AGE FUELS MPE PIONEER Choy Kem Wah's desire to help start-ups in the emerging life sciences industry. He has done that thrice over the past two decades. Shortly after graduation, he joined Becton Dickinson, a United States start-up that produces medical disposable devices. In 1996, he moved to another United States start-up, Applied Biosystems that makes life sciences instrumentation systems in Singapore. He grew the business to include research and development and distribution services. In 2005, he joined Affymetrix, a start-up which deals with DNA gene chip manufacturing. Currently the general manager, Kem Wah said, “I enjoy the challenge of setting up companies in the life sciences sector.” Fortunately, he had help from a talented team of like-minded individuals to start the 24/7 operations from scratch. “My role is to ensure excellence in quality, manufacturing, regional procurement, supply chain and continual expansion.”

The life sciences industry uses Affymetrix's technology as an industry-standard tool to analyse complex genetic information. This tool is used by pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology companies and research institutes. Kem Wah read widely and took short courses at NUS and Ngee Ann Polytechnic to better understand the biomedical industry. His enthusiasm rubbed off on fellow pioneer Samuel Tang who joined his firm. Samuel said, “I was happy to make the milestone foray into the world of DNA.”

There are three NTI pioneers in the life sciences industry — Kem Wah, Samuel and Phuah Soon Ek. They contribute to a promising industry that can become an economic growth engine. Singapore aims to be the centre for drug discovery and basic and clinical research. Biology and medicine are central to the life sciences. For three years, Soon Ek was involved in the production of drugs, tablets, dry powder inhalers, sterile injectables and nasal sprays. He is with Schering-Plough, a global powerhouse in the pharmaceutical field.

A big investor in Singapore, Schering-Plough pumped in some one billion dollars and set up seven manufacturing plants. Soon Ek works with the process engineers to come up with a conceptual design. “My mechanical engineering background and project experience come in handy,” he said. He builds manufacturing units with new equipment and auxiliaries.

WHEN DANIEL CHIEN TIAW HUAT resigned as an engineer in 2001, he had three young daughters and no job in hand. He was not acting on impulse. “After 16 years as an engineer, I received a divine call to help the poor and needy,” he shared. “I was searching for meaning beyond material wealth, and I found it in God's will for me to serve others. Aself-focused life is a narrow one.” With his wife's support, Daniel took up a masters degree in counselling. Friends expressed mock surprise that he had left the “materials” world.

After a three-month wait, he was offered a counselling job at Care Corner Counselling Centre. His career switch turned out to be the right choice. Daniel said, “I found satisfaction in counselling clients, conducting workshops in prisons and improving the lives of others. I was able to experience things that are different from the engineering world.” His dedication was rewarded. He rose to become an executive director at Care Corner, a member of the National Council of Social Service.

“We are concerned to meet human needs as they are felt, enable people to face life's challenges and foster the enjoyment of and reverence for life,” said Daniel. “In the discharge of these roles, our sole motivation is the love of God.” Care Corner offers their services to people regardless of race, language or religion at their 23 centres.

Another person who is motivated by his faith in his career is Peter Hong Yong Kong. In 1993, Peter and three Catholic friends started Wellsprings Catholic Books to provide affordable Catholic and Christian literature. He said, “We seek to help readers know God through books.” Besides their shop in Sin Ming Lane, Wellsprings has an online store with 13,000 titles and worldwide delivery. “At Wellsprings, book lovers can shop among a wide range of books in a warm and friendly environment,” said Peter.

Daniel and Peter are among the handful of NTI pioneers who chose to devote themselves to social and religious causes. Their role is important in Singapore. They promote the well-being of individuals and families. They seek to help people restore their function in society. Singordan Nalla Thamby is another good example.

