ISSUE116infinITE is a publication of the Institute of Technical Education

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Giving Back

“Books teach you, but people teach you better,” said Professor Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador-at-Large, and

Chairperson of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities. Addressing some 35 ITE students in attendance, she was speaking as Guest-of-Honour at the Launch of the US Embassy Alumni Mentoring Programme on Saturday 26 January 2013 at ITE College Central.

The Programme is an initiative aimed at pairing mentors, all established and eminent in their areas of profession, with young and impressionable wards to guide them in their professional and personal development. Specific skills to be shared by these successful role models include resilience for career challenges, communication and social etiquette. This inaugural project was piloted in ITE, with 13 mentors and 35 mentees.

To Grow a Culture of GivingThe Programme hopes to go beyond just benefitting selected students. Psychologist Ms Wendy Chua-Sullivan, Founder of ‘Wand Inspiration’ and facilitator of the Programme, urged participants to perpetuate a broader purpose in ‘giving back to society’. To Prof Chan, ‘giving’ is a long-standing Asian value, especially when it comes to how we ‘love’ our parents. She elaborated, “I remember feeling proud whenever I give money to my parents, no matter what the amount is. My parents see this act as a filial one, and an expression of love.” She also recounted fondly her years at America’s Cornell University, where she pursued her post-graduate studies. It was there that she found her mentor, a professor in architecture, who not

only invited her to family dinners, but sharpened her sense of aesthetics.

The mentors, who volunteered time from their busy schedules, were upbeat about their involvement. One of them, Mr T. Sasitharan, Co-Founder and Director of Intercultural Theatre Institute, sees mentorship as a positive model for propagation. He said, “Mentoring is not part of Singapore’s culture, but it serves a critical function. We need formal structures in mentorship because young lives are too important to be shaped by accident. It is a privilege to help out.” On what he hoped to achieve with his mentees, Mr Sasitharan added, “I hope to dissipate some of their fears, as young people understandably do have fears about their future. But I also hope to learn from them.”

One of the participants, ITE College Central Student Council President, Jeremy Lau Tuck Wei, shared that the Programme would provide him with access to the highly-qualified mentors and their advice would help him plan his career ahead. The Programme consists of six three-hour sessions and will be conducted over six months.

The Launch was graced by Mr Louis Mazel, Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy Singapore; Mr Bruce Poh, Director & CEO/ITE; and Dr Ang Kiam Wee, Principal, ITE College Central.

by Victor YenITE Students in Inaugural US Embassy Alumni Mentoring Programme

The Start of A Special Bond: Mentors and Mentees ‘break ice’ during the Launch of the US Embassy Alumni Mentoring Programme. They will learn from each other in the weeks to come.

by Jenn Tan and Lim Hui Ling

Our Distinguished Visitors ITE hosted the following distinguished visitors between January and February 2013:

Ambassador of Switzerland, His Excellency Thomas Kupfer

MOU with WorldSkills Foundation

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Education Leaders from the Netherlands

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A Glimpse into Multimedia Future: Governing Board Chairpersons from Dutch education institutions were enthralled by one of the latest projects on display at the Multimedia Design Centre at ITE College West. The Centre helps to enhance staff and students’ capabilities through project development in collaboration with industry.

Blossoming Partnership: ITE’s commitment to WorldSkills-related activities enters a new dimension with the setting up of world’s first WorldSkills Innovation Lab. The pioneer lab will work on a 3D Modelling and Virtual Reality design project to develop a range of interactive and experimental software applications for ITE's new Nitec in Floristry course. Mr Bruce Poh, Director & CEO/ITE, celebrates the collaboration at an MOU Signing Ceremony with Mr Tjerk Dusseldorp (right), Chair, Board of Trustees, WorldSkills Foundation.

at a

Syddansk Erhvervsskole (SDE College), Denmark

New Heights for Authentic Training: Newly appointed in November 2012, His Excellency Thomas Kupfer (with tie) learnt about the local Vocational and Technical Education System when he visited ITE Headquarters and ITE College Central. He experienced authentic learning and training at ITE College Central’s Aerospace Hub where students work on real aircraft and engine parts.

