I always believe that being overseas is in itself a learning experience.  It is not the school or the curriculum that makes the difference. It is the difference in the culture, thinking process and approach to problem solving that provide me the platforms for creativity.  Naturally, when the opportunity to study in Australia on an exchange program came along, I did not hesitate to seize it.

In the fall of 1996, I embarked on my cross-cultural exchange program in the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in Australia.  I was originally scheduled to complete only the first semester of my third year Engineering Course there.  However, with a keen interest to have a taste of work life overseas, I turned the intended 5-month stint into an exciting 12-month adventure.

The academic semester was no less hectic than what I have experienced in Singapore.  Due to the differences in course structure, I had to spend the first couple of weeks there catching up with additional pre-requisites and coping with a different teaching methodology.  The most contrasting deviation from our local approach to tertiary education is that courses in UTS are designed with a high degree of flexibility to suit the varied styles of learning of students.  For instance, a course in Signal Theory II comprises four components : laboratory exercises, MATLAB assignments, weekly quizzes and final examination.  Students can have a choice of different weightings on final examination, which range between 55% to 100%.  Hence, students stronger in continuous assignments would plan their courses such that less weighting is given to the final examinations.

Besides the difference in the approach to learning, the composition of students in UTS is also very interesting.  My classmates largely came from varying backgrounds and age groups.  A significant number of them were also part-timers who came back to school after years of work.  Many of them were even married with families.  It was because of this student variety that a lot of practical approaches to problem-solving were shared during tutorials.

Through my newfound friends and from the experiences that they shared, I was motivated to apply for a job in Australia for my Industrial Attachment.  With the contacts given by the UTS Industrial Liaison Office, I managed to get shortlisted by the Australian Telecom, Australian Railway and IPC Corporation (Australia) for job interviews.

In Australia, job interviews are very formal, so one has to put on a suit and a tie.  The interviews mainly involved discussions on the companies’ businesses and current affairs, such as communication technologies and their industrial impact.  Such discussions were two-way.  Hence at the end of the sessions, I had actually learnt as much from my interviewers.  I was finally employed by IPC Corporation (Australia).

The core business of IPC Corporation (Australia), which had over 500 employees nation-wide, is in the manufacturing and sales of computers, laptops and other computer peripherals.  I was attached to the engineering department, where I assisted engineers in the testing of new products.  My area of responsibility was to ensure that new products conform to the Austel standards (Sisir’s counterpart in Australia).  Moreover, I also helped in the trouble-shooting of products under warranty.

The work culture at IPC is very open, with a relatively flat hierarchy.  In fact, I reported directly to the manager on a number of occasions.  Colleagues and supervisors were very friendly and helpful.  It was because of them that I quickly adapted to working life in Australia.  Unfortunately, after two months into my IA, IPC global headquarters in Singapore decided to divest its operations in Australia.  As a result, I moved on to HMI Computing Group (Australia) Pty Ltd to continue with my IA.  At HMI, my work nature was essentially the same as that at IPC, except that now I was given the opportunity to put my hands on IT networking.

Outside the classroom and workplace, I remained the vibrant me.  Being a ‘Tourist-Resident’, a term that I called myself, I sought to explore the kaleidoscopic characteristics of this multicultural society.  Besides taking up part-time classes at night, most of my leisure was spent travelling in the country around Sydney, meeting people (especially backpackers) from different parts of the world and from all walks of life.  As I was almost always on the move, I bought myself a ‘Bomb’, a local term referring to an old car.  It was a Nissan coupe that served me well for the year.

My stay in Sydney was colourful and enriching.  Besides acquiring technical knowledge, I have gained an insight into another way of thinking, another way of life.  The experience of job-hunting in a foreign land highlighted to me my strengths and weaknesses, as well as some practical obstacles in real life.  I also witnessed how the soft side of corporate management affects the rise and fall of an organisation.  I have also come to truly appreciate the importance of cross-cultural communication.  Thus, I strongly encourage fellow students to take on similar challenges like this.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Prof Brian Lee (IRO), Prof Er Meng Hwa (EEE), Mr Tan Ooi Kiang (EEE), Mrs Loh Ai Hwa (OPA) and Miss Agnes Kwang (IRO) for giving me the privilege to go on the Student Exchange Program. I would also like to give special thanks to Mr Ricky Tan, General Manager IPC Corporation (Australia) and Mr Prasad Menon, Director HMI (Australia) for helping me with getting a placement for the Industrial Attachment.