JAMES SOON PENG HOCK'S Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) career is a rich tapestry of experiences. He had been a National Day Parade commander, naval fleet commander and even diplomat. After graduation, he joined RSN at a time when they needed engineering skills on board advanced warships known as missile corvettes. At one point, he was based in the Singapore embassy in the United States. His role was to develop technology collaboration between the United States Defence Department, Singapore Ministry of Defence and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Two things prepared him for the diplomat role. The first was his stint at the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College. The second was his study for his Masters in International Relations at the Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in the United States.

Upon retirement from the SAF in 2007, the ex-colonel's illustrious navy track record opened up a second career for him. He went into the marine industry and was based in the United States as Senior Vice President of Singapore Technologies (ST) Marine. His role was to expand the marine business through marina merger and acquisition. When James returned to Singapore in 2009, he set up a new firm within ST Marine to help defence customers solve operational problems. Subsequently, when ST Marine formed a joint venture that deals with a unique craft technology serving the oil and gas industry, he became president of the new entity.

James is one of a handful of NTI pioneers who charted their careers in the marine industry, a key component of Singapore's economy. Chang Yee Shen is the General Manager of a firm that offers plating and repair of marine diesel engines. Wu Kum Weng has been with Sembawang Shipyard since 1992. Over the years, he improved productivity, developed yard infrastructure and automated marine and industrial services. In 2000, he set up an e-procurement portal to enable shipyards and their suppliers to buy and sell products online. The intent was to aggregate all major suppliers in the marine industry to make procurement and backend processing more efficient, benefiting both buyers and sellers.

CHUA CHEE KAI CALLS HIMSELF a true-blue NTI/NTU thorough bred. The associate professor who helms NTU's School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering (MAE) said, “NTU holds many memories for me. I spent time here as an undergraduate, followed by graduate research. Now I am the MAE Chair.” That is a milestone for NTI pioneers! One of their own is holding a top post in the alma mater. Academia was not Chee Kai's first job. After graduation, he worked as a manufacturing engineer at Hewlett Packard (HP) where he did his industrial attachment.

“HP was a nice place to work but I was inclined towards academia,” said Chee Kai. He seized the opportunity to do research when the famed aerospace conglomerate Grumman International set up a computer-aided design and manufacturing centre in NTI. That was a stepping stone to joining the School of MPE as a lecturer. Chee Kai is aware of his far-reaching influence as an academic. He said, “It excites me to be able to mould Singapore's future leaders.”

Chee Kai is one of several NTI pioneers who returned to their alma mater to teach. They derive great satisfaction from imparting their skills and knowledge to students the way the founding NTI lecturers did. Low Kay Soon is a case-in-point. The associate professor worked on the first made-in-Singapore micro-satellite. The 106 kg satellite was designed and built on campus. Named X-SAT, the project was successfully launched into space in April 2011. It captured its first image of Singapore a month later. “It was satisfying to impart this know-how to students,” said Kay Soon who is the NTU Satellite Research Centre Director. The X-SAT project has foreign partners. They are India Space Research Organisation, German Aerospace Centre and South Korea SaTReCi.

Now, Kay Soon is supervising undergraduate and postgraduate students to build a 6-kg nano-satellite. His Satellite Research Centre focuses on satellite engineering research, in particular nano-satellite technology, remote sensing and communication applications.

There are other NTI pioneers at NTU. Peter Loh Kok Keong, who obtained his PhD from NTU, teaches at the School of Computer Engineering. He develops and teaches courses in software engineering, computing innovation.

WHEN YOU REVEL IN THE amusement park at Downtown East, enjoy the cool air-conditioning at Changi Airport or zip into Johor Bahru via Woodlands Checkpoint, you may want to thank Shaikh Ali. He helped transform NTUC Pasir Ris Resort into Downtown East, build the air-conditioning system at Changi Airport Terminal Two and manage the government facility at Woodlands Checkpoint.