BuzzOur Distinguished Visitors

Appreciation from a Grateful Parent

A Simple Thank You

A Learning Organisation

Engineered for Success

PulseNew Partnerships

Ready to Serve

Sparking New Ideas

Kicking for Charity

Love for Earth

StarsNew Life with Tie-Dye

Great Way to Pick Up Nursing Skills: Led by SDE College’s Vice Director, Mr Erland Boelskifte (in light-blue shirt), representatives from the College learnt about the introduction of high-fidelity patient simulators into the curriculum at ITE College East’s Centre for Healthcare Simulation Training when they were in Singapore for a two-day study visit to explore collaboration opportunities with ITE.

Appreciation from a Grateful Parent

A Simple Thank You

Father of ITE student pens thank you note to ITE

Acknowledgement of students and staff in ITE College Central book

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for Mr Chan Sin Hoon, Senior Lecturer, Precision Engineering - Advanced

Machining Technology, ITE College West. Mr Chan has been overseeing my son, K. Karpagasusenthran’s, development and progress since 2012. My son is pursuing his Nitec in Airspace Machining Technology. Like all other teenage boys, my son had his fair share of issues in coping with peer pressure in school. But Mr Chan ensured that my son stayed on track to achieve his course objectives. When I visited him recently, Mr Chan took time off from his busy schedule to show me around the campus and the workshops. In our recent meeting, I was impressed by Mr Chan’s professional attitude and ability to monitor his class’ progress. He believes that every student should be given a chance even if they had faltered before in their learning journey. He shared many of his personal stories, aimed at motivating his students to succeed. With the investment made in training resources and the recruitment of passionate teachers like Mr Chan, ITE students are in a strong position to perform well. As a proud father, I hope that my son will treasure and use lessons learned in ITE for his future challenges in life.

Yours in gratitude,Mr Kalimuthu

A simple ‘Thank you’ can go a long way. And in ITE College Central, it has

gone into a book.

ITE College Central’s School of Business and Services launched a feel-good book titled ‘A Simple Thank You’. The book is a compilation of heart-warming anecdotes to show appreciation to staff and students for their acts of kindness and unforgettable moments which have made each work day worthwhile.

Dr Ng Lee Keng, Director, School of Business and Services, explained, “The primary intention was simple: to document and celebrate the poignant goodness that is often under-stated in our educational setting. The aim was to capture the essence of humane interactions that makes our profession so challenging and yet rewarding, all at the same time.”

The book is also intended to be used for teaching and learning.

by Shalini Veijayaratnam

To obtain a copy of the book, please email your request to the Editor at Victor_Yen@ite.edu.sg.

Editor's note: This letter is published with permission by Mr Kalimuthu.

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Mr Kalimuthu (left) and his son K Karpagasusenthran.

Investments to keep ITE staff on cutting edge by Serene Tan

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Teaching Opportunities: Mr Chia Kiah Ngian (in long sleeve shirt), Lecturer in Aerospace Avionics at ITE College Central, interacting with 2nd -year Aerospace Avionics polytechnic students of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology during his industry attachment there.

A Learning Organisation

HUMAN capital development has always been at the forefront of ITE’s strategic agenda.

Testifying to this, Mr Bruce Poh, Director & CEO/ ITE shared, “Developing staff is one of my main areas of focus. Human capital development is a critical strategic tool to ensure relevance to changing industry and technological needs, and prepares ITE to move quickly into new areas. We must have a learning culture where staff continually learn and are willing to share their experiences.”

Underpinning ITE’s efforts in building a learning culture and organisation is the Staff Training and Development Framework. There are two components to this framework – Education, to support formal training programmes leading to additional qualifications; and Training – to support non-formal training programmes like conferences, workshops, courses and attachments.

Formal Education for Professional GrowthITE recognises the need to upgrade the professional qualifications of staff to meet its immediate and long-term organisational needs. As such, Education Sponsorship and Assistance schemes have been put in place to encourage both Academic and Non-Academic staff to be proactive in their professional upgrading efforts. These schemes support both full-time and part-time studies for professional qualifications ranging from Certificate and Diploma programmes to undergraduate and post-graduate programmes. Since 2008, 215 ITE staff have upgraded their professional qualifications under these schemes.

One such staff is Ms Faith Hong, a Section Head in Fitness Training at ITE College East, who is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Studies at the National Institute of Education, Singapore. When asked why she chose this course of study, Faith said, “It is relevant and adds value to my current job, which is to manage and mentor a team of Fitness Training lecturers. I hope to be able to apply what I’ve learnt from this course to the curriculum development of fitness training and sports management in ITE.”

