.: Interviews with our alumni - Public sector

Three CNM honours graduates of the class of 2003 share with us their experiences of life in the public sector

1. Ashanti Devi, Senior Management Executive, Media Development Authority (MDA)



2. Julian Lim, Youth Portal Manager, Ministry of Community Development, Youth & Sports
   
   
3. Tan Yen Ling, Executive, Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) Systems Organisation

What does your work at MDA involve?

I am with the Public Affairs unit within the Communications Division which is primarily involved in educating the public about the regulatory policies of the MDA as well as development initiative such as the Media 21 blueprint. These are done through presentations, talks and community events. I also work together with the industry and the media to bring the key messages that we wish to highlight to the public.

I also serve as Secretariat for the Parents Advisory Group for the Internet (PAGi) which is a local Internet safety organisations that seeks to educate parents on how to manage the apparent dangers as well as realising the benefits that can be derived from the medium. As part of our outreach efforts, we are involved in collaborations with like-minded local and international organisations and we also have a pool of volunteers that we tap on, to give talks and help out during events.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

From organising public talks, giving presentations to schools as well as working with our partners on public education programmes, the job scope is a multi-faceted one. As public education is a relatively new concept, it is exciting to be part of this initiative. You also get to interact with people from all walks of life and this by itself is a great learning opportunity.

How does your CNM background help you in your work?

In my line of work, conducting surveys and gauging public feedback to the programmes are key factors that decide whether such programmes continue or not. Thus, as CNM is focused on research as well as analysis, it has proven to be useful. Also, many of the modules I had taken were on media and their impact and that has been important too.

What does your work at MCYS involve?

I'm currently managing "The Youth Portal Project"                 ( www.youth.sg) here at the Youth Division of MCYS. This basically encompasses the entire scope of the project's development, from determining the portal's content, to the eventual evaluation of its success.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The tremendous privilege of being able to work with the people behind youth-oriented policies and exciting young people. The very nature of the project also requires me to know what's hip and relevant to young people here, and that entails reading, watching, surfing, eating, sleeping, and living youth culture. In addition, I'm constantly surrounded by brilliant people who are quietly trying to help youth in Singapore get more involved in their communities. There's never a dull day here!

How does your CNM background help you in your work?

The wide scope of CNM has helped me deal with the varied challenges posed by different aspects of the project. Modules that dealt with design principles, project management, & research have been particularly helpful. Just paid a visit to the CNM website and I'm thoroughly jealous of the new & improved modules that have been added since my graduation! Some of these modules sound really interesting and relevant.

What are your long-term career plans?

I hope to carry on working on projects that deal with new media for as long as my mouse-clicking, keyboard-typing fingers will allow.

Do you have plans for further study and if so, what are they?

No concrete plans as yet. I hope to get at least 5 years of solid work experience under my belt before re-evaluating my career options and upgrading my academic qualifications in the relevant field.

What is one piece of advice you would give to current CNM students?

Do what truly interests you. You'll be surprised how far it could take you.

What does your work at MINDEF involve?

Essentially, my work in MINDEF involves aligning MINDEF's e-government plans to the eGov initiatives implemented by the Singapore government. This includes performing research, writing strategy papers, collaborating with IDA/MOF, monitoring eGov targets, as well as looking at the e-services provided to the NS population.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The opportunity to do what I enjoy doing i.e. research work. Of course the most challenging aspect is to be able to contribute to nationwide initiatives and also to constantly work towards providing better e-services to satisfy the needs of the NS population, which forms the pillars of our nation's security.

How does your CNM background help you in your work?

Taking up CNM has certainly helped me to be skilled and knowledgeable in many different aspects. For one, the e-commerce and web designing modules I've taken provided me with the necessary knowledge for my current job. In addition, the course has polished up my analytical, writing and research abilities, which pretty much adds value to my area of work. In fact, it was my background in CNM that got me my initial interview!

What are your long-term career plans?

My current work scope is very exciting and I hope to be able to advance further in this line of work. However, I may also wish to venture into more research-heavy and policy making positions in the future.

Do you have plans for further study and if so, what are they?

Yes I do. I am intending to take up part-time Masters in Social Science sometime next year. I've not decided on which area to specialise in yet but I am more inclined towards taking up masters in either CNM or International Studies.

What is one piece of advice you would give to current CNM students?

Identify your interest and specialise in one core area. A lot of us made the mistake of taking modules from both SoC and Arts haphazardly. This made us 'jack of all trades but master of none'. Last but not least, work hard and study smart!