Celebrating our SMC Graduates!

Our heartiest congratulations to the class of 2021! Click on the diploma programmes below to view the list of graduates.

• Diploma in Consumer Behaviour and Research
• Diploma in Human Resource Management with Psychology
• Diploma in Mass Communication
• Diploma in Social Enterprise Management
• Diploma in Business Practice (Human Resource Management)
• Diploma in Business Practice (International Human Resources Management)
• Specialist Diploma in Career Counselling
• Specialist Diploma in Digital Business

My journey in Republic Polytechnic (RP) and the School of Management and Communication (SMC) has been an extremely rewarding and memorable one. As a freshman three years ago, I was neither familiar with the social enterprises in Singapore, nor did I know how to use my knowledge and skills to help others. Through my course, I realised that businesses can present potential solutions to pressing social issues such as poverty and perhaps even provide people with the second chance that they hope for in life. The knowledge and skills that I have acquired have redefined the way I view the society and the individual. It has transformed how I define “Helping Others”.

At RP, I was blessed with opportunities to grow and learn through a plethora of volunteering experiences, competitions as well as platforms to organise and execute large-scale events such as Youth Entrepreneurship Co-op’s ‘Dining In The Dark’.

Our days as RP students might have ended, but I sincerely believe that each of us have brought home a piece of RP that we hold close to our hearts. Many of us might have discovered our purpose in life through this journey and gained experiences or insights that have reinforced this purpose, while some of us might still be searching. Wherever you are right now, let me share this quote from C. S. Lewis with you: “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to SMC’s Director Mr Sim Choon Hou, my Programme Chair Ms Jacqueline Wu, my Assistant Programme Chair Mr Peter Lee, and my dearest DSEM lecturers, especially Mr Carlos Rios, Ms Val Pakirisamy, Mr Philip Ang, Mr Zeff Chen, and Ms Lyn Lee. Many of our achievements, accomplishments and victories are the result of the greatest intentionality, kindness and effort that they have given to us.

To my dearest parents, thank you for believing in and providing me the autonomy to take charge of my future. To my dearest grandparents, thank you for being patient with me and always pushing me to focus as a student. I am extremely grateful to my family for being my greatest refuge and pillar of support throughout my journey.

When I first signed up for the 6-month Specialist Diploma in Career Counselling (SDCC), I was apprehensive, yet excited. On one hand, it could be a suitable career transition for when I retire in the coming years and on the other hand, I was also concerned if I could juggle between work, coursework and of course, the exams.

The fact that it is a one-year course that is condensed into just six months did not ease my doubts at all, but I decided to give it a go and challenge myself.

Looking back, I am glad to have made that move and pursued this course! All the time poured into doing research and managing my time well in order to meet deadlines were all worth it, as I am now better-equipped to commence my journey as a career coach. 

I jumped in almost immediately after completing the specialist diploma in July 2020, and adapted quite quickly thanks to what I have learnt. Aside from my full-time career in SCDF as a Senior Assistant Director in the Human Resource Department, I have the privilege of being part of the Public Service Career Coach Network and provide career services to fellow public officers.

The entire journey, from taking up the course to conducting career coaching, has been an enriching and fulfilling adventure. Through engaging people and building rapport, they became willing to share their experiences and thoughts with me, allowing me to apply the skills acquired from the course to guide them in charting their own career development pathways.  

This opportunity has allowed me to realise my career interest and goal as I prepare myself for the next phase of my career. Could this be my encounter with the famed Happenstance theory?

The course is well-structured and tailored to prepare us in our career coaching journey. Dr Ricky Tang and team are so passionate about the subject matters and helpful in sharing their experiences and wisdom. Kudos to the team for making our learning experience enriching and interesting!

This wonderful learning experience has further strengthened my belief in the quote by Maya Angelou “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said. People will forget what you did.  But people will never forget how you made them feel.”