPASSING CURRENT AND FUTURE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS In line with this nationwide direction towards lifelong learning, we launched a new Specialist Diploma in Communication Strategies for Social Media to address the growing demand for social and digital media professionals.

Our emphasis on a skilled workforce and continuous learning has driven us to broaden our CET course offerings across a diverse range of disciplines. For instance, our CET course offerings for specialist diplomas and part-time programmes in particular grew from six courses in year 2012 to 17 courses now.

As Mr Yeo aptly put across, “RP remains committed to playing our part in providing quality education that meets existing and future industry needs.”

As seen at RP’s 12 th Graduation Ceremony

4,389

Pre-Employment Training (PET) graduates

363

Continuing Education and Training (CET) graduates

58 —the number of PET & CET diploma

programmes conferred at the ceremonies

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incoRPorate

Feature

Where Perseverance Leads to Success Spotlight on two RP graduate awardwinners who have battled the odds

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qilah Faaiqah Binte Shamsuri was a Biomedical Sciences diploma graduate from RP School of Applied Science. She was also the recipient of the prestigious Board of Governor’s Award for the Most Outstanding Graduate of the year.

Regularly inducted into the Director’s Roll of Honour each semester, Aqilah excelled not only in her academics but in her co-curricular activities as well. She served as the 13th President of the Student Council among others, displaying her aptitude in leadership and direction.

Her journey to excellence was not fraught without challenges. During her final year of study, Aqilah experienced financial difficulties which added mental strains to an already heavy workload.

However, Aqilah persevered on and continued working hard.

Aqilah, receiving her diploma from Minister Lim Swee Say, as her parents beam with pride

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nyone who loves fun and dislikes studying might identify with Clive Chia Chun.

Clive used to take on a lacklustre attitude towards his primary-school studies.

Finding himself in the Normal (Academic) stream after taking the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) prompted Clive to work hard and disregard his playful ways.

With an outstanding GPA of 3.98, Aqilah has achieved her dreams of pursuing further studies at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

Singapore Pte Ltd, Clive, 21, graduated with a perfect GPA of 4.0 this year.

Clive has shown how a changed mindset, perseverance and forbearance can turn a person’s life around and make an impact for life.

He aced his GCE ‘N’ Level examinations and secured a place in our pioneer intake of PFP students.

Consistently inducted into the Director’s Roll of Honour throughout his studies and winning Diploma Prizes and scholarships from ASE Clive, bringing pride to his grandmother and mum, as he receives his diploma from Minister Lim Swee Say

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Heart

Empowering Our Youths for Change

(From left to right) Mr Amrin Amin, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Home Affairs; Mr Warren Wang, Director, School of Management and Communication, RP; Mr Seto Lok Yin, Deputy Principal (Industry Services), RP; Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO, RP; Mr Benjamin William, Secretary-General/CEO, SRC; and Mr Steven Choo, Deputy Secretary-General, SRC, commemorating the event with a wefie

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rganised by the Singapore Red Cross (SRC), the inaugural Singapore Humanitarian Youth Summit featured a series of activities on pressing humanitarian issues.

SRC has previously collaborated with us on several projects, including the production of a documentary and a photobook to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

The summit, held at Republic Polytechnic (RP), attracted close to 200 youth leaders. Mr Amrin Amin, Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health, graced the event and delivered the keynote speech on Community Cohesion and Security.

Through such activities, our students gain valuable industry-ready skills in campaign ideation and execution, media content creation and curation as well as social enterprise management.

In the spirit of engaging more young persons in humanitarian action, SRC signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with us — the first of its kind between SRC and an institution of higher learning.

The MOU covers overseas humanitarian projects, curriculum development, student internships, blood donation programmes, social enterprise initiatives and humanitarian outreach activities.

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The MOU provides opportunities for SRC to leverage RP School of Management and Communication’s (SMC) Media Lab and its suite of services, including those in broadcast production and public relations.

The Media Lab immerses students in a newsroom or communications agency environment and allows industry partners to tap on our students’ creativity and energy for joint projects in areas such as communication campaigns.

Third-year Diploma in Mass Communication student Carina Chow explaining the brainstorming process in the newsroom to Mr Amrin Amin and other distinguished guests during a tour of SMC’s Media Lab

“At RP, great importance is placed on character development, besides the academics, allowing students to be imbued with good values and contribute to society.”

Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO of RP, on how students may engage in service learning even as they hone industry-ready skills through the RP-SRC collaboration.

incoRPorate

Heart

Daisy Phay Foundation Donates Generously to RP for the Third Time “Every donated dollar we receive from generous donors means that we can help and impact another student. Together, we can see students achieve more than they ever thought they could, regardless of their backgrounds.”

Mr Fong Yew Chan Senior Director (Student Services) and Chairman, Republic Polytechnic Education Fund

Growth of the Endowment Fund from 2010 to 2017 (From left to right) Mr Fong Yew Chan, Senior Director (Student Services) and Chairman of Republic Polytechnic Education Fund, RP; Mr David Wong, Chairman, Board of Governors, RP; Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO, RP; Mr Ng Hark Cheng and Mr Chee Wai Pong, Trustees of the Estate of Dr Phay Seng Whatt; and Dr Tan Eng Liang

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aisy Phay Foundation has once again made another generous donation to RP — the third since 2010.

This will significantly enlarge the established Daisy Phay Foundation–Republic Polytechnic Endowment Fund (“endowment fund”) to an aggregate total of $15 million to help more needy and deserving students in RP. The co-trustees, Mr Chee Wai Pong and Mr Ng Hark Cheng presented a $2.4 million cheque to Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/ CEO of RP, at a ceremony held at RP. Mr David Wong, Chairman of RP Board of Governors, and Dr Tan Eng Liang were present to grace the occasion. The donation will attract a 1.5 times matching grant from the Singapore Government.