For Mr Edwin Phua, Section Head, Western Culinary Arts, ITE College West, upgrading himself professionally has made him a better team player. "My studies have given me opportunities to interact with people coming from various background and positions. This is important in my work, as I lead a team as Section Head. I find myself becoming a better problem-solver and listener,” said Edwin.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in European Culinary Management from the International Hotel Management Institute in Switzerland in 2010, under ITE’s Education Sponsorship Scheme.

Training through Industry AttachmentsAn integral part of ITE’s Hands-On, Minds-On, Hearts-On™ brand of education is providing students with the required skills-set for employment. To deliver this, academic staff have to constantly update and upgrade their technical knowledge and skills in the areas that they are teaching in, and familiarise themselves with the actual work conditions, requirements and practices of industries. The Industry Attachment Scheme (IAS) was introduced with these objectives in mind. Through the IAS, academic staff teaching trade and technical courses are attached to a relevant industry or institution at least once every five years.

On the IAS, Ms Fee Mei Feng, a Section Head in Digital Audio & Video Production at ITE College West, said, “The scheme allows exposure to best industry and pedagogic practices, which is definitely beneficial for Academic staff like us. It also provides us opportunities to learn from professionals in the industry so that we are kept up to date in the areas that we are teaching.” Mei Feng just returned from her first industry attachment with The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in January 2013.

Mr Chia Kiah Ngian, a Lecturer in Aerospace Avionics, ITE College Central, described his attachment to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) Polytechnic in Calgary, Canada, as rewarding. “Opportunities to interact with professionals in the field during our visits to the aerospace companies in Calgary, and participating

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Graduation Day: Mr Edwin Phua (far left) with his schoolmates from the International Hotel Management Institute in Switzerland, on graduation day.

in sharing sessions with SAIT staff to exchange ideas on best practices in curriculum delivery and instructional pedagogies in aviation technology, were indeed very enriching. I was also given the opportunity to deliver lessons to SAIT students and to assist in the conduct of practical sessions. I was especially glad to be able to share about Singapore and ITE during these lessons,” said Kiah Ngian.

Organisational Learning for Corporate CohesionIn addition to formal education and training opportunities, ITE also promotes organisational learning in the form of informal learning activities for staff. One such activity is the ‘REAL Leadership Learning Series’ for ITE’s leadership team to learn from industry captains, CEOs and thought leaders, as they share personal insights, perspectives and practices in various aspects of leadership. Some notable speakers of the REAL Leadership Learning Series include Mr S Dhanabalan, Chairman of Temasek Holdings (Private) Ltd; Mr J Y Pillay, Chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers; Mr Chan Chin Bok, Former Chairman, Economic Development Board; and Mr Lim Soon Ping, former Auditor-General of Singapore.

Looking ahead, ITE will be opening its very own ITE Academy in April 2012 at the new ITE Headquarters and College Central. The Academy, dedicated to the training and development of ITE’s niche Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) strengths, will focus on developing four Centres of Excellence, identified as key areas of strategic importance to ITE. These Centres of Excellence are – Leadership Development, Pedagogic Development, Professional and Executive Development and Organisational Learning. Mr Tan Seng Hua, Deputy CEO (Academic) and Dean of ITE Academy shared, “ITE has learnt from others and innovated to produce our very own model of Vocational and Technical Education (VTE). We need to preserve, pass on and grow our core competency and total system capability so that VTE in Singapore will continue to grow, and many more students can benefit from our VTE system. This is what the ITE Academy hopes to facilitate.”

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Engineered for Successby Karen Sum

Bright future for Engineering students

The trend is apparent. Since 2006, none of the 28 recipients of the President’s Scholarship have opted to study

Engineering at university. In 2012, Senior Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of Education, Ms Sim Ann, recounted a case where a local businessman lamented that he could easily find people to be Project Managers, but few wanted to take up the technical job positions.

Engineering, it seems, has fallen out of favour with the students of today. Senior Director/School of Engineering at ITE College East, Mr Lim Teck Lee acknowledges the challenges he faces in attracting students to take up Engineering courses. “Students with good academic grades shun Engineering because it is a tough trade to pick up. It requires logical thinking and a good foundation in Maths and Physics. Students are required to dirty their hands and they need to have some persistency in order to be grounded in their trade skills,” he shared.

