incoRPorate - September/October 2016 by Republic Polytechnic

Engineered for Success Pg.5 Feature Driving Engineering Excellence Through Innovation

Pg.2 Partnerships Presenting our students with the best opportunities from our industry collaborations

September/October 2016 Published for industry partners of Republic Polytechnic

EDITOR’S NOTE

epublic Polytechnic (RP) stands aligned with Singapore’s efforts of advancing forward, merging technology with quality workforce skills to meet the increasing demands of the changing economic climate. Reiterating government initiatives like the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2020, RP strives to be an educational facility that integrates more comprehensive, handson, and innovative learning approaches.

Our Finance Minister Mr. Heng Swee Keat had said during his 2016 Budget speech: “The global economy is becoming more interconnected, more diverse and complex, we must work together to muster our resources, to innovate, to scale up and internationalise.” Our ongoing collaborations with industry partners will also enable our students to acquire knowledge from the experts in the field. Testament to this commitment, RP has forged partnerships with organisations like HOPE Technik, PSA, Siemens and World Vision (Read more on pg. 2).

Recently, we launched a new course— Diploma in Engineering Design with Business—to ensure that our students are given a learning opportunity that integrates engineering, innovation and business management. We have just officially opened the Republic Polytechnic Industry Centre, which will house many industry-based and industry-relevant facilities to groom and train a diverse group of young professionals. In this issue, we have new updates in store such as the joint labs with Microsoft, McKinsey & Company and Wilmar International (pg. 9). These efforts aim to produce more highlyskilled and adaptable graduates.

We also highlight some of our students paying it forward in kind, to help the environment and their peers (pg. 12). We hope you enjoy reading this issue of incoRPorate. Sincerely, Ronald Wong Director Office of Corporate Communications

CONTENTS PARTNERSHIPS

Presenting our students with the best opportunities from our industry collaborations FEATURE

Driving Engineering Excellence Through Innovation NEWS & UPDATE

Keep up with RP’s latest activities and happenings HEART

RP appreciates donors and students who pay it forward with generosity and kindness PROFILE

Dennis Quek: Delivering Life Lessons TREND WATCH

Exploring the World of Engineering

Advisor Seto Lok Yin Editor-in-Chief Ronald Wong

Editor Renee Loh Publishing Consultant Verztec Consulting Pte Ltd

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.

13 1

Information is correct at time of print. September/October 2016

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Partnership

Where Innovative Learning Takes Place in Different Faculties Present for the renewal of MOU between RP and AHS: (from left to right) Dr. Teoh Chin Sim, HOD, Senior Consultant, Sports Medicine; Mrs. Chew Kwee Tiang, CEO, KTPH; Mr. Seto Lok Yin, Deputy Principal (Industry Services), RP and Ms. Goy Soon Lan, Director, School of Sports, Health and Leisure, RP

P renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Alexandra Health System (AHS) in March 2016, extending a partnership that began in 2012. This affiliation has and will continue to benefit students from School of Technology for the Arts (STA), School of Infocomm (SOI), School of Engineering

Enhancing a Strong Relationship with HOPE Technik To date, there are more than 40 DAA interns at HOPE Technik. Moreover, seven of the interns who have graduated between 2012 and 2015, are working full-time with the company.

A partnership made possible by (left) Mr. Seto Lok Yin, Deputy Principal (Industry Services), RP and (right) Mr. Peter Ho, CEO, HOPE Technik

P and HOPE Technik have formalised a partnership which began five years ago where several students from the Diploma in Aerospace Avionics (DAA) underwent an internship at HOPE Technik.

September/October 2016

HOPE Technik’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peter Ho, is also an industry mentor for some of the DAA students. Besides supporting RP students, Mr. Ho also lends weight to various RP events through speaking engagements. This MOU signing will help to elevate our relationship with HOPE Technik to a whole new level as it will provide more opportunities to collaborate with other diploma courses from the School of Engineering as well as the Centre of Innovation for Supply Chain Management.