Shaikh is among several NTI pioneers who built infrastructure. The former engineering manager at NTUC Pair Ris Resort said, “I was involved in upgrading the resorts and building two new theme parks.” Later, he joined Public Works Department (PWD) where he was involved in the design and construction of the air-conditioning system at Terminal Two. “I learned a lot about lifts and air-conditioning,” he said. After getting his Professional Engineer certification, he helped to design the new Parliament House and Tuas Checkpoint.

PWD was a key government department which built and maintained public infrastructure such as expressways, roads and government buildings. Mega-projects include Changi Airport, Woodlands Checkpoint and Pan Island Expressway. It was later corporatised and renamed CPG Corporation. It won accolades for designing and conserving landmarks such as the National Museum, Asian Civilisations Museum and Central Fire Station.

Currently, Shaikh is the Deputy General Manager with CPG Facilities Management. His accounts include Fusionpolis, NTU@One-North and Ministry of Education headquarters.

Desmonde Chong Wai Swee is another industry veteran. He is the Programme Director with PM Link, the project management arm of CPG Corporation. “I manage large projects in and out of Singapore,” he said. After 25 years on the job, he distilled the recipe for success in this line. “You need a dedicated and capable person or team to manage cost, time, quality, stakeholder expectations and safety,” he said.

Besides PWD, another key government body that shapes Singapore's skyline is the Housing Development Board (HDB). It provides housing for most Singaporeans. More than four in five Singaporeans live in HDB flats. HDB employs NTI pioneers such as Larry Lim Tien Kiong. He started with building maintenance and went on to do research and development in the area. Larry sits on the Community Improvement Projects committee that provides funding to build recreational facilities and communal amenities in HDB estates.

THE iPOD, iPHONE AND iPAD have endeared a new generation to Apple, one of the largest technology firm in the world with an annual revenue of over $84 billion in 2010. In its 35-year history, Apple has many milestones and MPE pioneer Goh Chye Lee was involved on two occasions. He shared, “I was the engineer who transferred the manufacturing of the original Macintosh –– a nine-inch monochrome all-in-one computer –– from the United States to Singapore. I also built the one millionth iMac that was presented to CEO Steve Jobs.”

Chye Lee is a case-in-point on the quality of NTI pioneers. Singapore was mired in recession in 1985 and thousands were vying for a job with Apple Computer (as the company was known then). He got an interview because he used an Apple II compatible computer and a dot-matrix printer to print his resume. He beat 103 applicants to land the manufacturing engineer job, the first fresh graduate that Apple hired. Later, other NTI pioneers such as Yew Wee Chong and Charles Yap Kiat Hoong joined him. Charles Yap spent 18 years with Apple being extensively involved with the iMac, iBook and MacBook. In recent years, Charles has been the technical product manager for Apple peripherals such as keyboard, mouse, and the popular iPad.

These pioneers are among hundreds of NTI pioneers that contributed to Singapore's electronics industry, a key economic engine over four decades. There are three pillars to this industry –– consumer electronics, semiconductors and disk drives. Apple is one of several firms driving the consumer electronics industry in Singapore. Others included Hewlett Packard (HP), Dell, Philips, Matsushita, Creative Technology and Motorola. Together they churned out microphones, loudspeakers, amplifiers, personal computers (PCs), colour TV sets, radios and videocassette recorders. The electronics industry started in the late 1960s when foreign companies set up assembly plants for products such as transistors and low-end consumer electronics. Even in the early days, the electronics industry provided jobs for one-third of the workforce.

By the mid-1990s, electronics was contributing over half the economy's manufacturing output. By 2003, the electronics industry accounted for 43 per cent of domestic exports.

OFTEN REFERRED TO AS “first among equals”, R. Sinnakaruppan was the first from the NTI pioneer engineering Class of 85 to enter politics at age 31, only six years after he graduated from MPE. While getting involved in grassroots work during his spare time, Sinna came face to face with poverty. He saw people who were struggling to put food on the table or a roof over their heads. His eyes were opened to the reality of hunger pangs for some people in affluent Singapore. The two-term Member of Parliament from 1991 to 2001 said, “My parents were not rich but at least we did not have to worry about where our next meal was coming from.”