For students entering an uncertain job market, this should be good news to them. With increasingly fewer “doers” and more “managers”, engineers, especially local ones, are in short supply, and ITE Engineering students can help fill this gap. Mr Lim agreed, “Engineering is even more important now as equipment and systems are getting more complex and compact. It is the backbone of every economy and we need engineers and technicians to build and manage infrastructure, to support high-end manufacturing, to engineer processes and systems to enhance productivity to make equipment work more efficiently and more easily.”

Learning FacilitiesTo make it more attractive, ITE has been highlighting how Engineering can open up many windows of opportunities for

work and career progression. Academic staff have also taken to showing students how Engineering can be fun and relevant by using gadgets and real-life examples of Engineering marvels to help them relate to the topics they are studying.

An emphasis on authentic learning also means that much investment goes into building labs and acquiring the latest technology and equipment for our students to practise and learn. The goal – to ensure our graduates are armed with relevant skills that they can readily put to use when they enter the workforce. This “plug-and-play” concept makes our graduates more attractive to employers, who do not need to spend time familiarising our students with work processes.

ITE Engineering graduate, Vickneshwaran Elangovan, agreed, “At ITE, I picked up skills that are relevant to the industry, and this made it easier for me to learn and catch up with my colleagues when I started work.” Vickneshwaran holds a Higher Nitec in Mechanical Engineering and Technical Engineer Diploma (TED) in Machine Technology. He immediately started work as an Engineer Assistant at II-VI Singapore Pte Ltd upon completion of his TED in March 2010.

Forging key partnerships with industry players has also helped keep our inventory of equipment and skills knowledge up to date. Many of our labs and Engineering centres are named to reflect these partnership, such as the ITE-Sembcorp Marine Engineering & Quality Centre, the ITE-ABB Automation Technology Solutions Centre, and ITE-Omron Sensor & PLC Application Centre.

Simulation Exercise: When getting the actual equipment is an issue, real-life simulators are adopted. This includes the racing simulator which allows students to experience the thrills of being an F1 driver in a safe environment; and is a fun way for students to learn Engineering topics.

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Examples of Jobs Available To ITE Engineering Graduates

NitecAircraft TechnicianVehicle InspectorAudio Visual SpecialistRigging & Trussing Specialist

Higher NitecOffshore & Marine Structure DraughtsmanAutomation TechnicianProcess Plant Assistant DesignerProduction Supervisor

Technical Engineer DiplomaAutomotive Workshop ManagerAutomotive Technical ExecutiveAssistant Engineer

More career choices for ITE graduates can be found at http://www.gra.ite.edu.sg/ite/gra/career.aspx

Real-life Learning: Training cars, MRT tracks, an MRT carriage, decommissioned airplanes and marine vessel parts are just some of the equipment ITE Engineering students get to hone their skills on.

Engineering. There he found that not only was he good at hands-on learning, but he was also good at his studies. Fanddy B HalilA holder of both Nitec in Mechanical Servicing and Higher Nitec in Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Design qualifications, Fanddy discovered his interest in the oil and gas industry while studying in ITE. Starting out as a Draughtsman, Fanddy’s dedication to his work saw him earn a $300 pay rise within three months into his first job. Today, he works alongside Diploma and Degree holders as a Structural Designer at Ray Mcdermott Asia Pacific Pte Ltd.

Armed with their Nitec and Higher Nitec qualifications, many of our Engineering graduates have done well in their studies and career. Here are some of them:

SUCCESSFUL CAREERS IN

ENGINEERINGJason ChanJason landed a plum job, building one of the world’s tallest buildings – the Burj Khalifa (Dubai) Tower. Completed in 2010, the Tower was to be a new global architectural landmark for Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Not many would get that chance to work halfway across the globe, in a project as big as the Burj Khalifa (Dubai) Tower. But this ITE graduate did. Given the opportunity by Samsung Corporation, Jason, is the project’s Electrical Senior Engineer. He has overseen the Tower’s construction, design and engineering aspects for Samsung for the past three years. ITE started it all for Jason, where he obtained a Nitec and Higher Nitec in Electrical

It’s Business with ASME!The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) means business! With a long-term aim to promote and build a conducive business environment, ASME signed its first MOU with ITE. Together, the first-of-its-kind SME-led ASME Forum will be organised and an Award will be established to encourage entrepreneurship among the student body and recognise deserving students. “We hope to help SMEs attract the younger generation and retain them by elevating their relevance, importance and potential. The collaboration will enable SMEs to train and groom ITE students into valuable talents and assets or successful entrepreneurs in future,” commented Ms Irene Boey, Pioneer of the ASME-ITE collaboration and Chairman of the ASME Forum.