(SEG), School of Applied Science (SAS), and School of Sports, Health and Leisure (SHL) through collaborations such as student internships, final year projects and employment opportunities. Through the partnership, students were also able to work on their final-year project together with Khoo Teck Puat Hospital’s (KTPH) Sports Medicine Department in 2015 based on the topic, “Investigating the Effects of Blood Pressure during Stairs Climbing.”A multi-party research project was also

conducted on cardiovascular health wireless monitoring system through Ministry of Education’s funding. Close to 70 students from Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences (DPHM) and Diploma in Biomedical Sciences underwent their internship at KTPH’s Pharmacy & Laboratory Medicine. The partnership also commenced with the opening of a Teaching Dispensary lab in 2015. Currently, 22 DPHM graduates are being employed by KTPH Pharmacy.

RP Anchors a New Partnership with PSA short-term training for RP lecturers to keep up with industry demands.

(from left to right) Mr. Kelvin Lim, Former Head of Human Resource, PSA Corporation Ltd; Mr. Oh Bee Lock, Head of Group Technology, PSA International and Head of Tuas, Planning for PSA Singapore Terminals; Mr. Seto Lok Yin, Deputy Principal (Industry Services), RP and Dr. Wang Jianguo, Director, School of Engineering, RP

oving towards a holistic educational framework, a collaboration between Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) and RP present benefits such as scholarships, mentorship and internship opportunities, as well as attachments for RP staff. To help align classroom teachings to the latest industry requirements, PSA will conduct

The collaboration will also present opportunities for new enriching and real-world contents to be incorporated into the curriculum of both the Diploma in Industrial and Operations Management and Diploma in Supply Chain Management. Our students will be able to gain practical industry skills through internships at PSA terminals and being mentored in various fields. A PSA-themed laboratory, aimed at boosting our students’ problem-solving ability, will also be set up in RP by the end of 2016. Students who have graduated with outstanding grades can also apply for a PSA scholarship, should they wish to pursue a career in the port or marine industry.

Partnership

Establishing a Platform to Powering Up Applied Encourage Volunteerism Learning “Initiatives such as the YLP will involve more youths in deeper engagement and empower them to commit their time, knowledge and passion for a good cause.” Mrs. Foo Pek Hong, Chief Executive Officer, World Vision Singapore

partnership between RP and Siemens Healthcare was officially forged in January 2016 to facilitate a more comprehensive learning structure for Diploma in Electrical & Electronic Engineering students. The partnership offers valuable opportunities for our students to work with Siemens for internships as well as final-year projects, to better acclimatise our students to the working world. Siemens will also

sponsor our students through book prizes and scholarships. To help our students gain more exposure to real life experiences, RP will also organise industrial visits to Siemens, giving students an up close look at how systems and processes work. The cooperation between both organisations will further furnish our students with skills and knowledge to better adapt to the ever-changing dynamics of the working world.

Students Tan Jun Hao (left) and Lydia Pang (right), participants of the initiative, with Mr. Danny Lee, Senior Lecturer, School of Management and Communication, RP and Mrs. Foo Pek Hong, Chief Executive Officer, World Vision Singapore

orld Vision Singapore (WVS) and RP have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP). Co-created by both organisations, the YLP is a youth-led programme meant to build bilateral partnerships between Cambodian youths and their Singaporean counterparts. The Global Employment Trend for Youth 2015 revealed that an average Cambodian youth takes about four years to get a job that gives them satisfaction due to a lack of education and skills training. The YLP then focuses on inculcating knowledge and cultivating entrepreneurial and business skills in Cambodian youths through a peer mentoring approach. Diploma in Social Enterprise Management (DSEM) students will facilitate 3

mentorship sessions to help needy youths. Mrs. Foo Pek Hong, Chief Executive Officer of World Vision Singapore conveyed that “initiatives such as the YLP will involve more youths in deeper engagement and empower them to commit their time, knowledge and passion for a good cause”.

