The Semiconductor Active Youth (SAY) Ambassador Programme is a one-year programme meant to create a robust pipeline of young talent for the semiconductor industry, working in close partnership with both Institutes of Higher Learning (Polytechnics and Universities) and leading companies in the industry. Ambassadors gain valuable insights and hands-on experience in the semiconductor industry, and training and mentorship opportunities with industry leaders from the companies across the value chain. 

Get to know some of the students from our first batch of SAY Ambassadors:

TEO ZHI SEN

NUS, College of Design and Engineering, Major in Engineering Science with Specialisation in Nanoscience and Technology (2nd Year)

Q: Tell us more about yourself. What are your hobbies and interests?

A: Ever since National Service, I have had an interest in technopreneurship in the semiconductor industry. Aside from those interests, I also enjoy doing physical activities, mainly Powerlifting and Climbing in my free time!

Q: What got you into the current course that you are taking now?

A: Given my interests in semiconductors and autonomous robotics, I was attracted to Engineering Science’s Nanoscience and Technology and Computational Engineering specialisations. I felt that Engineering Science could give me the breadth and depth in terms of the basic knowledge I require to be a specialist in my field of interest.

Q: Who inspires you the most so far?

A: I am incredibly inspired by NUS’s Institute of Engineering Leadership’s Programme Director, Dr. Ignatius, who has worked in both industry and research while possessing entrepreneurship experience. He has been a role-model and mentor to me, showing me that life is not just about results but also about the process.

Q: What are your aspirations?

A: After graduation, I would want to gain knowledge in the semiconductor industry, understand the problems in the industry and try to solve them. I aspire to be a product or project manager within the first 5 years of graduation and work towards becoming a Technopreneur in the industry in the future.

Q: How do you feel being a Semiconductor Active Youth Ambassador?

A: I am very grateful and honoured to be given this opportunity. As an Engineering student, I have seen my peers not valuing networking and mentorship opportunities as much. I hope in the future, from student to student, I can bring such opportunities to them and show them the value of those opportunities.

Q: What is the one advice that you would like to share with your peers on the semiconductor industry?

A: It is normal to not understand the industry as a student. Even experts don’t have deep knowledge in every single step of all the manufacturing processes. What is most important for us now is to actively pick up opportunities that can allow us to learn more about the industry, for example, company visits or career talks.

Q: What excites you in this semiconductor industry?

A: I am more interested in the IC design component of the industry. Creating designs for chips or other semi-con products is like creating a blueprint for an entire city. I am excited about the endless possibilities of how much we can progress and the huge benefits that different reliant industries in the world can reap from our R&D.

SUN XUAN

NTU, School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, IC Design (3rd Year)

Q: Tell us more about yourself. What are your hobbies and interests?

A: I am passionate in studying analog electronics but there are times to take breaks and develop other skills. I have many hobbies and interests, such as reading novels, jogging and drawing. I spent most of my free time on art. Although I was in the science stream, I took Art as one of my subjects in ‘O’ Levels. I chose to study Information Engineering and Media (IEM) in the beginning also due to art. I like to draw and do interior design during free time at my own pace.

Q: What got you into the current course that you are taking now?

A: My interest with circuits started when I was in secondary school. The physics lessons taught by Mr Tan was fun. However, I did not foresee that I would have a passion for analog integrated circuit (IC) design before my Undergraduate Professional Internship in year 3 semester 1. It was an unexpected opportunity. I was offered to be a design engineer (intern) in Singapore Changi Technology (SCT). At the same time, I was offered an URECA project to design an Op-Amp. Before that, I was clueless about my future career. The experience with Analog IC Design during the internship and the URECA project was fruitful and brought back good memories of learning circuits in my secondary school days. I believe Analog IC Design is a career that I can do for years. Without any doubts, I submitted my application for change of program to Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) to build a strong foundation for circuit design, the application was successful.

Q: Who inspires you the most so far?

A: My secondary school teacher, Mr Tan Siang Hwa (James) inspired me the most. With his passion in teaching physics, I became interested in learning circuits. Followed by my URECA project professor Siek Liter and my colleagues in my internship company SCT. All of them are very passionate and patient in teaching circuits.

Q: How do you feel to get into a course such as IC Design that is quite niche?

A: I wish to follow my passion and I am very thankful to Nanyang Technological University that my application to change program from IEM to EEE was successful.

Q: What are your aspirations?

A : Live a decent life and make some achievements in my career. One of the achievements can be designing a circuit that has minimum offset together with small size, low voltage and high gain.

