(From L to R: Chua Khiong Kiat, Chua Khiong Jian and Chua Khiong Yang)
Growing up with a penchant for tech, the Chua Brothers will now share one more thing in common. The dynamic trio are graduands from the NUS-ISS' Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis programme (GDipSA). Equipped with future-ready skills, Khiong Kiat, 31, Khiong Jian, 28 and Khiong Yang, 26 are contributing to a smart nation respectively in Healthcare, Finance and Food Packaging Solutions, a testament to how technical skills are blended into diverse fields and changing the world we live in.
How it all began
With an age difference of two and three years between them, it was second brother, Khiong Jian, who first applied for the GDipSA programme in 2017. With his first degree in finance from NUS Business School, Khiong Jian had experience in KPMG Malaysia. He then learned about GDipSA which he recognised as a good transition course to blend his finance knowledge with tech skills, in just one year. As part of his industrial attachment at SingX Singapore, Khiong Jian designed the Android version of its mobile app allowing for money transfers to foreign countries.
In retrospect, Khiong Jian who is currently an Equity Research Associate at Principal Global Investors, quipped, "It helped me get my job and it is not even in programming - it is in investments. My colleagues shared that, when the hiring manager was going through resumes, he saw that I knew programming and pointed out that, this is the one!" Adds Khiong Jian, "GDipSA does help you stand out from the crowd. More importantly, as you go through the programme, your ways of thinking will become more structured over time and that is what you would carry on in life."
Youngest sibling affectionately known as Yang, 26, soon followed in his brother's footsteps. With a NUS Computer Science degree in hand and a mind filled with knowledge on detailed algorithms and user interfaces. Khiong Yang said, "My computer science background taught me what a good software is. GDipSA took my learnings one step further as I learnt about the deep tech skills that go behind planning for said software."
During his one year GDipSA programme in 2018, Yang spent five months with NCS as a software engineer intern. This rigorous real world training taught him to apply the skills learnt from GDipSA, to develop a software solution - from conceptualisation to interviewing client requirements; building a scalable and maintainable software and finally delivering the solution. "By blending knowledge from both domains, I was sure that I was able to hit the ground running in my career as a Java Developer at multinational company, Tetra Pak," added Yang.
Above: The Chua brothers at an alumni photoshoot in December 2020.
Below: Khiong Yang at the 46th NUS GDipSA Commencement Ceremony receiving his certificate from Guest of Honour, Mr Kok Ping Soon, Chief Executive, GovTech.
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The Changing Tides
Eldest brother, Khiong Kiat, or KK took the Civil Engineering route at NUS, and went on to gather work experience first. Having spent more than eight years in the building and construction industry, his most recent post is with PH Consulting Pte Ltd as a civil and structural engineer. There, he was involved in interesting work such as the hydraulic design aspects of projects such as the temporary drainage diversion for Changi Airport runway. The turning point came when he spoke to his brothers - he knew that NUS-ISS' GDipSA programme could value add to his career pathway especially seeing that many processes can be automated using systems and technology.
It was time to turn that dream into a reality. KK then returned to NUS-ISS to pursue the GDipSA in 2020, with the support of his company. Alas, the 50th cohort was affected by the global Covid-19 pandemic, and with just three days of lectures on campus, the rest of the programme had to be conducted virtually. Taking it in his stride, the experience was like none other. This is in stark contrast when Khiong Jian shared that his fondest memories of his time at GDipSA includes going out and chilling with friends to savour mala (a spicy and numbing street food originating from Sichuan) after classes. However having adapted, KK felt that online learning has its benefits, such as enabling students to speak up more freely during classes.
With a year come and gone, and as the new year dawns to light, KK shares, "NUS-ISS crystalised what I want to accomplish in the next 30 years. My dream is to have my own start up in the build industry by providing day to day solutions to engineers." He has most recently completed his internship at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine where he and his teammate were assigned to revamp an outdated web-based data collection system. Three brothers. Three different experiences. Yet having gone through the GDipSA programme begets a charted and navigated path for a bright and resilient future that stems from owning their transformation journey.
Own yours now. For more information on NUS-ISS' Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis Programme, visit here.