Dr. Wang Jianguo, Director, School of Engineering, RP (middle) and Mr. Soh Lai Seng, Assistant Director, School of Engineering, RP (to the right of Dr. Wang) in the midst of a discussion

In April 2016, 24 DSEM students travelled to Ponhea Leu District, Kandal Province, Cambodia, and taught 25 Cambodian youths over 10 days. Mr. Warren Wang, Director, School of Management and Communication, RP, said: “Our students will get to apply classroom concepts in social entrepreneurship and business to real communities. Most importantly, it will help our students build character by serving the community.”

Formalising the RP-Siemens partnership are (from left to right) Dr. Wang Jianguo, Director, School of Engineering, RP; Mr. Seto Lok Yin, Deputy Principal (Industry Services) RP; Ms. Siow Ai Li, Country Lead, Siemens Healthcare Singapore and Mr. Kelvin Lim, Sales Manager, Siemens Healthcare Singapore

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Partnership

Vector Aerospace Asia: Shaping the Aviation Industry of Tomorrow

RP and Wildlife Reserves Singapore Work Towards a Shared Vision

T (from left to right) Dr. Wang Jianguo, Director, School of Engineering, RP; Mr. Seto Lok Yin, Deputy Principal (Industry Services), RP; Mr. Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO, RP; Mr. Declan O’Shea, President & CEO, Vector Aerospace; Mr. Jeff Poirier, President, Vector Aerospace Engine Services - Atlantic and Mr. Philip Ang, General Manager, Vector Aerospace Asia

P has signed a threeyear Memorandum of Understanding with Vector Aerospace Asia, to jointly train our students to become highly-skilled aviation professionals. Mr. Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/ CEO of RP, remarked that engineering future industry professionals will “contribute to the growth of the aviation sector”. Vector Aerospace Asia offers six months of internships, allowing our students to acquire adequate and sufficient skills and gain extensive insights through detailed learning methods to prepare them for the future workforce.

Vector Aerospace Asia is the first aviation Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul Company in Singapore to collaborate with RP and offer the NonDestructive Testing Level II Certification. Our students who complete the internship will attain this certification.

he strong partnership with Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) continues as RP signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with the organisation this May. There are plans for parttime working opportunities with flexible hours and transportation for our students. WRS will also collaborate with RP School of Technology for the Arts (STA) students on enhancing showcases such as the ambience during animal shows and incorporating new media in daily presentations. WRS and RP School of Hospitality (SOH) will explore incorporating cross-

training with mentors for interns across different job functions. WRS is also in the midst of evaluating RP’s Shoot-Store-Share solution and its feasibility with RP’s Centre of Innovation for Supply Chain Management. Additionally, our students from Diploma in Integrated Events Management have designed game stations for WRS and students from Diploma in Marine Science and Aquaculture have developed the contents for WRS’ Zoolympics booklet. With this collaboration, not only will our students learn but WRS will also gain from our students’ creativity and innovative mindset.

Officiating the RP and Wildlife Reserves Singapore’s MOU signing are (from left to right) Mr. Tui Jurn Mun, Director, Office of Industry and Collaboration, RP; Mr. Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO, RP; Mr. Mike Barclay, CEO, Wildlife Reserves Singapore and Mr. Marcus Heng, Chief Human Resources Officer, Wildlife Reserves Singapore

Pursuing a Higher Education with SIM University

uring his 2015 Budget Speech, Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam shared that the government is trying to “make it possible for every individual to decide on his or her own learning journey; when to go for fresh infusion skills or knowledge, and whether it should be in specialised professional training, acquiring soft skills,

September/October 2016

or developing a new interest”. He also shared various SkillsFuture initiatives to help Singaporeans engage in lifelong learning. The Specialist Diploma in Supply Chain Management (SDSCM) under the Earnand-Learn Programme for Logistics is one such initiative. RP’s partnership with SIM

University provides our SDSCM graduates a straight path into SIM University’s Bachelor of Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

encompasses three focal aspects: designed on-thejob training and mentorship, combined work and study methods, and practice handson learning approaches.

This has given our current 36 trainees enrolled in the SDSCM programme an opportunity to pursue a relevant university degree. The programme

Working together with SIM University epitomises our shared vision to enhance Singapore’s position as a global logistics hub. 4

Feature

DRIVING ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE

THROUGH INNOVATION

As Singapore aims to reach greater innovative economic heights by the year 2020, Republic Polytechnic (RP) renders its support by remaining relevant on the educational forefront. From signing Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with various organisations to its recent launch of the new Diploma in Engineering Design with Business (DEDB), RP seeks to align its academic objectives to what the future holds for Singapore.