For Creativity and InnovationFor the third time, ITE reaffirmed its partnership with Autodesk, a world leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Mr Bruce Poh, Director & CEO/ITE, shared, “The renewed partnership with Autodesk will be bigger and better, as Autodesk has enhanced the opportunities for staff and students to gain a competitive edge through easy access to their software via the Autodesk Resource Centre (ARC), increased support in the transfer of technology to staff and provision of Autodesk certifications to enhance competency levels.” As Autodesk software is used widely by Creative and Engineering industries, the exposure and experience using Autodesk software will hone their skills to develop highly-skilled graduates.

Growing IT Over 26,000 students stand to gain from the three-year MOU signed with Oracle Singapore. The highlight of the MOU is the Opening of the ITE-Oracle Academy Centre at ITE College West, where students can get access to Oracle database and middleware software, curriculum, and other industry-relevant resources to prepare them for careers in the Information Technology (IT) industry. IT courses will also be aligned to Oracle’s curriculum and additional certifications will be offered to students. Said Mr Bruce Poh, “We are especially delighted that this collaboration will bring more opportunities for students to gain market-relevant skills and credentials that will help differentiate them when they enter the workforce.”

New Partnerships

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by Shalini Veijayaratnam

Three Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) signed for student and staff development in new year

All about IT: Mr Leslie Ong, Managing Director, Oracle Singapore (extreme left), Mr Bruce Poh, Director & CEO/ITE (second from left) and other guests learning what will be offered at the ITE-Oracle Academy Centre.

For the long haul: (From left to right) Mr Eden Liew, Principal, ITE College East; Mr Bruce Poh, Director & CEO/ITE; Mr Chan Chong Beng, President, ASME; and Ms Irene Boey, Chairman, ASME Forum, after inking the MOU.

Designing the Future: Mr Chris Bradshaw, Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Vice President for Reputation, Consumer & Education, Autodesk (left) and Mr Bruce Poh, Director & CEO/ITE (right)

ITE is the proud recipient of the Distinguished Defence Partner Award by the Ministry of Defence, and the Distinguished

Home Team Partner Award by the Ministry of Home Affairs. ITE has received both awards for the past three years, in recognition of its strong support towards National Service (NS).

NSmen enjoy timely release for their scheduled In-Camp Training and ITE does not encourage deferment unless on medical grounds. Outstanding performance by NSmen would be acknowledged and recognised through Congratulatory Letters and Certificates of Recognition, by Director & CEO/ITE, Mr Bruce Poh.

With the organisation’s support and assurance, NSmen have shown resourcefulness and dedication, with many earning commendations and promotion during their NS In-Camp Training. These positive and strong attributes have also stood them in good stead back at their jobs at ITE.

Sterling NS Performance from ITE StaffThrough his exemplary leadership, professionalism, Kerwin Hing, Manager, College Administration Services from ITE College East, was promoted to Staff Sergeant in January this year. He said, “As long as I have been with ITE, I have always felt that my bosses fully support National Service and our responsibility towards Total Defence. My contributions have been recognised and validated with ITE's annual SAF Day rededication ceremonies and recently with the ITE

Commendation Certificate as well. While I definitely do not serve my National Service for such recognition and awards, these gestures do assure and encourage me and my fellow NSMen in ITE to confidently go ahead and serve our country for the preservation of our way of life."

Another NSman was also recognised for excellent performance. Third Sergeant (NS) Lim Wenbin, Lecturer, Technology Development Engineer, ITE College East, was presented a Letter of Appreciation for his responsibility, effort and positive attitude during his recent In-Camp Training at the Special Operations Training Centre.

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by Vimala Kesavan

Ready to Serve

Mr Eden Liew, Principal, ITE College East, received the Distinguished Defence Partner Award on behalf of ITE from Commissioner of Police, Mr Ng Joo Hee, on 26 September 2013. Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs, was the Guest-of-Honour for the Ceremony.

