Press Release - SP Group renews commitment to ITE students with S$1.35 million donation for SP Group Engineering Study Awards

SP Group (SP) today announced a renewed commitment of S$1.35 million to the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), to benefit 450 students who will receive the SP Group Engineering Study Awards. This raises SP’s overall donation to ITE to S$2.7 million since 2022 and the total number of award recipients to 900 students.

Launched in 2022, the SP Group Engineering Study Awards is presented to engineering students from lower income backgrounds enrolled in engineering courses across all three ITE colleges. It provides financial support to boost the students’ educational and vocational journey at ITE. The donation will be disbursed to second-year students for each cohort in the next three years.

Group Chief Executive Officer of SP Group, Stanley Huang, said, “SP Group is committed to developing the next generation of engineering professionals. Many of them will be instrumental in creating a resilient and sustainable energy future for our nation. Through the SP Group Engineering Study Awards, we aim to nurture the ambition and tenacity of future talent as they meet their vocational interests and pursue viable education and career pathways.”

The renewed funding underscores SP’s commitment to enabling ITE students from less privileged backgrounds to carve their career in engineering the SP Group Study Awards will help students with their educational and daily expenses. Award recipients will also have access to internship opportunities at SP. This initiative aims to remove financial barriers, allowing students to focus and excel in their studies, and inspiring them to pursue future careers in the energy and engineering sectors.

Chief Executive Officer of ITE, Low Khah Gek, said, “At ITE, we are committed to ensuring every student has access to opportunities for success. We are grateful for SP Group’s continued support in uplifting our students through the sponsorship of these Study Awards. Beyond easing their financial burdens, the Study Awards triggered our engineering students to find out more about the engineering industries and the diverse job roles they could pursue. Overall, the Study Awards empower our students to pursue their aspirations, unlock their potential, and build meaningful engineering careers.”

Assistant engineer Celeste Brity Kwek Xing En, who received the award in 2022 shared, “With the financial support from this award, I was able to focus on my education and gain the necessary skillsets to excel in my field of choice. It boosted my confidence. My mother, who was the sole breadwinner, felt our family’s load lightened. I am pursuing my diploma studies and excited to embark on a career in engineering. I hope to help provide for my family and make meaningful contributions to Singapore’s future.”

ITE students’ learning journey to SP Group facilities

On 27 May 2025, SP hosted a group of past and prospective award recipients from ITE’s three colleges to a learning journey at SP’s headquarters at Kallang Sector. They interacted with SP’s engineers and technical officers and visited a high-voltage equipment simulation set-up. The students proceeded to an exclusive tour of a section of the cross-island underground electricity cable tunnel at Geylang Bahru for a deeper understanding of the work behind operating Singapore’s electricity grid. The students also viewed a live demonstration of innovative tools and devices, including aerial drones and a robotic dog used to support the team’s inspection and maintenance works.

SP engineers, who are ITE alumnus, shared their educational and work experiences with the students. When Principal engineer Lee Hong Wei completed his ITE studies, he went on to study at Nanyang Polytechnic and thereafter graduated with an Honours degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Nanyang Technological University. He now heads a team of 24, managing various national-level power grid projects. Principal Engineer Suhardi bin Hashim heads a team in charge of electricity meters for SP’s 1.7 million customers. With his ITE qualifications, he chose to work full-time at SP, being the sole breadwinner to his family of six then, while pursuing his diploma and degree studies part-time.

Insights from current ITE students who have received the SP Group award

Ashton Chee, a Higher Nitec in Electrical Engineering student, said, “The financial support came in very useful when I had to purchase educational resources such as textbooks, stationery supplies, and electronic devices for my course work. It relieved some stress as I work towards my goal of earning a diploma.”

Sangeetha D/O Prakash from the Nitec in Mechatronics & Robotics course, said, “Receiving the award is important for me. I could reduce the time committed to my part-time job and devote the time saved to my studies.”

Beyond the SP Group Engineering Study Awards for ITE students, SP has a range of initiatives to nurture engineering talents. These include scholarships for university undergraduates and structured internship programmes for both polytechnic and university students, as well as specialised training for upskilling and sponsorships for diploma and degree programmes for its own staff.