STB Course Medals Awarded to Top Three Graduates of Temasek Polytechnic’s Diploma in Tourism Management

The Singapore Tourism Board presented three top graduates from Temasek Polytechnic’s (TP) Diploma in Tourism Management course with course medals in recognition of their outstanding performance and academic results.  

Ms Tan Hui Ping was awarded the STB Course Gold Medal, Ms Sharon Kwek the STB Course Silver Medal and  Ms Amelia Foo the STB Course Bronze Medal at TP’s annual graduation ceremony on 7 June 2006.

TP is one of the pioneer polytechnics to offer tourism-related diplomas, and the Diploma in Tourism Management is the first tourism diploma offered.  Besides TP, all the other polytechnics have also introduced new tourism-related courses this year, providing a wide spectrum of tourism education.  The polytechnics play a crucial role in providing these courses to train employees at the supervisory level.

The STB is committed to growing the tourism industry into an effective contributor to the economy, with bold targets to triple tourism receipts, double visitor arrivals and create an additional 100,000 jobs by 2015.  To achieve these targets, a competent and able tourism workforce is needed.

The STB hopes that the recognition will encourage more students to take up tourism-related courses.

Silver Medalist Sharon Kwek has also been awarded the STB Scholarship to further her studies in the Bachelor of Business (Tourism and Hospitality Management) at Nanyang Technological University’s Nanyang Business School.  The scholarship covers tuition fees and living expenses.  Upon graduation, she will serve a three-year bond with any tourism-related company (such as hotels, attractions, conference or exhibition organisers, Food & Beverage or travel services) in Singapore.

Sharon’s parents had initially objected to her choice of pre-employment training as they believed that tourism did not pay well and the prospects were limited. But Sharon insisted on pursuing her passion and dreams.  The all-rounder encouraged her peers to take up similar courses in the polytechnic, noting that the prospects in the tourism industry have since broadened, citing perks such as better opportunities and more exposure.

Citing passion as a vital factor, Sharon has dreams to make Singapore more appealing to foreign visitors.  She says candidly, “When people ask what is appealing about Singapore, most Singaporeans will say ‘Nothing, Singapore is boring.’ You must believe in your own country before you can sell it. There is so much more in our country to show the world.”