Each day, millions of Singaporeans rely on our city’s transportation systems for their daily commutes. Singapore’s transport services are renowned for our convenience, ensuring citizens can move around the city safely, comfortably, and on time. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) shoulders the vital responsibility of maintaining a highly efficient and reliable transport system.

In a bustling metropolis where an efficient transportation network is the heartbeat of daily life, LTA is dedicated to leading sustainable, efficient, and inclusive land transport developments. LTA Scholars Lim Zi Qian Jamie and Low Dewei are committed to keeping our streets accessible and easy to navigate.

Jamie is an LTA Local Undergraduate Scholar and holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) from NUS. Currently, she works as a Senior Project Manager where she oversees the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of mechanical services for the Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 3 and Cross Island Line (CRL), Phase 1 and CRL-Punggol Extension.

Meanwhile, Dewei is also a recipient of the LTA Local Undergraduate Scholarship who graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from NTU. As the Deputy Manager of the Policy Division at LTA, he plays a crucial role in developing commercial policies and crafting license arrangements and frameworks for operator tenders of Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line. Additionally, he establishes commercial arrangements and frameworks for the Singapore Rail Test Centre (SRTC), the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.

We sit down with them to learn what fuels their passion in their roles at LTA.

How did you discover your passion for engineering?

Jamie: Since I was young, I’ve had a keen interest in working with mechanical systems. It started with watching my dad fix the fans at home and evolved into me working on the Tunnel Ventilation System for MRT stations, which also includes the tunnel ventilation fans and tunnel booster fans.

Dewei: I come from a family of engineers. My father was a mechanical engineer, while my eldest sister and my younger brother studied electrical engineering. Family talks revolving around their work and school were common. Without me knowing, the seed of studying electrical engineering had been planted. When it was down to short listing my preferred course, it came as no surprise that the first course I researched was electrical engineering. The curriculum and rigour of the course, like the opportunity to study intelligent systems and image processing, further affirmed my decision to pursue electrical engineering for my undergraduate studies.

That’s interesting! Can you tell us about why you decided to apply for the LTA Local Undergraduate Scholarship?

Jamie: Since public transport is part and parcel of our daily lives, I felt that it would be meaningful to work on public transport, which can bring about tangible benefits in commuters’ everyday lives. Therefore, when it was time to pick a scholarship, I set my sights on LTA.

Dewei: I remember vividly that I was in the third year of my undergraduate studies and had just completed my six-month internship with LTA. The internship experience was extremely enriching. I witnessed first-hand the commitment and expertise of LTA engineers displayed when delivering the Downtown Line (DTL) system. The positive experience greatly inspired me to join LTA so that I can also work on meaningful public transport projects, benefiting the masses while fulfilling my career aspirations as an engineer.

Tell us more about your role in the organisation, Jamie.

My team was involved in the provision of the Tunnel Ventilation and Environmental Control Systems, as well as the Fire Protection System of Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 3 stations. Before the MRT stations were opened for revenue service, we would carry out testing and commissioning activities at the stations to ensure that the systems were functioning correctly.

Dewei, what is a day in your life at LTA like?

While the work I do is mostly desk-bound, there is never a dull moment as I get to work with individuals from different domains and expertise. A typical workday can start with us engaging stakeholders like Public Transport Operators (PTOs) or engineering colleagues to understand their pain points and challenges faced on the commercial, operations and maintenance front. Subsequently, for the rest of the day, I can either do a deep dive into the problem by quantifying the impact and its associated risks or formulate strategies to address the issue. The scope of work, although seemingly straightforward, can be highly iterative and challenging given the complexity of the issue and the need to balance the needs of all stakeholders. But the hard work is what makes the job all the more satisfying to me.

What do you find most fulfilling about your job?

Dewei: Be it as an engineer or policy officer in LTA, I believe in the mantra of doing good work and doing it right because of the wide-reaching impact that our job offers. What I find most meaningful about what I do is being able to work with like-minded colleagues who are motivated to collaborate and find a common solution despite the challenges and complexities of the problems.

Jamie: When I did a sharing as an alumnus at my junior college, I was pleasantly surprised when my Chemistry teacher shared that he had a very enjoyable experience travelling on the Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 3, which I was involved in developing. I think it is very meaningful that I’ve been able to contribute to the positive travelling experience of the commuters.

Jamie, what is LTA’s work culture like?

LTA provides a very conducive environment for young engineers to learn and develop. By having a mix of senior and junior engineers in the teams, the senior engineers can share their expertise while junior engineers can share their fresh perspectives and provide new ideas to improve our current work processes.

Dewei, how has LTA helped facilitate your professional growth?

LTA provides structured job rotations that allow the individual to develop capabilities and adaptability across different functions. In addition, individuals are also given opportunities to take on cross-function projects and secretariat roles in senior management committees and ad-hoc work groups. This is with the aim of widening the individual’s exposure and developing different perspectives. In doing so, they are transformed into well-rounded and capable professionals.