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Feature

“To remain competitive in the global economy in the next five to 10 years, small and medium enterprises need to upgrade their capabilities and transform themselves.” Mr. Edmund Tan, Programme Chair, Diploma in Engineering Design with Business, School of Engineering, RP

oday, Singapore is on a fastpaced journey towards creating an innovative economy and boosting its workforce capabilities. Various government initiatives, such as SkillsFuture, are committed to inculcating a more innovative mind-set among Singaporeans while encouraging individuals to upgrade their skills and knowledge. Globalisation has compelled our nation to progress rapidly, and RP recognises this fact. As our graduates are required to tackle future workforce challenges, so must education evolve to accommodate these needs.

Singapore headed towards an innovative future In 2010, the Economic Strategies Committee, under the Ministry of Finance, shared its economic vision for Singapore to have “Highly - skilled People and an Innovative Economy” and to become a “Distinctive Global City”.1 The Committee’s aim is to make “skills, innovation and productivity the basis for sustaining Singapore’s economic growth” by 2020 and beyond. During the 50th anniversary of The National University of Singapore Business School’s gala dinner in 2015, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam stressed that Singaporeans need to work together to change the face of our economy into an innovative one. “Singapore needs to move from a value-adding economy to a valuecreating one,” DPM Tharman added.

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Report of the Economic Strategies Committee 2010 6

Feature

Agreeing with this notion, Mr. Dennis Quek, Director, Centre of Innovation for Supply Chain Management, RP, said that innovation is essential for businesses to develop and to maintain a competitive advantage. He elaborated that “innovation is essentially creating new values from current or existing capabilities”.

Building an innovative engineering future Early this year, Prime Minister (PM) Mr. Lee Hsien Loong announced the government’s S$19 billion plan

to support Singapore’s research and development efforts over the next five years, called the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Plan 2020 (RIE 2020). National Research Foundation revealed that the plan will focus on areas where “national need, economic opportunity and competitive capabilities intersect”. Funding for the RIE 2020 will concentrate on four specific technology domains, with engineering being one of them. And the requirements for engineering jobs in Singapore are evolving innovatively too. As Mr. Quek says, “You need to keep up with the changes by constantly innovating. Being innovative is a part of growth.”

Integrating innovation with education As a forward-thinking institute, RP launched a new course, the Diploma in Engineering Design with Business (DEDB) – a programme specially created for out-of-the-box learning and thinking to better prepare and equip students for the changing demands of the engineering sector. Programme Chair for DEDB, Mr. Edmund Tan, highlighted that the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore is actively collaborating with private accelerators to build 500

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Feature

Singapore-based technology start-ups within the next five years. Hence, there will be an increasing demand for highlyskilled employees. Mr. Tan observed that multi-national companies and start-ups have already begun to request for wellrounded manpower who not just have engineering expertise but also an integrated know-how of business operations and processes. He further explained: “To remain competitive in the global economy in the next five to 10 years, small and medium enterprises need to upgrade their capabilities and transform themselves.” One such way is to hire talent with the right skill sets. The DEDB course enables our students to be proficient in significant areas such as the design, development and implementation of engineering solutions with a focus on business skills such as the understanding of business and start-up operations and instilling an entrepreneurial mind-set. These will equip graduates with highvalue engineering skills. RP has also established several MOUs with organisations like Design Business Chamber of Singapore, Hexagon Metrology and Action Community for

Entrepreneurship that offer multiple benefits. For example, to further enrich our students’ learning, the partnership with Hexagon Metrology will bring about the establishment of a joint laboratory to be able to provide comprehensive solutions for processes like 3D prototyping, measurement and inspection, tooling design, mass production and more. Mr. Carsten Struve, Chief Technology Officer, Hegaxon Metrology said: “We believe that industry has a responsibility to help academic institutions with technical research and in developing great minds of the future.” In October 2015, during the incorporation of an economic review committee, PM Lee shared: “We must create opportunities even in a weaker global economy, and move faster towards higher skills, innovation and productivity.” To construct an innovative economy, there is a need for well-rounded individuals who possess business insights and an entrepreneurial spirit. By introducing the new diploma and constantly seeking to partner with industry experts, RP has already begun to bridge the workforce complexity gaps of tomorrow, today.

