Singapore-Industry Scholarship (SgIS)
Feature | Organisation

Avenues for
All-Rounded Development

Singapore-Industry Scholarship (SgIS)
The Singapore-Industry Scholarship (SgIS) is a multi-industry scholarship offered by industry leaders in collaboration with the Singapore Government. SgIS Full-Term scholar Meredith Ting and SgIS Mid-Term local scholar Teh Wee Kiat share how the scholarship has benefited them.

The SgIS was developed as a joint-initiative between the government and private organisations from 16 industries, including but not limited to arts, aviation, electronics and healthcare (administrators).

In addition to helping scholars secure a career in their organisation of choice, the scholarship also offers the SgIS Scholars’ Development and Engagement Programme, where scholars undergo internships with their sponsoring organisations, attend industry dialogue sessions and have the opportunities to network with other SgIS scholars through social and community engagement activities. Together, this provides young talents with a platform to develop the professional competencies, connections and skills they need for an empowering and fulfilling career.

Two SgIS scholars, Meredith Ting and Teh Wee Kiat take time to share how their journey with SgIS has benefited them.

Wan Xuan Ting Meredith

Wan Xuan Ting Meredith 
SgIS Full-Term Scholar with South32 Marketing Pte Ltd

Student

Economics
National University of Singapore

“Things like this show me that SgIS is not just any scholarship!”

Opening Doors

Although an economics major, Meredith was keen on finding a career outside of the financial sector. As such, SgIS’s wide variety of sponsoring organisations appealed tremendously to her. She was delighted when she found her sponsoring organisation – South32 Marketing Pte Ltd, a company focused on the metal and mining market. South32’s core values of care, trust, excellence and togetherness attracted her and she hoped that as the company was young, she would be able to grow alongside it.

Wee Kiat also cites the wide variety of sponsoring organisations as a key pull factor to SgIS. However, he only began looking for a scholarship mid-way through his university education in Aerospace Engineering - when he knew for certain that he wanted to join the aviation industry.

He shares that he was also motivated to search for a scholarship to lessen the financial burden on his parents. His father’s health was poor and his mother had gone for a minor operation, yet both continued working hard each day to support his studies. He felt the scholarship would not only help relieve the burden of his school fees, but also help him secure a stable job in an industry he is passionate about. He adds that the scholarship even provided him the chance to go on an overseas exchange programme in Europe, at one of the top schools in Aerospace Engineering. All of these, he declares, would definitely not have been possible without SgIS.

Teh Wee Kiat

Teh Wee Kiat 
SgIS Mid-Term Local Scholar with SIA Engineering Company Ltd

Maintenance Planning Executive

“The scholarship is really a key to a whole new world.”

Real-World Development

Wee Kiat is very grateful for the opportunities SgIS has provided him, particularly his 10-week internship with his sponsoring organisation, SIA Engineering Company Limited. Prior to the internship involvement, he says, he was unclear how he would fit into the company. His concerns were alleviated during his internship when he attended a bi-annual business meeting where the company’s leaders shared about the company’s performance and future plans.

Wee Kiat says, “This was an eye-opener for me as a new-comer, as it enabled me to see the company from a bigger picture. I learned more about the company’s structure and how it functions, which helped me understand what to do when I finally embarked on my journey with the company.”

He adds that it was also through this internship that he made valuable connections with his current colleagues which has helped in his assimilation into the company as a Maintenance Planning Executive.

Despite only being in her first year of university, Meredith, too, has already gotten a glimpse of real-world experience, thanks to her sponsoring organisation’s mentorship programme. She explains that her mentor keeps her updated with what is going on in the company, and provides her with useful academic and career advice to aid her in planning for her future.

“Things like this show me that SgIS is not just any scholarship! It provides additional avenues for personal and professional development, which enhances a scholar’s learning journey in university,” she exclaims.

She cites SgIS’s activities for scholars – SgIS Industry Dialogue Series with the Land Transport Authority and Singapore Tourism Board, the SgIS Leaders’ Forum and the SgIS Scholars’ Network – as some of the many avenues for development.

She personally enjoyed the SgIS Orientation Camp, where over two days, she connected with other scholars pursuing interests in different industries, attended sharing sessions by industry experts and worked through challenging team building activities.

Thoughtfully, she adds, “The Orientation Camp helped to build resilience and emphasised the importance of teamwork. I also found the sharing by the various industry leaders on the second day to be particularly insightful.”

Use Your Heart and Your Head

Looking back at his journey with SgIS, Wee Kiat recalls, “The scholarship is really a key to a whole new world.” He advises aspiring scholars to have a goal in mind and a clear understanding about what they want to do before they apply to their sponsoring organisations.

Meredith agrees and suggests that aspiring scholars start off by shortlisting the organisations that cater to their interest and passion, before doing more in-depth research to see if the company values and core business resonate with them. She also recommends potential scholars to look out for site visits that some sponsoring organisations may have. At the end of the day, she advises aspiring scholars to “Take that leap of faith and do not look back!”