1. A very good morning to the RP Family. Pleasure to join you all on this special occasion.
2. First, let me congratulate all the graduates from the School of Engineering. Congratulations to all the Award Winners too!
3. You are a special batch.
- You spent more than two of the last three years of polytechnic life, overcoming COVID to complete your diploma.
- You have demonstrated perseverance and tenacity.
- Well done!
4. But you will also agree with me that you will not be here, if not for the support and love of your family and faculty members.
- Let us acknowledge them as you enjoy this moment.
5. As you graduate today, perhaps there are three questions on your mind:
- First, how long will my knowledge and skills be valid?
- Second, will the RP Brand continue to help me in my future careers?
- Third, will I find my dream job?
6. First question – how long will my knowledge and skills be valid?
- This question may have been on your mind with the recent discussions in social media, and the rapid evolution of technology and product cycles.
7. I want you to know that no one can take your knowledge and skills away from you.
- Only you will decide how long your knowledge and skills will be valid and relevant.
8. If you see your diploma as a foundation to:
- Keep scaling new heights,
- Keep learning new things,
- Keep building your knowledge in the domain you have chosen,
- Keep expanding your portfolio of work experiences,
- Then no one will be able to take away that diploma from you.
- No one can ever invalidate the skills and knowledge that you have obtained over the last few years.
9. There will be many opportunities for you to continue learning after you graduate.
- One example is Suhaimi, a continuing education and training (CET) graduate here with us today.
- Suhaimi enrolled in a part-time diploma at RP to broaden his knowledge in engineering.
- His time in RP equipped him with new skills in manpower planning, risk management, and inventory management.
- After graduating, Suhaimi will go on to take on an expanded role in his company, Rolls Royce.
10. All of us can learn from Suhaimi.
- Keep our eye on the horizon;
- Be open to learning new skills; and
- Make the best use of the resources and opportunities available to us, for continual learning.
11. Second question – will the RP Brand always help you going forward?
- A great polytechnic brand needs great faculty, great curriculum, and very importantly, a great alumni network.
12. You are the RP Brand.
- As you achieve great things in life, as you contribute back to RP individually and collectively, and the more you contribute, the greater, the better, the stronger the RP Brand will be for all of you.
- RP's success will and must always be a collective success, contributed by every one of you.
13. RP is our youngest polytechnic.
- 20 years young; a pioneer. And may it always remain a pioneer, always bold to try out new ideas, and may you always embody this pioneering spirit of RP.
14. The first batch of RP Alumni will be about 40 years old now.
- Many of the young RP Alumni are already paying it forward by returning to RP to grow the next generation.
15. Last year, I visited RP for the opening of the Entrepreneurial Partnership and Innovation Community,
- I was impressed by the active participation of both students and alumni.
- Damian, an RP alumnus, was running an online platform to facilitate car sales.
- While building his business, Damian made sure to return to RP to share his expertise and offer opportunities to his juniors, like yourselves.
16. The more Damians we have, the greater the RP Brand.
- You will soon be part of the RP alumni and in time to come, you can be another Damian for the RP community.
- May you continue to pay it forward and help grow the RP Brand for RP's collective benefit.
17. Third question. Will you find your dream job and have a great career?
18. In life, many of us try to find meaning, find the best, find the most suitable career.
- Sometimes, that seems a matter of luck and beyond our control.
- However, there is another way to have a dream job and great career, which can be within your control.
19. The secret lies not in finding but in giving.
- Giving meaning, giving our best in all that we do.
- This is not dependent on luck or others.
- It depends on us. We are the ones in control.
- The more we give to what we do, the more we find joy and meaning in what we do.
- When we not just do the job we love, but also love the job we do, we achieve a breakthrough for ourselves.
20. Take Thevindu, one of your batchmates, for example.
- An avid engineering student, Thevindu organised various events for the RP community through the Electronics Interest Group.
- He applied his engineering knowledge to various design competitions and led his team to clinch the top prize at the Southeast Asia PLC Design Competition 2021.
- Beyond his involvement in the field, he shared his skills with the wider community through completing a recycling automation showcase.
21. As you go on to take on different job roles, continue to give your best, and always find ways to make a positive impact on those around you.
Closing
22. Today I have shared three simple questions. There are many ways to answer them.
- You will now have the opportunity to answer them in your own ways.
23. I wish the graduating class all the very best in your onward journey of growth.
- May you continue to grow with RP.
- Remember that your diploma is but a foundation to scale greater heights.
- It will not define your entire life.
- Your continuous efforts beyond the diploma, will.
24. May you have the greatest career you desire, as you give your very best in all that you do.
25. May you continue to be the most positive testimony to RP's pioneering spirit and to the RP Brand.
26. Thank you very much, and congratulations.