The Hexagon Metrology-RP MOU signing ceremony with (from left to right) Mr. Seto Lok Yin, Deputy Principal (Industry Services), RP; Mr. Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO, RP; Mr. Lim Boon Choon, President APAC, Hexagon Metrology Asia Pacific and Mr. Carsten Struve, Chief Technology Officer, Hexagon Metrology

“We must create opportunities even in a weaker global economy, and move faster towards higher skills, innovation and productivity.”

NEW AT RP! School of Management and Communication The formerly-known Centre for Enterprise and Communication has now been renamed to the School of Management and Communication. It aims to nurture innovative minds and instill a sense of lifelong learning in students, while teaching them entrepreneurial skills to flourish in the business arena. The School will also prepare its students to work under demanding business structures and circumstances, through a multidisciplinary approach incorporating technology, business, communication and social sciences in its programmes.

Diploma in Customer Experience Management with Business Recently renamed, our Diploma in Customer Experience Management with Business, under the School of Hospitality (SOH), will equip students with a wide range of customer management and business skills. The course will help students pave their way into a successful career in customer experience management across multiple disciplines in the hospitality sector. Graduates will be able to identify customers’ needs, manage their expectations and deliver excellent service in areas such as hotels, healthcare organisations and more.

Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore September/October 2016

News & Update

Unveiling the Republic Polytechnic Industry Centre!

P heralds in a new era of academic pursuits with the official opening of the Republic Polytechnic Industry Centre (RPIC) on 3 August 2016. The RPIC will house cutting-edge amenities and laboratories to facilitate innovative and authentic hands-on learning for our students.

The SOH Customer Experience Laboratories

Mr. Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO, RP, explained the purpose of RPIC: “The Centre will serve as a hub for RP to collaborate with various industries. All these efforts will enhance skills training of our students as we prepare them for their future.”

Creatively named the Collaboratory, it is a 26-seater space with flexible workstations to conduct call simulations, practical exercises, and more.

Contact Centre Learning Lab

Introducing three partnering labs RP-Microsoft Smart Lab The Smart Lab serves as a “think-tank” to showcase prominent smart nation test-bedding projects and provide advice on research ideas, technical issues, and software support. It will be used as a space to conduct Microsoft-related courses and research and development.

RP - Wilmar Innovation Centre This Innovation Centre will support the growing demands of the food manufacturing industry in creating new and improved products. There will be a hot area for baking, cooking and frying as well as a cold area for confectionary formulation and a hydrogel lab.

The new Contact Centre Learning Lab - The Collaboratory

RP - McKinsey Productivity Lab for Lean Production and Services This lab will allow our students to experience using lean methodology to drive productivity to systematically eliminate waste.

A sneak peek into some of the other facilities Engineering Design Studio The Engineering Design Studio is an integrated facility area for our students and staff to engineer their ideas and concepts through the design process, which includes stages of Ideation, Imagineering, Rapid Prototyping, Testing and Actualising.

Supply Chain Innovation Lab This is a purpose-built facility with ultra-modern solutions for supply chain and logistics management.

Students on the new Earn and Learn Programme for the logistics industry, learning about the driverless forklift at the Supply Chain Innovation Lab.

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News & Update

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Lab This lab will accommodate a CRM system with a customer web portal and queue system for our students to learn to manage customer experiences.

Ingenuity Showcased at *SCAPE

The technologically advanced CRM Lab

The Retail Unlimited Through the Retail Unlimited Laboratory, our students will have hands-on sessions with various hardware and software applications used in the retail industry.

