Ashley Tan Min Yee

I am Ashley and I enrolled in Singapore Polytechnic through DCITP and I am currently in Year 3 of the Diploma in Information Technology (DIT - UI/UX specialisation), doing my year-long internship at the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA)! I chose DCITP because I was unsure at the time which area I wanted to study, but I am glad I did as it gave me the time and experience that I needed to make my decision. Post O-Levels, I had minimal experience in computing and not enough to know which area I really wanted to study. I had little idea of what doing AI, cybersecurity, and software development was actually like, and how much I would enjoy each of them. Thus, I decided to apply for DCITP to give myself some time to explore.

I learnt the basics of computing first through the common semester modules and figured out where my interests lie before committing to a specific area of study. The modules in the first semester allowed me to experience workload of polytechnic and gave me further insights into matters such as whether assessments are mostly written papers or group projects for the other 3 courses. Additionally, DCITP organises the Diploma Exposure Programme (DEP) which enabled me and other DCITP students to gain insights into the content of each course, with sample classes and opportunities to talk with lecturers and current students. This helped to shape my decision and course preference even further. Having experienced Frontend Development (FED) and Fundamentals of programming (FOP), coupled with the seeing the project showcase of various fullstack application at the DEP – especially the one featuring a multiplayer online UNO game – helped me realized that the room for creativity when it came to imagining and implementing exciting side features and design to a website/application were exactly what I was interested in doing! When it was finally time to choose our courses, I was sure of my decision to pick DIT as my first choice!

Looking back, I am certain that joining through DCITP was the right choice as it brought me to a course I really enjoy, and one that I might not have chosen if I did otherwise. I was able to learn about full stack development and software engineering practices from many experienced and dedicated lecturers, like Ms Dora Chua and Mr Ng Chee Seng, who were extremely helpful and went the extra mile for us.

To juniors who are still unsure of which SoC course to choose, consider joining DCITP to get a feel of computing and its different areas before making your decision. Whichever path you choose, embrace the challenges that come with it. You will be exposed to new concepts and technologies throughout your course which will push you out of your comfort zone, but it is only then that you can start to see yourself grow.