Outstanding ITE Lecturers in National Service

Kerwin Hing in his army greens. The picture was taken during the annual SAF re-dedication Ceremony 2012.

3SG (NS) Lim Wenbin was a specialist in the 1st Commando Battalion.

For the first time, all three ITE Colleges jointly organised ITE’s largest Innovation and

Enterprise event to date – InnoBIZ Fest 2013. Held on Friday, 22 February 2013, at ITE College Central, the event put 60 projects on display. Grouped into two segments, namely “Innovation Projects” and “Enterprise-Bazaar Sale”, the projects put up by ITE students, staff and industry partners demonstrated that the spirit of innovation, creativity and enterprise was indeed alive at ITE. The fair attracted up to 10,000 attendees, which included ITE students, staff members, graduates, industry partners, entrepreneurs and members of the community.

Embodying the Spirit of Innovation and EnterpriseThe event started with a rain of colourful confetti triggered by Mr Bruce Poh, Director & CEO/ITE, who officially opened the fair. Mr Poh, who had toured the booths to view the students’ work, said in his opening speech to the students, “My hope is for all students to walk away feeling encouraged. I hope that you will embody the spirit of innovation and enterprise in everything that you do, whether in life or at work.”

“Smart Water Saver” from ITE College West emerged as the winning project in the “Innovation Projects” segment. The device prevents the overflow of water from a pail by automatically shutting off water supply once a pail is full. Under the “Enterprise-Bazaar Sale” segment, the project “Pau-Wer” came out tops. The social enterprise project, which also won the Shell LiveWIRE-ITE Social Enterprise Challenge 2012, aims to help create job opportunities for ex-offenders by giving the traditional pau a twist with fresh fillings like beef rendang and mozzarella cheese.

“Pau-Wer” team leader, Mohammad Shahri Bin Samsi, expressed his excitement at participating the event, “We are very happy for the opportunity for exposure at the InnoBIZ Fest. This will help us better understand customers’ taste and contribute to our capital for setting up a stall in future.”

Ideas on DisplayAmidst a vibrant atmosphere with performances in the background, ITE students enjoyed the vast array of innovations at the fair. Nur Fadly B. Majinin, an 18-year-old Higher Nitec in Banking Services student from ITE College Central, shared, “The ideas exhibited were really refreshing and I look forward to future events that encourage students to be innovative."

ITE holds its most extensive Innovation & Enterprise event

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by Jamie Chan

Sparking New Ideas

“Pau-Wer” team busy serving paus customers at their stall.

Celebrating an Innovative and Enterprising Spirit: (from left) Mr Aw York Bin, Advisor to the ITE Innovation & Enterprise Advisory Committee; Mr Eden Liew, Principal, ITE College East; Mr Bruce Poh, Director & CEO/ITE; Dr Ang Kiam Wee, Principal, ITE College Central; and Mr Goh Mong Song, Deputy Principal (Academic), ITE College West, launching confetti as they open ITE InnoBIZ Fest 2013.

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The biggest cheers were reserved for the H-TWO-O Ultimate Dream Team II, who took on regionally-acclaimed

professional football team, Johor Darul Takzim. Made up of talented young footballers, specially chosen by local soccer legend, Fandi Ahmad, the H-TWO-O Ultimate Dream Team II showed great potential during the match, despite losing 2-8 to Johor Darul Takzim.

A supporter of the Ultimate Dream Team initiative, Dr Ang Kiam Wee, Principal/ITE College Central, was pleased with the positive outcomes. “Besides learning football skills and strategies, the players have also learnt, developed, and displayed value such

by Karen Sum

Team Advantage: ITE Alumnus and local soccer legend, Fandi Ahmad, participated in a friendly game earlier that day. Kicking for Charity

$5,000 raised in charity game for needy students

by Serene Tan

Love for EarthITE students second in National Climate Change Competition 2012

Ever thought of living a green life but don’t know where to start? The web and mobile application, Make Me an Earth

Lover (MMAEL), may just be the answer for you. Jointly created by three ITE College East students from the Higher Nitec in Business Information System course – Thamim Ansari s/o Samsudeen, Muhammad Basheed s/o Mohamed M and Puah Zheng Yi, MMAEL is an application that directs users to retailers

of green products and alerts users when these retailers are nearby. Users can also use the application to claim discounts on green products, get tips on green transport options and calculate their carbon footprint as they travel.

