57 students from the 38th Intake of the Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis (GDipSA) programme graduated on 25 May 2015, opening the paths to their dream IT careers. One of the graduands, Goh Siow Chuen, Quality Analyst of OCBC Bank shares her journey.
It was a joyous day for many Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis (GDipSA) graduands, and their families, many of whom have travelled to Singapore for the ceremony. For the students have entered the thirteen-month GDipSA programme with little or no IT background, they have now graduated with the latest IT knowledge, skills and experience, ready to take on their dream IT career.
As the GDipSA’s Commencement Ceremony’s Guest- of-Honour and Singapore’s Member of Parliament, Ms Jessica Tan, addressed the graduands at the ceremony, she summed up their journey, “With six months of intensive lectures and workshops, and one month of project work, you have learnt five programming languages to deliver IT solutions ranging from Desktop to Web environment and then onto the Mobile platforms. In addition, you have been equipped with soft skills to plan, control and manage projects, as well as interact with various IT and business stakeholders. Armed with these skills, you have contributed to the IT industry as interns for five months. It is now time to begin your next journey of learning and growth [in the industry]."
An IT Learning Journey
As someone who have been through the journey, Ms Goh Siow Chuen (photo below), previously an Operations Manager for an analytic software start-up company, would know it best, “the programme was indeed hard work, but it was very rewarding as well. I have gained much IT knowledge and learnt a lot more than just language.”
Siow Chuen, this cohort’s top student and book prize winner, was working as an Operations Manager for an analytic software start-up company when she developed an interest in IT, and realised the limitations of the degree in Applied Mathematics in launching her IT career.
“My role in my previous company involves maintaining the continuous development of software and bridging the gap between the business requirements and the IT team to translate the business needs into working solution in the form of software,” said Siow Chuen, “I really enjoyed what I was doing and that’s when I knew I wanted to develop my knowledge and skills in IT further.”
After sourcing around, Siow Chuen decided to go for the Institute of System Science’s GDipSA programme. “I believed that the programme would help me to build a strong foundation before proceeding to a Master of Computing or Master of Technology programme, rather than diving straight into computing theories in the Master’s programmes.”
A New Career in IT
As it would turn out, the GDipSA programme got her more than just IT knowledge and skills, it got her a job right after graduation – with her internship company. “I did my internship with OCBC， where I was given the opportunity to showcase my ability to analyse application from a business perspective, coupled with technical aspects to produce an efficient and user-friendly application. That landed me my current job with OCBC as a Quality Analyst,” shared Siow Chuen.
Not only so, Siow Chuen is using the knowledge and skills that she has gain in her daily work now, “The GDipSA programme has helped me to gain insights towards how a system is built from the conception to the ideation to the development and launch. The experience and knowledge gained from the programme has helped me to bridge the gap between business requirements and technical requirements, enabling me to transform business ideas into system language and thereby, building a better, more efficient and user-friendly system.”
For Siow Chuen, the biggest rewards are not just found in the results, but the journey as well. “The course has been very enjoyable and I think one of the biggest factors that has kept me interested in the course is the lecturer’s enthusiasm. They themselves are motivated and eager to share their knowledge with us and this positive energy has influenced me to keep on exploring the subjects taught, sometimes even beyond the scope of the syllabus,” said Siow Chuen, “I’ve learnt skills that are not directly IT-related as well, such as Project Management. I am able to plan and organise my projects more effectively.”
“The NUS-ISS GDipSA programme equips the students with both technical and soft skills through projects and group work,” said Dr Esther Tan, Chief of GDipSA programme, NUS-ISS, “and the internship programme gives them exposure to real-world practice and challenges – offering them well-rounded education and preparation for their career ahead.”
“GDipSA really helps students from non-IT background to switch their career paths into the technology industry,“ said Siow Chuen, “the course material is highly relevant to the current technologies used in real-world application, and the wide range of topics, from programming language to software development life cycle, help you to adapt quickly to the technology field upon graduation.”
“I have a clearer picture of what I want to do, and I, together with most of my course-mates, are pursuing our dream IT jobs now. This one year programme has concluded with us growing and improving to become even more professional and knowledgeable,” continued Siow Chuen proudly.
To those who are considering taking up the programme, Siow Chuen advised, “Fret not if you don’t have any IT background. You just need to work hard and smart, and the course will handle the rest in preparing you for the IT industry.”
The 13-month, full-time Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis programme is designed for graduates who recognise the need to equip themselves with the latest IT knowledge and skills, and who 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.
Application for the February 2016 intake is open till October 2015. For more information, please click here.