Award recipients,
Principals, Teachers,
Our leaders and colleagues from our universities and public service agencies,
Our industry partners,
Parents and guests,
1 A very good afternoon to all of you.
2 Thank you for inviting me to celebrate a new group of recipients of the Engineering and Tech Programme Scholarship, or ETPS. To our scholars – congratulations. You have demonstrated curiosity, initiative, and a willingness to take on challenges – these are qualities that will serve you well in the years ahead.
3 Engineering has long played an important role in Singapore's development. The systems we depend on every day – you have seen some of them, from transport and digital infrastructure to energy, healthcare and logistics – these are made possible by engineering. And there are many more systems and sectors in which engineers and engineering talent play a critical role. Today, we see projects like the Punggol Digital District, where we are now, where this wonderful university is, and we see things like Tuas Port and its developments, reflecting how engineering continues to shape a more connected and a more sustainable Singapore, and a Singapore that is future-ready. As we transform our economy and as we strengthen our resilience, engineers will also help shape solutions in areas such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies.
4 This is why the ETPS remains an important investment for our future engineering talent. This scholarship provides you with opportunities to learn from industry, to work on authentic challenges, and to see how engineering ideas are translated into practical solutions solving real-world problems.
5 What has been especially encouraging is seeing many of our scholars approach engineering not only as a field of study, but also as a way to solve real-world problems and make a positive difference. I'm going to cite two examples, and these examples represent all of you here today.
- We have Devon Lim, formerly from NUS High School, who explored and found his horizons broadened through learning journeys to the Hyundai facility and the OceanXplorer research vessel. These experiences persuaded him to consider possibilities he had not thought of before. He has decided to now pursue Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College London, and has been persuaded that a career in the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore is where he wants to go, and he is going on a STEM Scholarship from CAAS.
- Another example is Eunice Ang, formerly from National Junior College, who had an internship with the Land Transport Authority that opened her eyes and opened her experiences. There, she learnt about engineering extending well beyond prototyping into areas such as regulation and operations. She will be pursuing an engineering degree at the University of Cambridge. She has also been persuaded to join the public service, and she is going on a Public Service Commission Scholarship (Engineering).
- Both examples are scholars from our second cohort, and their experiences give us confidence in the next generation of engineering talent for Singapore. I think it is no accident that both examples are choosing, at least for the first part of their careers, to join the public service. This is meaningful and makes a difference to Singapore and Singaporeans.
6 However, there is also plenty of value to be pursued for personal and professional development in the private sector, which is an important in this journey and in making this scholarship programme come alive. It is the strong collaboration that is one of the strengths of the ETPS, and that collaboration is between our schools, our institutes of higher learning, our public agencies, and our industries. Since the inaugural ETPS cohort in 2023, the programme has grown through the strong support of partners across the public sector, universities and the industry. To date, more than 40 partners have supported ETPS through 700 work attachments, internships, workshops, mentorships, and learning journeys. This is a collective effort, and in truth, if you want to pursue a career with engineering skills or a career in engineering, at some point, you would need to learn lessons across all different partners. If you are going into the public service, you would need to know what is happening in the private sector, and if you are going into the private sector, you would need to know how you would be regulated and how the public service works. There are benefits to all and on all sides. If you are going into academia – and some of you will become faculty, lecturers, professors of engineering – you would need to understand everything, because you would need to answer the most difficult questions from your students, in the public and private sectors.
7 I would like to express my appreciation to all our partners – this sense of meaningful opportunities to learn within and beyond the classroom and appreciate the many pathways that are there within engineering and technology – for all your continued support of the ETPS. A special mention to partners such as Abbott Singapore and Advanced Micro Devices (Singapore), among many others, which have been offering internship opportunities to our scholars since the pilot phase in 2022. To all our partners, thank you for providing our scholars with valuable exposure to real-world engineering challenges and industry practices.
8 Later this afternoon, our scholars will hear from leaders from Hope Technik, ST Engineering, and STMicroelectronics during the panel discussion titled, "What Makes an Engineer Today? Beyond Academics and AI". Through industry perspectives, the discussion will explore how engineers work alongside emerging technologies; apply judgment and creativity to solve real-world problems; and create meaningful impact across different sectors. I hope our scholars will gain a deeper appreciation of engineering practice today and be inspired by the many possibilities ahead.
9 As we look ahead, Singapore will continue to need engineers who are not only capable and innovative, but also guided by a strong sense of responsibility to society. Engineering today is evolving rapidly and the challenges ahead – whether in sustainability, infrastructure, healthcare, or emerging technologies. In order to solve all of these challenges and address these problems, you cannot rely on one person or sector; you need teams to come together collaboratively, bringing a variety of skills, working across sectors, bringing together experiences from different life journeys as well as technical knowledge and skills, and guided by a strong set of collaborative values. Future engineers will need to work across disciplines, collaborate with diverse teams, and to navigate emerging technologies like AI. All of this, so that you can make decisions that consider the needs of people and society.
10 Congratulations to all scholarship recipients here today as well as your family members, teachers and partners who have supported you and given you the opportunities to shine and the heart to serve. I encourage each of you to please remain open-minded, be courageous in trying new ideas, and be committed to using your talents to improve lives and contribute meaningfully to society. We look forward to the ideas you will pursue, the problems you will solve, and the future you will help build for us in Singapore.
11 Thank you.