What’s your reason for attending university, or pursuing higher education?
To have gainful employment doing something you’re really passionate about, look for a university that 1) has the course you like, and 2) prepares you well to get that job.
When it comes to employment rates for fresh grads from Singapore universities, students from SIT have been proven to be attractive to potential employers, according to a 2018 Joint Graduate Employment Survey. More than 9 in every 10 SIT graduates were employed within six months of graduation. They also earned competitive salaries.
The secret sauce in SIT’s success lies in the fact that it’s a university of applied learning, and it offers programmes that produce talents for growth industries.
What is applied learning and specialised degrees?
Simply put, applied learning is a curriculum that integrates theoretical knowledge with real world work experience. It is enhanced by applied research in industry and community that emphasises the nexus of university, industry/community and students.
SIT also has degrees that are more niche and specialised, and as a result, makes you more qualified for a certain role.
Think of this scenario: a waiter at a restaurant can make you a cup of coffee, but you know that the coffee would taste so much better if it was made by a barista. That’s what specialised degrees are – they give you a particular set of skills.
In addition, what makes SIT so successful is that it caters its specialised degree programmes to meet the needs of growing industry sectors. SIT has identified the core of five growth clusters (with their corresponding programmes) as:
- Engineering (Telematics [Intelligent Transportation Systems], Naval Architecture, etc)
- Chemical Engineering and Food Technology (Pharmaceutical Engineering, Food Technology, etc)
- Infocomm Technology (Software Engineering, Information Security, Computer Science in Interactive Media and Game Development, etc)
- Health and Social Sciences (Speech and Language Therapy, Dietetics and Nutrition, Diagnostic Radiography, etc)
- Design and Specialised Businesses (Air Transport Management, Digital Communications and Integrated Media, Hospitality Business, etc)
In fact, SIT will be launching new programmes this Academic Year, including two BSc (Hons) programmes that are SIT-conferred:
- Speech Language Therapy:
Whether it’s for children who require early intervention or older adults who require therapy following acute care episodes (i.e. stroke), Speech Therapists are in constant demand. The programme puts students through a 30-week clinical practice education with various healthcare institutions during their studies to ensure graduates are industry-ready to care for people of all ages. - Digital Communications and Integrated Media:
Focused on three key spheres – Digital and Web Analytics, Integrated Media Management and Digital Media Production – graduates will be able to work in a wide variety of fields, from advertising to public relations, in an increasingly digitalised world where companies live or die by the strength of their digital presence.
Industry-focused approach
At the heart of their applied learning pedagogy is the Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) – this is when you get to spend 6 to 12 months in a real working experience with one of SIT’s industry partners. Being longer than your traditional internship, and with a work scope that seeks to deepen your skillsets, the IWSP enables you to apply theory in the workforce – and companies love that.
This is why among last year’s batch of graduates from SIT-conferred programmes, more than 70% received job offers from their IWSP companies. For example, Pharmaceutical Engineering grad Ng Xin Hui’s eight-month work attachment at Pfizer Singapore impressed the company enough to offer her full-time employment as a Process Engineer.
SIT also offers the SkillsFuture Work-Study Degree Programme (WSDeg), where matriculated students can alternate spending one to three trimesters in the university and at the workplace. This allows for enhanced learning without extending the length of the programme.
Choosing a best-fit university
In short, if you want to have a job after graduation, focus on what suits you best. Consider your passion and interest, and the institution’s industry-focused approach.
If you want to know if SIT is a good fit for you, check out its Open House this weekend. Explore your academic interest and hear first-hand from students and faculty to discover which degree programme is your best fit.
You may know that SIT currently has six campuses (with its main one in SIT@Dover), but did you know that it’s expected to move to its new centralised campus in Punggol in 2023? It’ll be part of the Punggol Digital District, with a Campus Boulevard that connects residents to the waterfront and the industries around it!