STA Symbiosis showcase, exhibiting a variety of RP students’ innovative projects.

n 31 March 2016, final-year School of Technology for the Arts (STA) students featured their best works at their graduate showcase, Symbiosis, at *SCAPE. There was a variety of creative projects—ranging from design to video, music to arts—that our students collaborated on with selected organisations.

Showcasing RP’s first Retail Lab - The Retail Unlimited

New themed training restaurant 9th Avenue 9th Avenue is RP’s third training restaurant where students will learn how to prepare international cuisine, thereby understanding more about other customs and cultures.

A number of projects were for social causes, such as an app called the Soul Food. Created by the Diploma in Design for User Experience students, individuals can access information on personal hygiene and food handling. It is a simplified application about food hygiene fashioned for social needs trainees working at other social enterprises. In another project, Very Special Arts, our students from the Diploma in Arts and Theatre Management, organised a visual arts workshop and exhibition involving residents of Bishan Home for the Intellectually Disabled. A group of Diploma in Media Production and Design students were given the opportunity to work on the popular children’s daytime show series, Hi-5. They created a Hi-5 Interactive Book, using content developed for an episode. Our students from the Diploma in Game Design also collaborated with i-Active to create a fast-paced arcade-style game, where players eat healthy food to gain points. Overall, the Symbiosis was a great platform for our students to display their creativity and works.

The latest all-new exciting themed training restaurant at RP September/October 2016

News & Update

A Purposeful Career Fair 2016

his year, RP’s Career Fair took place from 22 to 25 January, and was collaboratively organised by RP and the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i). The event was an ideal platform for our students to learn more about their career opportunities and options. A Career Networking Session allowed for interested companies to interact and interview potential candidates. Over 100 participating companies from a range of industries such as aerospace, engineering. hospitality and information technology, took part in the Fair. More than 3,000 RP students turned up to find out about the available options for their career. Both RP and e2i also formalised their partnership by signing a Memorandum

of Understanding at the Fair. They aim to collectively strengthen Education and Career Guidance efforts and deepen industry knowledge for both our students and staff, elevate students’ employability through specific programmes and enhance our staff’s skill in career guidance. Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Gary Goh (Professional Services), e2i, said: “We look forward to a fruitful partnership with RP, the first at the tertiary level, to provide new platforms for students to help them understand their career options in various industries.”

Visitors gather at various booths at the RP Career Fair 2016

The RP Career Fair was a meaningful event that allowed our students to gain better insight to various industries while giving them job-seeking opportunities. (from left to right) Mr. Seto Lok Yin, Deputy Principal (Industry Services), RP; Mr. Fong Yew Chan, Senior Director (Student Services and Planning), RP; Ms. Kristin Loh, Assistant Director, (Professional Search and Career Guidance), e2i and Mr. Gary Goh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Professional Services), e2i

Various organisations featured an array of information about their fields

Giving students the information they need for a career headstart

The Singapore Armed Forces booth at RP's Career Fair 2016 11

We welcome any suggestions to enhance or diversify RP’s diploma courses and training programmes. You can email us at help-occ@rp.edu.sg

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Heart

A Joint Effort to Protect the Environment

understand that no matter how big or small the litter is, it can cause such harmful effects to the environment, animals and even us, humans.”

QBE Foundation staff and RP students are all smiles after a productive day of helping out to clean Pasir Ris beach

RP students and QBE Staffs hard at work to clean up Pasir Ris beach.

“This activity was indeed an eye-opener, seeing many items such as diapers littered on the beach. We were able to see the situation for ourselves, and understand that no matter how big or small the litter is, it can cause such harmful effects to the environment, animals and even us, humans.” Doreen See Diploma in Healthcare Administration Year 3 student

s an avid supporter and donor for RP’s financially-needy students since 2012, QBE Foundation has helped 65 students over the last five years. It also encourages RP beneficiaries to give back to society through various types of service-learning projects. This year, nine students, together with 30 QBE Foundation staff, spent a Saturday morning helping to clean up Pasir Ris beach. They removed trash that was a potential threat to marine

September/October 2016

Sharing the Fruits of Our Labour

ompeting against 46 other entries from numerous Polytechnics, ITEs and Universities, a team of students from the Diploma in Media Production and Design, from the School of Technology for the Arts (STA) clinched the second place for the National Climate Change Video Competition, under the higher learning education category.