The Daisy Phay Foundation was set up in memory of Dr Phay Seng Whatt’s wife, Daisy. The late Dr Phay was the Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) from 1962 to 1975. Fondly remembered for his astute judgement and keen expertise in selecting key public servants during our nation-building years, his legacy lives on through the Foundation’s championship of equal opportunities for financially-needy students.

* July 2010 : Daisy Phay Foundation donated $2 million. RP matched it dollar-for-dollar with a $2 million contribution. * August 2014 : The Foundation donated $2 million and the Singapore government matched it 1.5 times with a $3 million grant.

* July 2017 : The Foundation donated $2.4 million and the Singapore government matched it 1.5 times with a $3.6 million grant.

The total amount in the endowment fund currently stands at $15 million.

Endowment Fund Quick Bites

Close to 900 RP students have benefitted from the fund

A contribution with an aggregate total of $15 million

To date, the endowment fund has made a difference to the lives of close to 900 students and will continue to help many more needy and deserving students in RP. 726 bursary awards dispensed since 2013

111 scholarship awards dispensed since 2011

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Profile

From Apprentice to International Competitor

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rom his aspirations to win the national WorldSkills Competition to compete at the international WorldSkills Abu Dhabi competition, Muhammad Danial Suboh has achieved just that and is now intensively preparing for the Abu Dhabi competition in October.

incoRPorate speaks to Danial to learn more about his journey to gold and Abu Dhabi.

Do share with us what ignited your interest in cooking.

Danial: I grew an interest in cooking while helping my mum around the kitchen; she would teach me culinary techniques and encourage me in cooking. The chefs’ tenacity and abilities to work around obstacles in the reality cooking series MasterChef also impressed me. These inspired me to take up RP’s Diploma in Restaurant and Culinary Operations and encouraged me to participate in competitions.

Muhammad Danial Suboh, exuding ease and collectedness in a familiar environment – the kitchen

How do you manage to juggle your preparations for WorldSkills and your studies?

Danial: Honestly, it was tough juggling the two. I had to ensure sufficient time for revision while training for WorldSkills simultaneously. Weekdays were the most tiring as I had late night trainings and early morning lessons. I made certain sacrifices like withdrawing from a sports competition – the POL-ITE Games – to devote more time to the WorldSkills training. Yet, this has been a memorable process for me thus far as cooking is my passion. Although WorldSkills has its inevitable pressures, it is this same pressure that motivates and challenges me to do my best for the competition as well.

Could you share how you’ve been training for WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017?

Danial: My training started last September where I learnt new cooking techniques and flavour combinations during my internship. This sharpened my basic skills. My industry exposure at CURATE, a fine dining restaurant at Resorts World Sentosa, furthered my knowledge in western culinary. Training intensified post-CURATE where we focused on WorldSkills’ requirements and did menu planning and dish experimentation.

What will you remember most about this experience and journey?

Danial: My most memorable experience would be having the privilege to train under all the RP chef lecturers. Each has a different specialty to impart and I am blessed to learn under them. Winning WorldSkills Singapore was unforgettable as well as it was my first national win. The support from my family, coaches, friends and the school has made this journey even more special and boosted my morale to a whole new level.

About WorldSkills Competition The WorldSkills Competition is a platform which brings together the best of talents from numerous vocational skills categories.

RP has sent a contingent comprising student representatives of various skill categories and Danial has won the gold award for the cooking category in WorldSkills Singapore (WSS).

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incoRPorate

Profile

(From left to right) Danial, Cheryl and Patson all ready for WorldSkills Abu Dhabi

Bring it on, WorldSkills Abu Dhabi!

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he man behind Danial’s training for WorldSkills Abu Dhabi, Coach and Chef Instructor Patson Low shares with us how he has been preparing Danial for the competition and his aspirations for Danial.

What is your role as the coach of Danial during the WorldSkills Competition?

Patson: I train Danial by refining his taste buds towards western cuisine, improving his time management in the kitchen and preparing him mentally for the competition.

How do you think Danial has grown from his WorldSkills’ journey?

Patson: WorldSkills has given Danial a chance to apply the modern cooking techniques he learnt from CURATE. He is more aspiring now and takes initiatives to research and experiment with different flavour combinations and cooking techniques.

Do you have any word of advice for Danial as he prepares for WorldSkills Abu Dhabi?

Patson: Be confident, demonstrate your ability well and do your best. We just need a simple western cuisine that can “wow” the judges. Remember – Simple, yet refined and delicious.

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esides mentors like Chef Patson, Ms Cheryl Chen also plays an important role as the Team Manager of the RP contingent for WorldSkills Singapore. Let’s find out from Cheryl how the journey has been for her!

Do share with us your role as the Team Manager for the RP contingent.

Cheryl: I act as the spokesperson of the RP competitors and ensure that pertinent competition information is communicated to them.

What is a word of encouragement that you have for Danial?

Cheryl: Be inspired and stay relevant.

Always remain focused and teachable.

How do you motivate the contingent in preparation for WorldSkills?

Cheryl: The team needs to be technically and mentally prepared to brave the competition arena. Remain calm and focus, always expect the unexpected especially when we are on a foreign land so we can keep anxiety at bay.

What is the most memorable part of your WorldSkills journey?

Cheryl: It would be the forging of friendships. Friends were made as we bonded through the competition and over meaningful conversations.

I am proud to be able to represent Singapore again as RP’s Team Manager in WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017.

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