Sinna's foray into politics started in 1985 when a friend cum grassroots leader Quah Siew Heng roped him in to reach out to people in one-room flats in Toa Payoh. He started a sports club to engage them. From there, his desire to help the lower strata of society grew. “One thing led to another and soon I was helping out at the Meet-The-People sessions,” said Sinna who became the Assistant Secretary of Kuo Chuan People's Action Party branch. At that time, the MP in charge of that constituency was Mr Wong Kan Seng, the former Deputy Prime Minister. Sinna was then working as a project manager with National Semiconductor.

In 1990, he was appointed to the NTU Council which was preparing for the transition from NTI to NTU. He sat on the Board of Directors, now known as the Board of Trustees. He got noticed and was asked by the government to reach out to the Indian community. He joined the Hindu Endowments Board and the Action Committee on Indian Education, chaired by the respected career civil servant Mr J.Y. Pillay.

It was a speedy trip to the “world of politics” in Sinna's words. His profile was raised by his grassroots and Indian community work. In the run-up to the 1991 parliamentary election, Mr Wong and Mr Pillay recommended him to the PAP leadership. In June 1991, he was interviewed by then DPM Lee Hsien Loong and then Law cum Home Affairs Minister S. Jayakumar.

IN DECEMBER 2010, THE CLASS OF 85, the pioneer batch of Nanyang Technological Institute (now known as Nanyang Technological University), celebrated the 25th anniversary of their graduation with a dinner. The question most frequently asked was “Hey, what happened to you all these years?” It was this question that sparked the idea of producing a book to capture our career paths.

The passage of 25 years yielded deep insights as we looked back on our engineering education. Most of us are about 50. Some of our children are already in campus. “My daughter Sarah is into her third year of the Mechanical Engineering programme at NTU. She is following in my footsteps,” declared Florence Tan Sok Bee proudly. It is time to ponder the next lap and prepare to hand the baton over to a younger generation of engineers.

Producing this book was exciting but far from easy. Tracking 557 pioneers was a challenge. Even when we did reach them, convincing them to share their life stories was no mean task. Some inspired ones contributed but others valued their privacy.

Credit goes to R. Sinnakaruppan, President of the NTU Alumni Club. A key mover behind the book, he sees the timeliness of this endeavour. A member of the board of several tertiary institutions, he is aware that engineering is no longer the degree of choice. Considering how Singapore's success is founded on the infrastructure laid by engineers including the NTI pioneers, the need to inspire future generations to take up engineering is a pressing matter. Engineers are crucial to any thriving economy.

Over the years, finance-related courses have replaced engineering as the course of choice. This seems inevitable given Singapore's status as a regional financial hub riding the Asia boom. Pragmatic young Singaporeans flock to where the money is, more so when the course is less demanding vis-à-vis engineering. The selection of university courses has become market-driven.

WATCHING THE CLOSURE of National Semiconductor's Singapore plant in 2006 was memorable for Gary Chan. “It was an invaluable experience as one of the last few men standing,” said Gary who was involved in the shut-down process from start to end. He had been with the company after it acquired his first employer Fairchild Semiconductor in 1987. National Semiconductor was a job lifeline to grateful NTI pioneers such as Ooi Kok Chan. He shared, “I did my industrial attachment at National Semiconductor and they offered me the post of a test engineer one month after graduation.”

Fairchild Semiconductor, an American firm, employed many NTI pioneers including Liu Fook Thim. In 1985, American semiconductor companies were trying to catch up with their Japanese competitors. The Japanese excelled in statistical process control techniques. “I was hired to implement this technique at Fairchild,” said Fook Thim who studied the subject at NTI. However, it was a challenge to get cooperation from production and maintenance staff. Things changed only after the top issued a directive.