A $2000 cash prize was awarded to the winners, and our students made their win even more meaningful by donating 30 percent of their cash prize to the RP Student Needy Fund. Despite being beneficiaries of the Fund themselves, they selflessly shared their prize with others who need it too.

life, and that could have affected the aesthetics of our coastline. Our students were keen and enthusiastic to play a part in preserving the environment. Doreen See, a third-year student from Diploma in Healthcare Administration from the School of Sports, Health and Leisure (SHL) shared: “This activity was indeed an eye-opener, seeing many items such as diapers littered on the beach. We were able to see the situation for ourselves, and

from left to right (Mr. Rizal Mattar, Lecturer, School of Technology for the Arts, RP; Ms. Sharen Liu, Director, School of Technology for the Arts, RP; Amanda Ang; Sharon Ng; Patricia Chua; Lee Zhen Huan and Mr. Clement Ng, Lecturer, School of Technology for the Arts, RP) 12

Profile

DENNIS QUEK:

DELIVERING LIFE LESSONS

The Centre of Innovation for Supply Chain Management (COI-SCM) at Republic Polytechnic (RP) helps Singapore-based companies build, develop and deepen their supply chain and logistics capabilities, through innovation in processes and technology. incoRPorate speaks to the man at the helm of COISCM, Centre Director Mr. Dennis Quek. He shares with us his insights on the industry, his views on innovation, and his personal philosophy in life.

Mr. Dennis Quek Director Centre of Innovation for Supply Chain Management, RP

t takes someone with great foresight and passion, with a genuine desire to help the industry succeed, to lead a centre like COI-SCM. And Mr. Dennis Quek is that person. A LEADER AND A MENTOR Dennis oversees COI-SCM’s operations. But he sees himself first and foremost as a mentor to his staff. “Most of our staff have deep domain knowledge, but they have not spent as much time as I had in the industry. I bring with me a wider breadth of experience and strong connections,” says Dennis, who has over 20 years of experience in logistics and supply chain management.

“Through the centre, we are able to expose our staff to the industry. If they are continuously exposed to the industry, they will be able to translate current issues into relevant skills and curriculum that should be taught to our students,” he adds. CREATING VALUE FOR THE INDUSTRY Since it commenced operations in 2012, COI-SCM has completed more than 200 projects for a diverse group of companies. “One of our biggest supporters is SMRT Corporation. The fact that they come back to us time and again to tap on our resources is a measure of the immense trust the industry has in us to create value for them,” Dennis shares.

Co-founded by Dennis, Wheels@Ubin is a community project that brought 100 wheelchair users to Pulau Ubin. 13

Dennis believes all businesses have supply chains. “When people hear the words ‘supply chain’, they immediately equate it to logistics. But COI-SCM actually does more. For instance, the centre has many collaborative projects for hotels together with RP School of Hospitality.

And that is exactly why companies need to continue to innovate. Unless you innovate, your business won’t be able to grow. You will lose your competitive edge if you continue to do the same things over and over again.”

He explains: “The hotel industry speaks of rooms as inventory. Their inventory needs to be ‘manufactured’ every day, as rooms have to be made daily. Therefore, you need a supply of clean laundry, linens, and other amenities. It’s a supply chain issue.

It is perhaps serendipitous that Dennis is working for an educational institution at this phase in his life.

“Most people don’t see it that way. Hence, we help create insights that sometimes companies themselves don’t see,” he adds. THE NEED TO INNOVATE When asked what he foresees the industry to be like in 10 years, Dennis says: “The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and digitisation will not only change the way a supply chain works, but the world as we know it. “E-commerce is impacting the way we buy things, and therefore the way things are delivered to us. New technology like 3D-printing will affect the way we manage supply chains, as we will be able to manufacture products faster and cheaper.”

