SAF engineer deepens his skills at ITE, hopes to inspire others to keep learning

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

Laurence Oh Tiong Yaw
Higher Nitec in Technology – Electronics Engineering College @ ITE College Central
Recipient of E2I Gold Medal

Growing with ITE 

After completing his Industrial Technician Certificate in Mechanical Engineering in 1998,  Laurence Oh decided to sign on with the Army. As a technician, he was constantly learning new skills for his work. Between 2002 and 2007, Laurence’s strong belief in building up his fundamentals led him to pursue two Automotive Technology courses and an Electronics (Computer & Networking) course at ITE.  

In 2019, Laurence pursued the Higher Nitec in Technology (Electronics Engineering) course, after his superiors recommended he upgrade his skills following a promotion. He chose to return to ITE as he wanted a stronger foundation before pursuing a diploma in the same field.  Drawing upon 20 years of technical and engineering experience, Laurence diligently completed his assignments, even taking on work that is not a project requirement. The effort he put into his course was an inspiration to his peers! 

The Learning Never Ends 

“Combining the strong foundation I have gained in ITE in various fields, and my years of work experience, I am better able to apply my skills and excel at work. Learning has no limits and I hope more of my peers and colleagues will be inspired to keep their knowledge current for lifelong employability.” 

After ITE 

Laurence is doing well as an Engineer with Headquarters Maintenance and Engineering Support Command, in the Singapore Armed Forces. He is now ready to deepen his skills further and has applied for the Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Republic Polytechnic.  

Top Achievements  

• Laurence produced extraordinary work for his course assignments and gave his all during lessons, even after an exhausting day at work. For his commitment, perseverance and good academic results, he was awarded the e2i Gold Medal Award.  

• For one of his projects, Laurence designed and fabricated a Printed Circuit Board. He gave the school a few of such circuit boards, including a fully assembled one complete with components and Raspberry Pi (a mini-computer). He did so to inspire the other part-time students in their studies.