Many NTI pioneers started their careers in this industry, a stepping stone for some NTI pioneers to greater things. R. Sinnakaruppan and Inderjit Singh were working for National Semiconductors and Texas Instrument respectively before entering politics.

The semiconductor industry is an important component of Singapore's economy. All parts of the semiconductor value chain including research and development and manufacturing are here. In 2008, semiconductors formed 55 per cent of the country's total electronics manufacturing output of $68 billion. That was 11 per cent of the global semiconductor output.

In 1969, Singapore welcomed the first chip assembly and test plant set up by National Semiconductor. In the 1980s, other Silicon Valley semiconductor companies such as General Electric Intersil came and turned Singapore into a semiconductor packaging powerhouse. Charlie Foo Siang Sin spent the early part of his career with Intersil before moving to do electronics packaging at 3M's Woodlands factory. It produces flexible circuits used in mobile phones, disk drives and ink-jet printers.

PROFESSOR CHAM DISTINCTLY REMEMBERED the permanent secretary (PS) of the Ministry of finance (MOF) who tried to pull a fast one on him in the early days of NTI. NTI founding president met the PS to ask for the funding per NTI student to be raised on par with the NUS engineering faculty. The PS said that the funding was already the same but he forgot that Professor Cham wore two hats. Professor Cham calmly told him, “I am also the NUS engineering dean and I know the amount received.” The PS said nothing. In the end, NTI got more money but only after then Education Minister Dr Tony Tan, who spearheaded the NTI project, appealed to PM Lee.

The reluctance of MOF to provide equal funding to NTI was the biggest hurdle for the new NTI Professor Cham said, “They saw NTI as an inferior start-up to NUS and wanted to give lower pay for NTI professors vis-à-vis NUS.” Equal treatment only came after Professor Cham fought hard with strong support from Dr Tan.

The tussle with MOF was but one of the challenges that faced Professor Cham in the early 1980s when he was asked by Dr Tan to head the NTI Planning and Development Committee. The committee's role was to recruit staff, develop the campus and decide on the curriculum. Professor Cham's initial reluctance was understandable. “The Nanyang Council and alumni were very hostile to me and it would not be easy competing with NUS which has more than 100 years of history,” he said.

However, Dr Tan was very persuasive. Professor Cham continued, “He told me that this was an opportunity of a lifetime. How many people get the chance to start a university from scratch?” Professor Cham decided to take the plunge provided he remained as the NUS engineering dean post. He shared, “If it became too hard at the end of two years, I could go back to NUS.” Besides Professor Cham, another NTI pillar was Dr Michael Fam whom Dr Tan persuaded to chair the NTI Council. The corporate bigwig who chaired many well-known companies including Asia Pacific Breweries and Singapore Airlines was an asset to the new institute.

THE SWEAT AND TOIL of Tan Kian Thong and Chua Chiow Chye have enabled Singaporeans to get to their workplaces in a speedy manner for more than two decades. These CSE pioneers helped build an indispensable part of our lives –– the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system. In 2009, the MRT network has an average daily ridership of two million. That is two in five residents.

The NTI pioneers’ engineering expertise was vital in creating the backbone of Singapore's public transport infrastructure. The MRT network is a source of national pride. It is the second-oldest metro system in Southeast Asia, after Manila's Light Rail Transit System. In 1985, the government rolled out the first MRT project known as the ‘Compass Line’ or North-South-East-West line.

“We constructed the sections linking the MRT stations at Chinese Garden, Lakeside and Boon Lay,” said Kian Thong. He and Chua Chiow Chye were site engineers with Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC), which later became SMRT Corporation.