“WHAT LIFE MEANS TO ME”

“I’ve always thought that I would become a lecturer in the later years of my life,” Dennis reveals. “It was a nice coincidence for me that I did end up in an educational institution. I may not be teaching students, but I am still imparting industry knowledge to my colleagues.” Outside of work, the father of one enjoys the outdoors. He shares excitedly about the treks he has gone on all over the world: “The highest peak I’ve climbed is Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa.” Dennis also enjoys doing community work, and has spearheaded projects such as Wheels@Ubin, which brought 100 wheelchair users to Pulau Ubin last year. “Helping the community makes me happy. And doing things that make us happy should be our way of life.”

incoRPorate

Trend Watch

EXPLORING

THE WORLD OF ENGINEERING Problem solvers. Visionaries. Innovators. These are just some of the words to describe engineers. Here's a sneak peek at what you need to know about the industry that has led to some of the greatest discoveries and advancements in history.

Engineers that Changed the World

Thomas Edison (1847-1931)

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

The Wright Brothers

Nikola Tesla (1856-1943)

Inventor of the light bulb

Invented the ball bearing, as well as many other inventions

Invented the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first successful airplane in 1903

Invented the Alternating Current Induction Motor (used in machines such as electric fans and air conditioners)

The Future of Engineering in Singapore

Clean Technology

3D Printing

Achieves energy conservation, emissions control, renewable energy systems, waste reduction through sustainable engineering practices

Revolutionises the way products are produced and prototyped

The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greatest Engineering Feats Found in Singapore

Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort

The Sands SkyPark on top of the hotel towers is big enough to park

The Singapore Flyer

2nd Largest observation wheel in the world. Its height equals to

male giraffes

stacked on top of one another.

A380 jets!

It has the highest swimming pool in the world.

5.3 metres

Sources: www.edb.gov.sg, www.marinabaysands.com, www.singaporeflyer.com September/October 2016

ACE YOUR

CAREER ACE@RP is the Continuing Education and Training arm of Republic Polytechnic (RP). We promote lifelong learning amongst working adults, so that they can remain valuable participants in a knowledge-based economy. ACE@RP offers various academic and executive programmes for aspiring professionals, as well as Part-time Diploma programmes and Post-Diploma programmes for adult learners to upgrade their skills and knowledge. Up to

funding support 95% Enhanced

NEW INTAKES

every April and October! ENGINEERING AND LOGISTICS

SPORTS AND HEALTH SCIENCES

• Specialist Diploma in Supply Chain Management • Part-time Diploma in Engineering (Operations and Engineering Management) • Part-time Diploma in Engineering (Electrical and Electronics)

• Specialist Diploma in Sports and Exercise Science • Diploma (Conversion) in Outdoor and Adventure Learning • Part-time Diploma in Sports (Coaching)

INFOCOMM AND TECHNOLOGY

APPLIED SCIENCE

• Part-time Diploma in Infocomm and Digital Media (Information Systems) • Specialist Diploma in Mobile Applications

• Part-time Diploma in Applied Science (Nutrition and Food Science) • Specialist Diploma in Advanced Composites

PEDAGOGY AND CURRICULUM DESIGN

BUSINESS PRACTICE AND MANAGEMENT

• Specialist Diploma in Applied Learning and Teaching • Specialist Diploma in Career Counselling

• Part-time Diploma in Business Practice (Hospitality) • Part-time Diploma in Business Practice (International Human Resources Management) • Specialist Diploma in Business Analytics • Specialist Diploma in Hospitality Business Management

SME-sponsored applicants enjoy 90% course fee subsidy. Applicants eligible for the Workfare Training Support (WTS) scheme enjoy 95% course fee subsidy. Terms and conditions apply.

ACADEMY FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION @RP 6697 1699

ACE@rp.edu.sg

Republic Polytechnic is holding its 5th International Problem-Based Learning Symposium from 15-17 March 2017 (5th IPBLS2017). The theme for the Symposium is “PBL and the Future of Skills”, which focuses on the emergent challenges and opportunities in the future of skills. 5th IPBLS2017 invites a community of professionals from education and industry to deliberate on strategies for meeting the challenges of the future. Visit www.rp.edu.sg/symposium for more information.