Students Hard at Work

By Gloria Lee

Singapore Polytechnic student Kevin Tan, 22, finishes school before 3p.m., but gets home in the wee hours every day. As a result, he finds it hard to wake up in time for early morning lessons.

A freelance sound technician in charge of setting up sound systems for concerts and functions, Tan usually ends work after 2a.m. He is often misunderstood by his tutors who think he is out gallivanting. It is surprising that they do not show more understanding when he explains his situation.

“My teachers always haul me over the coals when my grades drop, blaming it on my work even though it’s not the case. Some even asked me to apply for financial aid so that I can stop working. But I like my job, and this is the industry that I eventually want to settle down in,” said Tan.

Initially, his mother was not supportive of the idea of him working while studying. But she came to accept it after she observed how he became more streetwise and responsible since working.

This is a scenario that many tertiary students will find familiar. It is common belief that students work because of financial problems. However, some students work during their vacation or even during term time for extra money to spend or to plump up their resume for enhanced employment prospects.

This rising phenomenon is boosted by the adoption of flexible work schemes by employers that are “especially suitable for students or adults pursuing further study”, as retired NTUC Income chief executive officer Tan Kin Lian noted on his blog.

Educators however appear divided over this new trend.

“If their families don’t need the extra money, they should not work part-time because it takes up their time and energy. School life is already busy and stressful enough without that extra load,” said Geraint Wong, a teacher at the School of Science and Technology.

Andrew Ng, programme executive for student life and services at the Singapore Institute of Management, disagrees.

“Many SIM students juggle work and studies. I think it’s good training because it will be something they have to do when they start work soon. It teaches them to manage their priorities well,” Ng said.

In a speech to Parliament last month, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower and Health, Hawazi Daipi, reiterated the government’s support of flexible workplaces. He noted that “employers in Singapore increasingly recognize the value of flexible work arrangements in attracting and retaining employees.”

Victor Lee, managing director for Vohringer Singapore, agrees. “Our corporate policy is not to hire part-timers. However, we have been looking at hiring students for freelance jobs, because it complements the skill sets of our permanent workers,” Lee said.

According to the Ministry of Manpower’s Employment Act, those who work fewer than 35 hours a week are considered part-time workers. Some students are coping so well that they even take it a step higher by entering the workforce proper.

This trend seems set to continue, as work and study programmes such as the National University of Singapore Overseas Colleges are gaining popularity with tertiary students, with a record sign up in its recruitment this year.

Starbucks store manager, Joan Lim, 24, has been with the café since she was 16. At the time, she was a full-time student working part-time. When she proceeded for further studies, she decided to switch to full-time work and part-time studies. The Tourism Institute of Australia graduate believes her decision has molded her into a stronger person, even as she admits it was not an easy path.

“You need determination and perseverance every step of the way, along with the ability to prioritize. You also have to forego your social life. But I have grown so much that if I had to choose again, I know I would do the same thing,” Lim said.

The economy today is a very challenging one, and it is not surprising that some students are proactively looking for part-time jobs because of post-graduation career concerns. It is not easy, but a good way to get ahead.

Benjamin Ng, 24, certainly thinks so. A full-time sales executive with a construction firm, he is enrolled in a part-time degree course in Murdoch University. Ng said, “This is the best way in which you can gain working experience as well as paper qualifications at the same time, while getting a pay check every month.”

This trend seems set to continue, as work and study programmes such as the National University of Singapore Overseas Colleges are gaining popularity with tertiary students, with a record sign up in its recruitment drive this year.

21-year-old Evelyn Lim, an undergraduate from that National University of Singapore School of Business, is among those who have successfully applied for the programme.

“I chose to come to [the National University of Singapore] mainly because I wanted to take part in this programme. I am sure it will broaden my horizons and make me more successful in my future career,” she said.

NUS Students Clear Up the Struggle Within

By Nadya Huang

In an bid to correct the slant in which mainstream media has framed the concept of ‘Jihad’, the National University of Singapore’s Muslim society organised the Islamic Awareness Week 2010.

Themed “Embracing Jihad: the Struggle Within”, the event was held in the National University of Singapore on Feb. 22.

One of the organizers, Sofia Jasmani, said, “People will only remember the war and killings from the news, but Jihad simply means ‘a struggle within’. We practice it in our everyday lives like if we have difficulty in our homework or chores. That’s a struggle within too.”

The student organizers started the project to foster better public understanding of Islam. To the students, it is an important event as it is one of few that reaches out to beyond the Muslim community.

“We want to help people to differentiate the teachings of Islam and being Muslim from the picture that has been formed in the media,” said Jasmani.

Leonard Tham, a third year Economics student from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, said, “I think it is important for people to understand Islam, especially with the recent burning of several churches in Malaysia.”

The week-long event had many different activities to engage the public. Jasmani said, “We wanted to choose different, more engaging programmes other than just talks to attract the audience.”

This included a debate on Monday evening about “Terrorism: Is Islam Against it?” Two students took opposing stands to debate the issue in front of an audience of 60, some of whom are from other universities such as the Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore Management University.

An interactive exhibition was held at the Central Library foyer, with posters explaining Islamic concepts such as ‘jihad’ and ‘halal’.

The response to the event has been positive, according to Jasmani.

She said, “People have been reading our posters and joining in the activities we have organized. They’re asking us questions to clarify their doubts.”

Tan Ju Ling, a fourth year student who was at the exhibit said, “I think the exhibition in the library foyer has been good – very interesting and informational.”

“The week has been a success so far in the sense we managed to reach our target audience, but we know we can only really reach people who are interested to know more,” said Jasmani.

Record sales at IT Show 2010

By Clara Huang

The four-day IT Show 2010 generated a record $67.5 million in sales over the weekend, an increase of $10 million over last year’s taking.

With more than 807,000 visitors, the show also recorded its highest turnout in its eight-year history.

Ho Wei Xuan, sales director of Starhub, said, “The crowd has been fantastic so far. It is a good sign that consumers are receptive in spending now since the economy is picking up.”

Regarded as the largest electronic fair in Singapore, the fair occupied five levels of Suntec Singapore. This exhibition space exceeded last year’s by 1,500 square feet.

The 820 exhibitors had reserved some of their best deals for this annual fair.

27-year-old marketing executive Huang Youde was one of the satisfied shoppers. He carted away a Fujitsu laptop and a free 19” LCD Monitor.

“The freebie makes this my best buy today. I believe the shops out there are not able to offer this attractive deal,” Huang said, referring to complimentary gifts offered by retailers.

In the exhibition halls, the aisles along the booths were flooded with people making enquiries and purchases of popular products such as high-definition televisions, laptops, digital cameras and printers.

Goh Wan Ling, a third-year NTU undergraduate, who visited the IT Show for the first time, said, “Singaporeans are surely very tempted by the special offers here.”

The showcase of cutting-edge technological innovations also drew many interested visitors. There were long queues at the Sony 3D pavilion to watch 3D-content screened on a 270-inch screen.

IT Show 2010 ran from Thursday to Sunday.