Meet the students behind NYP Open House 2012

(From left to right: Aaron, Winsome and Richmond)

You can’t see an experience. That’s why at NYP Open House, we’ve got plenty of our students on hand to share their experiences with you.  These students will be on hand during the next three days of Open House (5-7 January) to make our visitors feel right at home and show them what the NYP Experience is about.

One of the toughest things about going to a new school is trying to make new friends. But if student volunteers, Richmond, Aaron and Winsome are anything to go by, NYP freshmen will have an easy time making friends.


Aaron Donovan and Winsome Foo are first year students pursuing their Diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work) from the School of Health Sciences. The cool and stylishly dressed Aaron says that he found it easy to make friends when he came to NYP.

This former Assumption English School student said that his classmates are close to one another and tightly knit.

Winsome agreed. “The class is very well-bonded,” she said, “the whole class even goes jogging together on Tuesdays.” They credited NYP’s easily accessible facilities for the class’s gung-ho spirit.

“NYP is conveniently located near to the Yio Chu Kang MRT station and there’s a bus terminal nearby. It’s got all kinds of facilities like gyms and a swimming pools. You name it, they have it!” Aaron said.

Winsome added that, because the facilities are nearby and well-placed, it encourages socialising with her classmates. In fact, their class of 25 makes it a habit to have lunch together at least once a month.

Richmond Ong, a third year student pursuing a Diploma in Chemical & Pharmaceutical Technology from the School of Chemical and Life Sciences agrees that it is easy to make friends at NYP. But this St Andrew’s Secondary School alum warns that some students will need some time to adjust to a co-ed environment.

“They’ll get used to after some time,” he assures adding that his lecturers also helped him adjust to polytechnic life. “The lecturers here are friendly and willing to advise you on any academic or social questions you may have,” he said.

This is the second time that Richmond is volunteering for NYP Open House. He will be coordinating tours for students and guests for all 3 days.

Aaron and Winsome will be part of the hospitality team that will be greeting and assisting visitors during NYP Open House 2012. Their class is tending the sheltered walkway to NYP (from Yio Chu Kang MRT Station) this Saturday from 2-6pm.

Preparing to Enter a Most Meaningful Profession

Congrats to our 12 recipients!

Muhammad Khairul Nizzam Bin Mazlan, a first-year Diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work) student has a special heart for young children. His love for children was sparked off when as a lad in secondary school, he helped his uncle who ran a centre for children with special needs.


Said Khairul, “I enjoyed interacting with the children, who were 7 to 12 years old. So from young, I have always had this strong interest to want to help others. It is my way of giving back to society.”

Khairul was delighted when he became one of the 12 first-year Diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work) students to receive the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) Social Work Associate Training Sponsorship. This sponsorship is given by NCSS, with the support of the Ministry for Community Development, Youth and Sports. The students received their sponsorships from Ms Ang Bee Lian, CEO of NCSS during a ceremony on 12 July 2011.

The sponsorship covers tuition fees, other compulsory fees and an allowance for books and reference materials for their three years of study. Upon graduation, students would work for a year with a Voluntary Welfare Organisation under the NCSS.

Khairul and Winsome feel that this sponsorship would motivate them to do well.

Another recipient of the training sponsorship is Winsome Foo. Winsome, who will be attached to a Student Advisory Centre when she graduates, is looking forward to her new workplace. She said, “There is nothing like being there on the ground, helping people and being able to directly apply the skills that my NYP lecturers have taught me.”

Both Khairul and Winsome felt that receiving this training sponsorship would motivate them to excel in their studies.

At the award presentation ceremony, Ms Ang Bee Lian interacted with the students and gave them much encouragement. She said, “You will be in a growth industry when you graduate. And the social work profession would be a most meaningful profession for you to enter; one which will have long-term impact.”

NYP’s Diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work) course is a relatively new course which started in 2010. This course aims to train Social Work Associates to meet the increasing manpower needs of the social service and healthcare sectors in Singapore. The 12 students who received the NCSS Social Work Associate Training Sponsorship form the second batch of students who had attained these awards.