Brainy ITE student is both strong leader and well-respected team player

This article was contributed by the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).

Koh Ke Lin, Jonaven
Nitec in Business Services @ ITE College East
Recipient of Lee Kuan Yew Model Student Award

Fostering an Entrepreneurial Spirit

Since enrolling in the Nitec in Business Services course at ITE in 2019, Jonaven has set his sights on being an entrepreneur. His strong passion for entrepreneurship served as great motivation for him to lead a team - SOL-ITE - in their project.

Infusing soda beverages with fruit-flavoured ice cubes to avoid dilution, the SOL-ITE’s project won first place in the ITE Makerfest 2020 and ITE-NTU Startable Challenge 2020 entrepreneurship competitions.

Jonaven has also always been driven by the satisfaction of helping others. He once led and organised service-learning activities for students in the class under the National Youth Accreditation Award (NYAA), by initiating contact with non-profit organisation, Foodscape Collectives, to run activities relating to food sustainability.

He also led the group on multiple self-organised hikes, as well as sports and games within and outside of campus.

Jonaven not only possesses leadership qualities, he is also a team player and is well respected by his peers.

From the Heart

Jonaven said: "ITE has helped me tremendously in my journey by providing lots of support and great facilities. Dabbling with entrepreneurship at ITE has also provided opportunities for me to learn new skills.

"As a team leader at entrepreneurship competitions and a member of the Student Council, I advocate an important principle, of being humble, to everyone that I lead.

"I always believe that ITE stands for ‘It’s the Exploration’ as I have gained new learning experiences during my two years of studies at ITE."

Life after ITE

  • Pursuing a Diploma in Real Estate Business at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

  • Plans to embark on his own voluntary projects that are related to student entrepreneurship.

  • Aspires to build a career as a lecturer to train and guide students as entrepreneur.

Top Achievements

  • For his excellent contributions, Jonaven attained several awards, including a Certificate of Merit, Service Star (Gold) Award and an Edusave Character Award.

  • Jonaven led a team to conceptualise a business idea in the NTU-ITE Startable Challenge 2020. The team emerged as the top prize winner. The same team participated in the ITE Makerfest Challenge 2020 and clinched the Gold Award.

  • Jonaven had displayed strong leadership qualities as a member of the Student Council. He provided support in tutoring his classmates with schoolwork after school hours.

  • Hardworking and motivated, Jonaven achieved a GPA of 3.909. He was also in the Director’s List in 2019.

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