Throughout my academic years, there are two episodes that I consider being most rewarding and beneficial to my forthcoming career.  They are the Exchange Programme and Industrial Attachment that I underwent during my third year in NTU.

When I first received the application form for the selection of IA organisations during my exchange programme in Purdue University, there were questions popping into my mind. “Should I sit in the comfort of a design office or should I stand under the hot sun, to supervise the materialisation of the design?”  Finally, I chose the latter as I wanted to witness the difference between drawing on  paper and construction of real structures.

I chose Ho Lee Construction Pte Ltd, as I believed it would give me an insight into construction from the point of a local contractor.  The project that I was involved in was a pioneer project of HDB - a multi-storey motor workshop.  This project was unique. Unlike the usual HDB style, it was a mix between private and HDB styles.  Furthermore, I was exposed straight from the beginning stage of construction as the project had just started.

During the stay, I had to work under the supervision of the project manager and the project engineer.  They were assiduous in guiding me and making arrangements for my exposure in the site construction.  Among the tasks that I was assigned to, the planning and supervision of the erection of a tower crane was the most challenging.

It was part of my job to supervise the day-to-day events like the checking to see that the job conformed to the drawings, or overseeing the concreting process.  Throughout the attachment, I discover that sometimes designers do not really understand the difficulties of construction.  For example, the workers had difficulties in placing reinforcement bars, especially at the joints of the columns and beams.  This is because the designer did not take into account the lapping of bars at the joints.  This also led to problems like arguments which are quite normal in the site.  The carpenter would accuse the steel bender of deforming their formwork.  But what were the options for the steel benders when they had to squeeze in all the bars?  Certainly there is a distinction between writing with a pen and working with a hammer.

The knowledge of my education played an important role too, like in situations where workers asked me which part of the beam to install the mesh for the construction joints.  With the structural knowledge of simple-supported and fixed ends, I was able to give proper instructions.

Due to the nature of my appointment, I had to work with a diversified group of personnel like the boss and foreman of sub-constructors; foreign workers from China, Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia, and local workers.  In addition to working closely with my supervisors and subordinates, I had to deal with the supervising staff, clerk-of works, structural engineer and architect from the HDB.  Hence, there were plenty of management and coordination skills involved.  I am contented that I managed to get along well with them.

During my attachment, there were some incidents that occurred on the site.  From these incidents, I have learned how to react when similar situations arise.  All these activities and learning opportunities during the IA have enhanced my abilities to accept my responsibilities in the engineering profession in the near future.