The MRT system was the brainchild of the far-sighted Singapore government, who in 1967 foresaw the need for a more reliable mode of public transport as the population increased. They decided to have the network operational by 1992. The rationale was simple. An all-bus system was not viable due to limited space in a land-scarce country. The initial five-billion dollar construction of the MRT network was then Singapore's largest public works project. Construction began on 22 October 1983 at Shan Road and the network was built in stages. The North-South Line was built first as it passed through the Central Area that had a high demand for public transport. On 7 November 1987, the initial section between Yio Chu Kang Station and Toa Payoh Station began operations. Soon after, 15 more stations opened and then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew officially launched the MRT system on 12 March 1988. The opening of Boon Lay Station on the East West Line on 6 July 1990 marked the completion of the system two years ahead of schedule.

The MRT project was one of two bright spots –– the other was the HDB projects –– in the gloomy construction industry during the recession of 1985.

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL OF Anglo Chinese School (Independent) Chock Siew Hwa's engineering background is a good conversation starter with students. She explained, “They are intrigued that I decided to teach instead of becoming an engineer. They asked if it is a waste of my degree.” That gave Siew Hwa an opportunity to impart a lesson. “The first degree does not determine the end career of a person,” she said. “The discipline that I picked up in my engineering course prepared me for my career in education. It is more important to do your best in a field that you are passionate about.”

Siew Hwa's entry into the teaching arena was not by choice. “I could not get any engineering job after graduation,” she said. “So I took up a three-year contract teaching position with the Ministry of Education.” When ACS(I) started in 1988, Professor Lawrence Chia was the principal. He was prepared to take in graduates who had teaching experience but no professional teaching qualification. “National Institute of Education did not take in those with engineering degrees then,” said Siew Hwa. She became a mathematics teacher at ACS(I). At the same time, she was given the IT portfolio “perhaps due to her engineering background”. Later, she headed the IT department. She was recognised for her ability and dedication and the school entrusted her with two signature courses — the Integrated Programme and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. In 2001, ACS(I) was the first local school to offer the International Baccalaureate in lieu of the A levels. That first batch of students produced results that were among the best in the world. “It was a very rewarding and fulfilling outcome,” said Siew Hwa. “Impacting students and forging strong relationships with them make teaching very meaningful.”

For Teo Siew Chin, the interest in technology in education saw her devote the past two decades in this area. The former cleanroom project engineer taught in a secondary school and polytechnic before moving to Singapore Technologies to do instructional design and technology. From there, she joined U21Global, an online school offering postgraduate programmes.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS HAVE PASSED since the NTI pioneers graduated. The passage of time gives them fresh insights into university education and working life. They have a wealth of tips to share with those on the threshold of university life. Their collective wisdom is gleaned from reflections on career and life over the past 25 years. It can serve as a compass and pre-empt unnecessary detours for young ones at the crossroads of life.

FIRE UP YOUR INTEREST WITH PASSION

There is the need for passion in your choice of study and career. “Always follow your passion. There is nothing worse than hating what you pursue, be it studies or work. Do what you love and love what you do,” said Wee Chong, whose passion is engineering. “If you do what you are passionate about, you will never work a day in your life,” added Ananda.

Engineers apply principles of mathematics and science to develop new solutions to technical challenges all around us. They are crucial in all industries and take on critical responsibilities in a wide range of roles from R&D, to product development, manufacturing, construction, maintenance and servicing. With so many types of engineering and career options, it is important to “follow your interest and not the herd.” Tuck Chee's interest in structures led him to study civil engineering. Lucy said, “If you end up in a course that is not your first choice, develop the passion for it.” Casey Lim wanted to study medicine but did not get a place. He chose engineering and moved on.

CAN'T MAKE UP YOUR MIND?

Chyou Lin recommends engineering for the indecisive. He said, “A basic engineering degree gives more options for careers.” Yat Cheong's engineering background enabled him to move into property development and project management. Ditto for ACS(I) Vice Principal Siew Hwa. “The skills that I picked up in engineering helped me to be what I am today,” she said. For Hock Lum, his background is his platform to take up different roles in the construction and real estate industry. He had been a consultant, contractor and developer.