Speech - Opening Remarks by Ms Low Khah Gek, CEO/ITE, at the ITE Work-Study Diploma Graduation Ceremony, on Wednesday 22 November at 3:00pm, ITE HQ

Dr Maliki Osman, Second Minister for Education, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs

Mr Andrew Chong, Chairman, ITE

Members of the ITE Board of Governors

Industry Partners

Parents

ITE Colleagues

Ladies and Gentlemen

Celebrating WSDip Graduation

Today, we are here to celebrate the achievements of 441 WSDip graduands. They started their WSDip programmes in April 2021. In the last 2.5 years, they stayed the course and were determined to succeed. We are very proud of them. We congratulate the graduands, their employers and supervisors, their lecturers and their parents. (Applause)

The ITE Work-Study Diploma programme has a unique training model that demands a lot from our trainees as they straddle the commitment of being a full-time employee and a trainee. They wear the hat of an ‘employee’ and must work to create value for their companies and employers. They also wear the hat of a ‘trainee’ and are expected to be diligent learners at their workplaces and on-campus at ITE. There are assessments to ensure they have mastered the skills and meet the requirements and standards of a diploma. All 441 graduands here today have met the demands and expectations. Well done!

WSDip Trainees’ Projects

As part of the WSDip requirements, the trainees have to complete a company project in their final year. These projects must solve a problem at work and create value for the company. Today, we have invited 9 trainees to exhibit their projects in the Hall outside. Let me briefly highlight 3 projects:

• Project at DNATA is by 4 WSDip Airport Operations trainees - Muhammad Felix Syazrin Bin Rashid, Saravanakumar Priyadarshni, Siti Khadijah Binte Roslan and Yew Zi Wen Karis. They optimised and further automated the cargo handling processes by using CargoEye, an instant cargo dimensioning system that captures accurate dimensions and images of incoming cargo and creates digital cargo records. This would enable traceability, claim verification and eliminate some manual processes, thereby enhances workflow efficiency, reduces manpower and results in cost savings.

• Project at Sembawang Country Club is by WSDip Lifestyle & Recreation Management trainee Nurfazielah Bte Selamat. She created a 3D virtual tour of the Club’s facilities that enable new members, guests and visitors to immerse themselves in a comprehensive virtual experience of the club’s amenities, including rules and regulations on the use of their facilities. This has enhanced safety and compliance.

• Project at BIT Solution Pte Ltd is by WSDip IT System Integration trainee Frederick Lim Ding Xiang. He noted that the company’s manual data entry processes presented inefficiencies, errors, and consumed valuable time, impacting the company’s ability to effectively manage assets and meet client demands. He automated the data transfer between Device 42, an asset discovery software, and Auto Task PSA, a cloud-based IT business management platform. With this, the time savings for inventory data entry is 80%, that is a 5 man-day job can be done in 1 day.

We are very glad that the projects by our WSDip trainees have created new value by increasing productivity and generating cost savings for their employers. I encourage all of you to visit their booths later.

Strong Industry Partnerships

I would like to express my appreciation to all the 700+ sponsoring companies who have come on board ITE’s WSDip programmes to co-develop the curricula and co-train the trainees, enabling them to upgrade their skills, attain a diploma and build their careers.

ITE will continue to expand our WSDip offerings and increase the WSDip places to support our ITE graduates to upgrade. We project a 25% increase in the 2024 intake size from 1,200 in 2023 to 1,500 in April next year. We hope more employers will give us their strong support.

Next Steps for WSDip Graduates

Not only have the WSDip graduates demonstrated their competencies and value to their employers, they have also exhibited potential to take on higher job roles with greater responsibilities and complexities. Some WSDip graduates have ambitious aspirations to take on even larger job roles and have embarked on plans to pursue a degree. Let me share two examples:

Mohammad Sholihin Bin Senin. Sholihin graduated from Higher Nitec in Hospitality Operations before enrolling in the WSDip in Hotel & Restaurant Management. He worked and trained at Conrad Centennial Singapore. During his 2.5-year stint at Conrad Centennial, he was exposed to three different departments - Front Office, Food & Beverage and Housekeeping. This wide exposure further ignited his passion for the service industry. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Hospitality Business with Honours, full time at SIT and is being supported by the Tertiary Tuition Fee Subsidy scheme under Yayasan Mendaki.

Calvin Sim. After achieving a Higher Nitec in Electronics Engineering, Calvin enlisted in national service and while serving NS at the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), he  came to know of the  WSDip Aircraft Maintenance Engineering programme specially designed by ITE and RSAF for NSFs. Calvin joined the first intake of this programme in April 2021 and graduated this year as a top performer, winning the Gold Medal. Calvin’s ambition is to be an aircraft engineer and he is already admitted into SUSS’ Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Aerospace Systems programme. He will begin his degree studies in January 2024.

Sholihin and Calvin have demonstrated that the WSDip has unlocked their potential as well as open further doors to enable them to pursue a degree and realise their aspirations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all our industry partners, for your unwavering support and mentorship that you have so generously bestowed to our trainees. Your belief in the potential of ITE graduates has ignited their passion and ambition.

To our WSDip graduates, as you step into this exciting new chapter, do carry the spirit of lifelong learning with you. The world eagerly awaits the mark you will make. My ITE colleagues and I look forward to hearing about your endeavours and accomplishments and we are proud to have played a part in your life to nurture you and launch you into your future.

Thank you.