From second chance to distinguished graduate: How RP shaped one alumnus's naval career

"I want to give back to Singapore as the country that gave me a second chance to rebuild my life and career," shares ME4A M Naw Sant Aung, a School of Engineering alumnus now serving as a Naval Warfare System Engineer in the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).

For M, RP wasn't just a place to earn a diploma. It was about proving he had changed. Years earlier, he dropped out due to financial difficulties at home. When he got a second chance, he took it with purpose. Inspired by his father and brother, both engineers, M enrolled in the Diploma in Electrical & Electronic Engineering to build domain-specific skills.

"The lecturers at RP go beyond teaching. They make sure we truly understand and can apply what we learn. Excel VBA is one example, and it still comes in handy in my RSN career today," he adds. "But beyond technical knowledge, they also guided me through critical decisions that shaped my career path."

Today, M is attached to the Force Generation Squadron, where he sees how RSN ships are maintained for operational readiness. In December 2025, he received the Distinguished Graduate award for the 36th Military Domain Experts Course 1, a specialised leadership and military training programme for RSN personnel.

"I'm very humbled and grateful for this achievement. This course taught me discipline, fighting spirit, and time management," M reflects. "I want to continue leading by example and influencing the people around me for the better."

Inspired to serve Singapore through a career in defence? Apply for RP's new Diploma in Defence & Security Management through the Early Admissions Exercise and take your first step towards a career with the uniformed services.