Ready to take on the world

When I was a freshman, looking up to the seniors, I followed many of my course mates and joined the University of London (UoL) Student Representative Council – a student-based society which serves the UoL student body in SIM. I did so in hope of expanding my social circle. Through the Council, I was able to develop professional skills as I had to liaise with various vendors for sponsorship opportunities as well as coordinate amongst various stakeholders to manage our social media platforms. I even joined the UoL Freshmen Orientation Camp as an Orientation Group Leader to help the new students better assimilate into SIM, thus forcing my introverted self out of my bubble.

This taste of student involvement at SIM got me longing for more and I found it when I applied for the Talent Development Programme (TDP). The TDP is an in-house internship offered by the SIM Career Development Office to develop and empower student leaders with talent, skills and competencies that are vital for the corporate environment.

Besides planning and organizing career-related events such as career fairs, panel discussions and learning journeys, the TDP ensured that I was well equipped with invaluable skills to be career-ready and indispensable. Some of the skills include leadership, communication, problem-solving, critical thinking and training me to be resilient.

Throughout my two years, the TDP watched me grow from someone very lost to being a person who is self-assured of her capabilities and not afraid to step out of her comfort zone. I wouldn’t be the person I am now without the constant words of encouragement and advice from the staff as well as my peers from the TDP.

I was later introduced to AIESEC in SIM which is a global platform for young people to develop their leadership potential and to expand their professional network. Through undertaking various projects and attending conferences, I was able to meet like-minded people from all over the world which opened new worlds for me.

I am extremely blessed to have crossed paths with so many inspiring people who have helped me along my journey. This journey has been nothing but a fulfilling one. Attending the recent Career Connect Night made me realise I need to be grateful for the opportunity to serve and lead the TDP as a Youth Director, as this was what has helped me mature, ready to take on the world when I graduate in a few months’ time.

Mabeline Tung (main image: front row, second from right) is a final year student in the BSc Business and Management programme at the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM). She was one of many students who expressed much gratitude and joy after attending the annual Career Connect Night on 2 December 2019. The event celebrated the achievements and graduation of student leaders from the Talent Development Programme, which provides a series of workshops, networking opportunities and on-the-job training for students. Mabeline was the Youth Director for TDP. Interns like Mabeline who went through TDP eventually secured internships and full-time jobs in prestigious organisations such as UOB Bank, PwC and NBCUniversal, even before they sat for their annual University of London examinations.