Q: How do you feel being a Semiconductor Active Youth Ambassador?

A: I feel fortunate. It is a good opportunity for me to learn more about the industry. It is also a rare opportunity for me to show my gratitude to people who inspired me by giving back to the society and share my passion for the industry with others.

Q: What is the one advice that you would like to share with your peers on the semiconductor industry?

A: Start internship early to find your passion in the semiconductor industry.

Q: What excites you in this semiconductor industry?

A: It is my passion to work in the semiconductor industry. In addition, the semiconductor industry in Singapore is growing and there will be many future opportunities.

JULIET TANG

Singapore Polytechnic, Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Year 2)

Q: Tell us more about yourself. What are your hobbies and interests?

A: I’m Juliet Tang, a Year 2 student studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic. To name a few of my interests, they are music, reading, sports as well as gaming!

Q: What got you into the current course that you are taking now?

A: I would say my love for math and science.

Q: Who inspires you the most so far?

A: AMD! We went on a school visit to AMD and learnt a lot about the semiconductor industry. I was inspired by the work they did there.

Q: What are your aspirations?

A: I aspire to improve healthcare technology for the disabled!

Q: How do you feel being a Semiconductor Active Youth Ambassador?

A: I feel honoured to have been shortlisted for this programme and I’m looking forward to learning from the different companies we will be attached to.

Q: What is the one advice that you would like to share with your peers on the semiconductor industry?

A: One advice I would share is to stay consistent. You don’t always have to push yourself beyond your limits, but instead, stay consistent in the effort placed in the work that you do, and you will be able to achieve the same results!

Q: What excites you in this semiconductor industry?

A: What excites me the most is watching how everything works once it is assembled or learning about how each component works and how it impacts the product as a whole.

BARNABAS LOW

Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Q: Tell us more about yourself. What are your hobbies and interest?

A: I am a very tenacious and determined person who believes I am my greatest adversary always pushing myself to go a little further. My interest in technology stems from my childhood when I would often fiddle with various electronics, disassembling them then piecing them back together. This is why I like studying computer engineering as it lets me be more hands-on with components while also writing code. Outside of my studies, I enjoy reading novels, and a little about philosophy and psychology.

Q: What got you into the current course that you are taking now?

A: I first enrolled into Ngee Ann Polytechnic under the Common Engineering Programme. It was through the programme I discovered my interest in coding while also affirming my longtime curiosity in electronics. Hence, I chose to promote into the Electronics & Computer Engineering diploma, specializing in robotics.

Q: Who inspires you the most so far?

A: It might seem cheesy or narcissistic to say but I want to say I am inspired by my younger self. I often think back to how zealously passionate I was when I was younger, always diving into my interests without care for consequence or worry for the future. During some darker periods in my life, I had lost that spark and my vision became grim. But on a very lucky day while looking through my old belongings and reminiscing, I suddenly had a desire pop into my head: “be the future your younger self was excited to live”. Since then, I try to do my best in my pursuits to keep that spark.

Q: How do you feel to get into a course such as IC Design that is quite niche?

Q: Actually I do not feel that IC design is niche, at least in the field of engineering. IC Design is a very crucial and fundamental part for any engineering with electronics. Currently, I feel comfortable with the pace of learning but cannot help feeling overwhelmed when I see the scale of IC Design in the industry. Nonetheless, I believe that with time and effort, I will be able to produce quality work in a team as well.

Q: What are your aspirations?

A: Frankly, I think I am quite simple-minded. I do not have any grand ambition for my life yet. However, my current goals are to have a fulfilling experience during my DSTA internship and continue to do well in my academics to enter NUS as an engineering scholar. Outside of academics, I want to become more financially literate and independent.

Q: How do you feel being a Semiconductor Active Youth Ambassador?

A: I feel honored and proud to be selected for the opportunity. I am very grateful for Ngee Ann as well as the companies involved for allowing me to experience the industry and learn from experts.

Q: What is the one advice that you would like to share with your peers on the semiconductor industry?

A: Be a little shameless. This is also an advice to myself as I often let opportunities slip by because I fear rejection or embarrassment. It is also important when learning as I tend to get too caught up in trying to get things perfect on the first try out of pride and end up wasting time in a maze of my indecisions.

Q: What excites you in this semiconductor industry?

A: The semiconductor industry is doubtlessly an extremely important industry, especially as we walk forward into more digitalized times. The chance to witness and be involved in the behind-the-scenes of a such a huge industry that runs the world is very exciting to me.