It was this integrated, multi-purpose application that won the students the 2nd prize in the National Climate Change Competition 2012 (NCCC 2012) Technology Prize Challenge under the Upper Secondary/JC/ITE category. The competition, which aimed to raise awareness on climate change among youths, was launched by the National Climate Change Secretariat, and supported by the Ministry of Education, Building and Construction Authority, National Environment Agency, National Research Foundation, and National Youth Achievement Award Council.

On her students’ achievements, Ms Preethi Jabaraj, Lecturer, Business Information Systems, ITE College East, said, “The competition is a good platform for the students to develop awareness of environmental issues and social responsibility. Winning the award has encouraged them to explore beyond the scope of their class room and motivated them to be innovative in their approach.”

as teamwork, diligence and perseverance through the training and tournaments. These are critical life skills that will prepare them for the years ahead,” he said.

Student BenefitsWhile everyone had fun that night, the big winner of the charity match was most certainly the needy students from ITE College Central. The total number of goals scored during the two matches saw a total of $5,000 being raised for the Special Students' Assistance Scheme, which disburses allowances to needy students.

Eco Warriors: ITE College East students and 2nd prize winners of the National Climate Change Competition 2012 (NCCC 2012) Technology Prize Challenge (from left) Muhammad Basheed, Thamim Ansari and Phua Zheng Yi meet Guest-of-Honour, Mr Niam Chiang Meng, Permanent Secretary (National Climate Change) at the NCCC 2012 Award Ceremony on 19 Feb 2013.

It is possible to reinvent old clothes into hip fashion wear with a simple solution:

tie-dye. Students Dinah Syafiqah Bte Jallal, Seri Nabilah Binte Rizal, Nur Hazirah Bte Abd Rashid, Siti Nasuha Bte Ramlee, Jasmin Bte Zulkifli Yeo and Brandon New Weilong were inspired by a fellow classmate, Pavanjit Singh Sandhu, who suffers from spina bifida (a birth defect in which the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth) and is wheelchair bound. They held a tie-dye workshop on 19 January 2013 at ITE College Central, and invited eight physically-challenged students from ITE College Central and the Muscular Dystrophy Association Singapore (MDAS) to participate in the event.

During the event, participants learned the art of tie-dyeing, and enjoyed a fashion runway show where nine models of different body types showcased tie-dye creations on the runway. By giving old or plain apparels a new lease of life through tie-dye, the team hoped to also encourage youth to be environmentally friendly, while embracing other youths with physically-challenged. In addition, the students helped raise funds towards beneficiaries from the MDAS through ticket sales for the workshop and fashion runway, as well as sales of tie-dye tote bags on campus.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

Ms Sabrina LoiDeputy CEO (Corporate)

Ms Tham Mei LengDivisional Director/Corporate Affairs & Development

Mr Jailani NathanManager/Corporate & Media Relations

Mr Victor YenHead/Stakeholder Communications

Ms Asiah AhmadGraphic Designer

Oversea Supplies Pte Ltd

Advisors Editor Design & Layout Printer

Mr Mathusuthan PDeputy Director/Communications & Marketing

by Jamie Chan

New Life with Tie-Dye

Beauty Comes in All Shapes: Models of different

looks walked down the runway to promote the

‘new’ tie-dyed fashionwear.

Students organise tie-dye workshop and fashion show for good cause

Promoting Inclusiveness and Awareness about Disabilities“Pavanjit is our classmate and friend, and we are inspired by his positive attitude. We decided that since we were aiming to raise funds for beneficiaries under MDAS, we could also use this event to create awareness about disabilities among students in ITE,” Dinah said.

Dinah and her friends had tapped on the Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC)’s Mayor’s Imagine Fund (MIF), which encourages youth volunteerism and supports youths who wish to implement community-related initiatives and projects. The group received a $2,600 start-up grant from MIF to make their vision a reality.

Ms Sherena Loh, Executive Director, MDAS, shared her support for the project, “We are glad that these youths have included various aspects of society in their project. Their invitation to members of MDAS to participate in the tie-dye workshop really drives home the element of inclusion in the programme, and indeed makes it a holistic outreach effort.”

Sharing and Helping: ITE students helped MDAS members with their tie-dye work during the workshop.

Promoting Inclusiveness: The team posed for a

picture with students with disabilities from ITE

College Central and the MDAS.