Changing career paths is never easy, but Project Manager, Roy Lao Sahagun, was able to do that through the NUS-ISS Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis (GDipSA) programme.
Previously a Systems Engineer, Roy Lao Sahagun (photo on left) found a new career path in IT after graduating from the NUS-ISS Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis programme (GDipSA) in 2010.
It was not an easy move though, as entering a new field required Roy to acquire new skills and knowledge. “Initially, it was difficult for me to grasp the concept of object-oriented language, as it was new to me,” shares Roy. “However, through discussions with instructors and classmates, and through reading sample codes and writing codes myself, I gradually understood them better. The lecturers will give you a project but they give full freedom in deciding how to realise the project. This way, you will learn to be resourceful in order to complete the assignment.”
Roy, who is currently a Project Manager of Intelligent Transportation System in Nanyang Technological University (NTU), now daily put the knowledge which he has acquired in the programme in his work. He now leads the network planning, design and implementation of an end-to-end Smart Mobility Test Bed which covers the entire NTU campus.
“I chose to take up the GDipSA programme as I knew that it would provide me with the right skills and knowledge to face the challenges of the IT world,” says Roy. “It is a comprehensive programme which not only teaches programming or coding, but also soft skills that prepared me for real-life challenges of working in teams or across teams.”
Upon his graduation, the GDipSA programme opened doors for Roy to carve out a career for him in the IT industry as he was offered a job by his internship firm, the Data Storage Institute at A*STAR. The GDipSA programme works, said Roy, because of the job opportunities provided through the five-month internship placements.
“After graduation, I worked at A*STAR for two years where I designed and developed a working prototype of the brain-inspired ‘Intelligent Network Storage System’ for intelligent data management. Thereafter I moved to Motorola Solutions Singapore to take up a more challenging role as a Solutions Architect Manager before assuming my current position at NTU,” says Roy. “I couldn’t have done all these without the education at NUS-ISS.”
Having successfully made his mid-career switch into IT, Roy, who is currently planning to take a Master’s Degree next year, has a piece of advice for those who are considering doing the same, “Never stop learning and take all the opportunities available to gain more knowledge and skills.”
“The GDipSA programme is very unique – it can transforms someone without IT knowledge into an IT professional in a very short period of time. People who feel they have lost touch with their IT knowledge can also come and join this programme as a refresher course and they will be updated with the latest IT knowledge. We have graduated over 2,200 students since 1981,” says Dr Esther Tan, Chief, GDipSA Programme, NUS-ISS.
The one-year NUS-ISS Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis (GDipSA) programme is designed for graduates who recognise the need to equip themselves with the latest IT knowledge and skills, and wish to advance their careers in their current field. It also provides an opportunity for non-IT graduates in crafting a new career path in the IT industry.
Registration for the August 2016 intake is now open. For more information and upcoming Preview Talks, click here.