Technology and innovation lie at the core of what ST Engineering does as a global technology, defence and engineering group. From sustainable innovations to disruptive technologies, ST Engineering leverages the collective expertise of its vast talent pool to create real-world solutions to serve customers in more than 100 countries and to enable a more secure and sustainable world.

Among them are scholars Lee Wen-Yi Robyn and Tan Yen Leong Mervin, two individuals who are passionate about their roles within the organisation. Robyn serves as an Assistant Manager, Investments at ST Engineering Ventures, while Mervin is a Senior Engineer, Programme Management at Aerospace Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO). Together, they are committed to ensuring that every endeavour they undertake atST Engineering contributes meaningfully to its overarching mission.

We sat down with both scholars to delve deeper into their career journeys and the impactful choices they’ve made along the way.

What drew you to engineering, Mervin?

My decision to pursue engineering was sparked by my keen interest in aviation and aircraft. My education in Aerospace Electronics at Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Aerospace Engineering at Nanyang Technological University further cemented my resolve to pursue a career in this industry.

I still get excited whenever I board a flight and I am proud to be part of a team that connects the world!

Robyn, what made ST Engineering stand out to you?

I first heard about ST Engineering from a friend’s parents. Knowing my interest in Physics and Maths, they shared about their careers as engineers in ST Engineering. Their passion and interest in their jobs left a lasting impression on me. When I started thinking about my own career path, their sharing resonated with me.

ST Engineering stood out to me because of the diverse industries and roles within the organisation, offering numerous career opportunities that I can take up, without having to regularly move to other organisations.

Can you provide us with some insights into your journey as a scholar at ST Engineering?

Mervin: In the short two years I have had with ST Engineering, I had the opportunity to assume multiple roles within Aerospace MRO. My previous roles included handling operations at an aerospace component MRO facility and developing bespoke software for the repair plant. The journey has been rewarding, and I am grateful for the colleagues I met, as well as the skillsets learnt along the way.

As a scholar, I also get opportunities to work and interact with highly inspiring company leaders and mentors who provide invaluable advice to me.

Robyn: As a scholar in ST Engineering, I’ve had the privilege of accessing a wealth of opportunities within the organisation. Through our structured rotation programme, I had the opportunity to understand what it takes to run our various businesses on a day-to-day level. Through my operational roles in Land Systems, I gained an understanding of how to look at strategies at a group level to bring our businesses to the next level.

The scholarship also gave me additional opportunities to advocate for myself and tailor the experiences and skills that I wanted to learn. It empowered me to request opportunities such as rotation during my time in Land Systems and a short-term posting to our overseas business unit in Canada.

Amazing! Tell us more about your roles at ST Engineering.

Mervin: As part of the ST Engineering Aerospace Maintenance-by-the-Hour programme team, I am responsible for our customer’s aircraft component needs. This involves executing operational tasks and working with our global airline customers to ensure there are no delays to their flight schedules.

I also lead digitalisation projects involving Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to automate workflows and develop Business Intelligence dashboards for data visualisation and analysis to provide insights into key business metrics.

At the broader corporate level, I am engaged in business development projects where I develop financial models and partake in business discussions and negotiations to pursue strategic growth for the Commercial Aerospace business.

Robyn: I’m currently an Investment Analyst in ST Engineering Ventures (our corporate ventures’ capital arm). Our mandate is to be the Group’s eyes and ears in the startup space, looking to bring new technologies and insights from cutting-edge deep-tech startups back to the Group. In practice, my typical workday involves engaging startups to find out more about them and their offerings looking for synergies between these startups and our various business units. We analyse these startups for potential investments and ultimately work with our business units and startups to see through their various partnerships.

What aspect of your jobs do you find most fulfilling?

Mervin: The engineering profession is highly dynamic, and I find a sense of fulfilment when I get together with my team to resolve problems. The nature of my work also involves interacting with our overseas customers and business partners and I enjoy this global collaboration.

I also find immense joy in harnessing and deploying technology to enhance work processes, and it is always a bonus when end-users give positive feedback on new initiatives and implementations!

Robyn: I’m most fulfilled when I see the products we develop positively impact the world around us. Seeing these products deployed helps me to know that my day-to-day work impacts the world around me.

Finally, what opportunities are there for individuals and scholars within ST Engineering?

Mervin: ST Engineering is a large organisation with businesses spanning multiple industries, and its synergistic nature presents a myriad of opportunities for employees to learn about the respective field’s technology and innovation. For example, I had the opportunity to visit our Land Systems business to learn about their digitalisation projects. Through this exchange, I gained deeper insights into business intelligence dashboards which inspired several projects I undertook. In short, the opportunities for exposure and cross-learning are abundant!

Robyn: There are a variety of schemes to help scholars shape their futures. Our structured rotation programme gives us the opportunity to experience a range of different roles and build our skill sets across various domains. In addition, the mentorship programme has been instrumental in helping me, as a young scholar, to understand the organisation and explore the career possibilities within ST Engineering.