Studying to gain skills, while advancing careers

Learn the right skills and get a head-start in your chosen field with a Work-Study Programme at Temasek Polytechnic.

In an ever-evolving job market, securing the right job requires more than outstanding grades or even a stellar work record. The fact is, there’s a troubling skill mismatch between job seekers and vacancies, according to the Ministry of Manpower’s Jobs Vacancies Report released last year.

For jobs in the professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMET) category, the report found that employers cited a lack of relevant skills and experience, especially in positions that require specialised technical knowledge. In particular, the healthcare, IT and digital sectors are seeing a growing demand for skilled workers.

To seize opportunities in these fields, jobseekers would do well to follow in the footsteps of Ms Nur Sarah Binte Ahmed Kamil and Ms Ho Zi Hui. With the help of the SkillsFuture Work-Study Programme (WSP) at Temasek Polytechnic (TP), they were able to learn new skills, gain invaluable work experience and jump-start their dream careers.

SKILLS PAIRED WITH CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Consisting of Work-Study Certificates and Post-Diploma Programmes, the WSP offers full-time polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education graduates a chance to build on their skills and knowledge while supporting their transition into the workforce.

Participants are matched with a job related to their field of study before undergoing a 12- or 18-month-long structured training programme, which includes classes, on-the-job training with assigned company mentors and work-based projects. Once they complete the WSP, participants receive an industry-recognised certification and the opportunity for wage progression or career advancement.

Designed in collaboration with industries for maximum relevance, the WSP covers numerous sectors, including healthcare, info-communications technology, aerospace, biomedical sciences, games development and retail.

POWERING UP WITH BUSINESS ANALYTICS

A WSP Specialist Diploma in Business Analytics seems a natural choice for Ms Nur Sarah, given her love for learning and keen interest in data analytics.

After graduating from TP with a Diploma in Business Process & Systems Engineering last year, the 21-year-old continued to conscientiously upgrade her skills by taking up free online courses in analytics, as well as researching the next steps in her career. She initially wanted to pursue a part-time degree programme but lacks the minimum two years of working experience required by most institutions. After attending a virtual course preview at TP, she decided to take up the WSP last year.

As part of her WSP, Ms Nur Sarah was attached to Foot Locker Asia as a web analytics specialist. Over the last 10 months of work and classes, she has acquired skills that have strengthened her standing in the workplace.

“My duties include using Power BI and Google Analytics to analyse weekly trends, gather insights and create dashboards,” she shared. “I enjoy telling stories with data. It’s rewarding to explain the different insights and trends that can be found with different types of data.”

Ms Nur Sarah learnt to use Power BI as part of Business Intelligence Fundamentals, a module taught at TP as part of her WSP. She also found Social Media Analytics, which focuses on text analytics instead of data, useful in her work.

She said: “The quality of teaching at TP is great. My trainers support me when I have any doubts and do their best to ensure I understand the topics.”

She enjoys interacting with and learning from her classmates who hail from diverse industries. “I’ve found that everyone has a different way of presenting a solution or solving a problem statement. It’s fun and enriching to learn from others.”

Ms Nur Sarah, who expects to graduate this October, has no qualms recommending the WSP at TP to others. “There are many different courses available at TP and a wide range of participating companies. If you want to gain experience in the workforce and attain a higher qualification, the WSP is for you.”

PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS FOR WORK, AND MORE

Putting in her best effort – and getting a knowledge boost from the WSP – helped Ms Ho, 24, to go full-time at BioMedix Singapore, a distributor of medical devices and laboratory equipment.

The operation executive started working there as an associate engineer three years ago as part of her WSP Specialist Diploma in Biomedical Engineering & Services, jointly awarded by TP and the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

“I secured my role by putting in my best performance, both in school and at work,” she said, adding that she also applied her learning from the WSP to on-the-job challenges and shared knowledge with her colleagues.

Ms Ho’s WSP Final Year Project (FYP) was instrumental in giving her the skills needed to thrive in her current role: “The FYP taught me a lot about problem-solving using different techniques that I can apply in work and life. I have also picked up new skills that were not taught in my polytechnic days, such as common biomedical instrumentation and engineering practices.”

In addition to her specialist diploma, Ms Ho holds a Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, specialising in biomedical engineering. Her desire to learn more about the latter prompted her to take up the WSP immediately after completing her diploma in 2019. She graduated from the WSP last year.

While she found juggling her career, academic life and personal priorities difficult at first, she soon learnt to allot her time depending on the day’s needs. She also had the support of TP’s WSP trainers, who were understanding of the programme participants’ hectic schedules.

“TP’s trainers were very helpful in providing the knowledge I needed to equip myself in the working world,” said Ms Ho. “I hope that in the future, I, too, will be able to influence new batches of graduates and help them in pursuing their dream careers.”

Learn more about the Work-Study Programme at Temasek Polytechnic.