) or https:// as an added precaution.Mr Loke Wai San, Chairman, Temasek Polytechnic's Board of Governors,
Mr Patrice Choong, Principal & CEO,
Members of Temasek Polytechnic Board of Governors and School of Applied Science Advisory Committee,
Graduands,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. I'm delighted to join you for this very special occasion.
2. This year, we celebrate more than 5,600 graduands from Temasek Polytechnic, including about 1,500 who took part-time courses. You have put in years of hard work and determination, while your families, friends, lecturers and mentors supported you throughout this journey. My warmest congratulations to all our graduands!
Embracing Opportunities Amidst Change
3. To our graduands: you are graduating in a time where the world is in great change – a global environment becoming more complex, rapid technological advances including in AI, climate change, and many more. Here in Singapore we are changing too. Our demographics is growing older. And for younger people, your aspirations are more diverse.
4. But we should not fear these changes. While they may bring risks, they will also create significant opportunities for us to become more efficient, transform our economy, to pursue our dreams and aspirations and to reimagine a stronger society and a better world – if we have the grit and gumption to seize the chances that come our way.
5. So, as you venture out into the wider world, whether pursuing further studies or entering the working world, we will support you to seize these opportunities. For example, Temasek Polytechnic has rolled out initiatives to support our graduates on their career journey. These include launching the Skills Transcript. You are the first graduating cohort to receive this skills transcript, which captures your abilities, skills and talents beyond just academic achievement – to include other important things that our employers are looking at, such as your soft skills, the co-curricular activities that reflect your skills, your leadership, your passion, and your internship and project-based experiences to show your willingness to not just put in the extra work but also to get to know the people in the industry that you are aspiring to work with. I hope you can make good use of this, to help you communicate your capabilities and talents with greater clarity, and find good jobs that match your interests and your skills.
6. At the same time, you can also tap on Temasek Polytechnic's Career Kickstarter, which is designed to address the immediate needs of graduates entering the workforce. Refreshed in 2025, this integrates Temasek Polytechnic's suite of career-related initiatives focused on graduate employment support, providing you with access to things like curated job opportunities, practical career guidance, and employment support resources.
7. Most importantly, as you step onto the road ahead, I am confident that Temasek Polytechnic has equipped you well to navigate it – with strong problem-solving skills, an innovative spirit, and a heart to support others. These are the skills and dispositions that will enable you to seek out new opportunities, to add value in ways that technologies such as AI cannot, and to contribute meaningfully to our shared society.
8. Let me share how our graduand Chai Chang Yao from the Diploma in Business, and his teammate Fittra Syaifullah Bin Fairul Nizam from the Diploma in Product Experience & Design exemplify this. I'm told that they participated in Project Innov8, a student-led interest group that supports innovation, and realised through conversations with their peers that young people needed safe and accessible spaces to experiment with their ideas.
9. They decided to organise AI coding classes, attracting over 200 participants within two months and enabling students with no prior technical background to prototype their own ideas.
10. This initiative led to the creation of Buildables, a platform that allows anyone to develop hardware solutions using natural language.
11. Their work earned the Gold Winner title at the National Youth Entrepreneur Award 2025, as well as grants from the National Youth Council and Ngee Ann Kongsi, among others. Congratulations to these two young students!
Building Resilience
12. Our graduands have also shown adaptability and resilience, which are important qualities for success in this age of change.
13. For example, Melody Faith Sudheeran from the Diploma in Veterinary Technology faced health challenges during her internship in 2024. She took a year off to focus on treatment, and decided to return to school in 2025 while recovering. It was tough balancing recovery with her internship, schoolwork and her final year project, but she showed resilience, discipline and a strong sense of purpose. She learned to speak up for herself, to adapt when circumstances changed, and never lost sight of her purpose. Her supervisors were impressed by her determination to learn despite the challenges she faced. Well done, Melody!
Embracing Lifelong Learning
14. This graduating batch has also demonstrated one more vital ingredient for success, which is the ability to stay curious and to learn throughout life.
15. At 62 years young, Eddie Yang Kah Ho inspires us with his tireless pursuit of knowledge and willingness to seek professional upskilling. He is graduating from the Specialist Diploma in Security Consultancy, a course offered by Temasek SkillsFuture Academy.
16. Eddie is a Registered Architect with over 35 years of experience across Singapore and China, and has contributed to many master planning projects. But when he returned to Singapore, he found that the industry landscape had shifted. This prompted him to find ways to stay relevant. Through his employer, Eddie was introduced to Security by Design – a field that has become his new calling. He decided to deepen his expertise by pursuing a Specialist Diploma here at Temasek Polytechnic.
17. Having completed his Diploma, Eddie now has both the knowledge and confidence to integrate security considerations into building design and construction. Beyond formal learning, he has been exposed to diverse perspectives, built lasting professional networks, and engaged in a supportive learning community that continues into his next programme at Temasek Polytechnic, which is the Specialist Diploma in Security Technology Management.
Conclusion – Creating Tomorrow Together
18. These are just a few of the inspiring stories of this whole graduating class, and I know you will go on to create even more inspiring stories of your own. As you graduate, I hope you continue to embody Temasek Polytechnic's spirit of 'Creating Tomorrow'. With the values and skills that you have acquired here, be a force for good in our society. I encourage you to stay in touch with your school community, and give back, pay it forward whenever you can.
19. Once again, congratulations to the class of 2026, and likewise to your families as well!
20. Thank you.