Funds for the MaritimeONE Scholarships are pledged by various stakeholders in the maritime industry including shipping lines, shipyards and maritime service companies. This year, 37 MaritimeONE scholarships are sponsored by 19 organisations, and are valued at more than S$880,000.
MaritimeONE scholars are able to choose from a wide spectrum of 24 degree courses offered by local and overseas universities, as well as three maritime diploma programmes at the Singapore Maritime Academy in Singapore Polytechnic.
Since 2007, a total of 275 MaritimeONE scholarships worth more than S$7.3 million have been awarded to outstanding students to pursue courses in Singapore and overseas. Details on the MaritimeONE Scholarships and courses supported can be found in Appendix A.
“These scholarships, sponsored by the maritime industry, symbolise the commitment of the Government and industry players to nurture the next generation of Maritime Singapore. This industry is a key pillar of Singapore’s economy, and with the great work of its participants, Singapore has become a leading global maritime hub today. I hope that more young Singaporeans will come forward and discover for themselves the many exciting opportunities that the maritime industry holds for them,” said Mr Andreas Sohmen-Pao, Chairman of MaritimeONE and the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF), who delivered the welcome address at the awards ceremony.
2016 MaritimeONE Scholar: Ms Cassandra Keh – One of the six persons in her family who is in the maritime industry
MaritimeONE Scholar Ms Cassandra Keh saw the value in joining the maritime industry three years back, when she decided to take up the Diploma in Maritime Business course at the Singapore Maritime Academy in Singapore Polytechnic (SMA-SP). Interestingly, she is the fifth person in her family to have graduated with a maritime diploma.
Cassandra has four other cousins in her extended family who are in the maritime industry as well – a fact that was unknown to her until recently, when she met them at her graduation ceremony. Her four distant cousins – Ms Baby Tan & Ms Christina Tan (a pair of siblings) and Captain Tan Lay Ying & Mr Tan Yew Keong (another pair of siblings), were all from the Diploma in Nautical Studies (DNS) course at SMA-SP. Lay Ying, who has climbed through the ranks to become a Ship Captain today, was the one who had influenced her brother and two other cousins to pursue a seafaring career together with her.
Cassandra had joined the industry out of her own passion for the maritime business, but she has followed in the footsteps of Lay Ying, by introducing the maritime industry to her younger brother, Mr Keane Keh.
“After Keane had completed his ‘O’ levels, he was clueless about what course of study to take up next. As I always share with my brother at home about what I do and learn in my diploma programme at SMA-SP, it was then that he asked me if there was a course of study where he could travel around the world. I told him that both the DNS and Diploma in Marine Engineering (DMR) courses that SMA-SP offers would give him the opportunity to do so. He then decided to take up the DMR programme,” explained Cassandra, who is also the top student in her cohort and has achieved a Gold Medal from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore earlier this May, based on her overall achievements in academic, CCA and her other contributions and attributes. She will be pursuing a degree in the Bachelor of Science (Maritime Studies) course at the Nanyang Technological University under the SMA – MaritimeONE Scholarship.
Her brother on the other hand, is currently in his final year in the DMR course at SMA-SP, and once he has completed his course, he would be the sixth maritime diploma graduate in his family. This also means that in the Keh-Tan family tree, there would altogether be three pairs of siblings who are in the same industry!
2016 MaritimeONE Scholar: Mr Jasper Lee – First MaritimeONE Scholar who is from a computing background
This is also the first year that the MaritimeONE Scholarship Programme is supporting a computing-related degree course. PSA1 – MaritimeONE Scholar Mr Jasper Lee, who is from the Bachelor of Computing (Computer Science) course at the National University of Singapore, is the very first MaritimeONE scholar to come from a computing background. Jasper has chosen to set sail on his career voyage with the maritime industry when he graduates, as he is inspired by Singapore’s vision to be an innovative and future-ready maritime hub.
“I am convinced that PSA presents a sea of opportunities for technology professionals to develop cutting-edge innovations. As one of the world’s leading port operators with a global network, I have also learnt that PSA is now deploying automated cranes and testing automated guided vehicles to gear up for the future mega terminals in Tuas. I am also excited about the PSA unboXed2 incubator programme which engages start-ups for game-changing solutions to the container terminal business that is closely linked to global supply chain logistics and international trade. I look forward to joining and contributing to this dynamic and forward-looking team in future,” adds Jasper.
