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PSB Academy prides itself as an institution that provides opportunities for success to everyone, regardless of backgrounds. Yu Junkirk and Tang Ting Keng tell us more about life at PSB Academy.

S ince its establishment, the foundation of PSB Academy’s success has been its belief that holistic learning environment is key to nurturing well-rounded students. The Academy was recently conferred “Best Private Education Institution in 2016” by the Business Excellence Research Group, and partners with reputable overseas universities from Australia and the UK to provide a range of full-time and part-time programmes to over 11,000 local and international students.

We speak to Tang Ting Keng and Yu Junkirk who share with us more about how PSB Academy became the ideal institution for them to realise their career aspirations.

THE RIGHT FIT

Ting Keng has always found the study of workplace and environmental health and safety policies interesting. To Ting Keng, safety has always been an interesting field of study. He says, “It is relevant as we look into the protection of people and the environment. It helps ensure people get home safely, while sustaining the environment for our future and more importantly, our future generations.”

With this interest, the Bachelor in Environmental, Occupational Health and Safety programme offered by the University of Newcastle (UON) at PSB Academy was naturally the right fit for him. He was drawn to the university’s reputation as a recognised educator in the industry both locally and regionally. In fact, UON was recently listed as one of the top 250 Universities in the World (QS World University Rankings 2016/2017 and Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2016-2017).

As for Junkirk, it was the rigour of the programme and PSB Academy’s conducive campus environment that prompted him to pursue a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences with La Trobe University, Australia.

TANG TING KENG

TANG TING KENG

EHS Engineer at Afton Chemical Asia Pte. Ltd

Bachelor in Environmental, Occupational Health and Safety, awarded by The University of Newcastle Australia

He explains, “I’ve been interested in biomedical science since secondary school. Concepts like how the human body works, what keeps us alive and how we consume and conserve energy fascinate me! Thus, I found that the programme offered by La Trobe University here best fits my interests, especially with their reputation as a strong research university. Furthermore, I could complete the course in a shorter period with the credits exempted from my polytechnic diploma!”

Throughout their time at PSB Academy, Ting Keng and Junkirk have had nothing short of a rewardingexperience.

A HOLISTIC EDUCATION

The curriculum and structure at PSB Academy has prepared Ting Keng and Junkirk for the rigours of the working world. From the fast pace of the course structure to the dedication of the lecturers, Junkirk was provided with the opportunity to grow despite challenges faced along the way.

He recalls, “My course was delivered at a pretty fast pace and covered a large breadth and depth of topics related to the subject. I was especially interested in a module on diagnostics of serums, which provided us fascinating ways to find out about ailments in the human body, by making informed deductions based on theoretical concepts.”

“In addition, I had an extremely helpful lecturer who was very committed to his students. He even stayed behind for one-to- one consultations if we had any trouble understanding concepts covered in class.”

Aside from the rigour of the course structure, the presentations and group projects that Ting Keng dealt with helped boost his confidence and prepared him to work with people of different backgrounds.

Ting Keng says, “Public speaking was never my forte as I tend to be anxious about presenting to crowds. However, in my workplace now, I have no trouble with presentations. Furthermore, learning about people management has helped me to think deeper and more analytically and to understand different perspectives in everyday decision-making.”

YU JUNKIRK

YU JUNKIRK

Medical Technologist at National Healthcare Group

Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences, awarded by La Trobe University, Australia

A PROMISING FUTURE

When asked about their career aspirations, Ting Keng explains, “Looking forward, I need to build on my strengths and work on my weaknesses. I believe that given the right opportunity, progression will come naturally. In fact, it is not about what the company can provide for you, but what you can contribute to your company and society!”

As for Junkirk, he tells us, “I hope to become a research or lab manager in government healthcare, and have the opportunity to manage a team of lab technicians and oversee workflows in the laboratory. It will take some years to train and hone managerial skills but I think I am off to a good start.”

The proud PSB Academy alumni hope to inspire other students who share the same career ambitions and likeminded drive to succeed in their niche industries.

Ting Keng advises, “Whichever course you need or want to attend, bear in mind there are absolutely no shortcuts. You definitely need to put in that extra effort to achieve what you want in life. Do not be afraid to take up challenges, and stay open to sharing your experiences with others.”

Junkirk concludes, “Be prepared to dedicate a lot of your time and be committed to the coursework and projects – you’ll be placed in a fast-paced and competitive environment and you will need to be persistent in order to succeed. There will be times when workload piles on and you will have to complete several reports in a short period of time. However, with enough grit and focus on the end goal it is possible to overcome these challenges. Having the support of a close group of classmates that you can consider as friends definitely helps ease the burden as you strive together to succeed!”