SINGAPORE - Students from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) can try their hand at working in the public service through an internship programme that started in early 2023.

The Public Service-ITE Internship Programme allows students to learn new skills and competencies and explore various career opportunities in public service, said a Public Service Division (PSD) spokeswoman on Feb 15. 

The programme was launched as part of Public Service for Good, a movement started by PSD in July 2023 to give public officers the opportunity to contribute to causes outside their job scope, she added.

Since the launch, more than 110 ITE students have been given internship roles across more than 20 public service agencies, covering job areas such as service delivery, information technology, community services and social media. 

Students in the programme are tagged to a mentor, who will guide them during the internship, said an ITE spokesman on Feb 15. Mentors share career advice and experiences, as well as encourage them during the stint. 

Dr Jason Tan, an associate professor from the National Institute of Education, said the internship programme is in line with the ongoing discussion about the definition of merit.

He said: “For too long, merit has been almost too focused on educational qualifications, so this is an example of the public service trying to broaden the definition of merit through recruitment.”

He added that the programme sends a strong signal to the wider public about the civil service opening itself to the possibility of recruiting a wider diversity of individuals.

ITE students will have access to valuable social networks that come from these internships, which is a key benefit of the programme, said Dr Tan.

“It widens these students’ thinking on the possibilities out there for them, encouraging them to think bigger and broaden their horizons,” he added.

“Currently, the networks these students have often limit their options and they don’t know what is available out there for them.”

Aaliyah Asrullah, 18, a second-year ITE student pursuing a Nitec in business services, is doing an internship with ServiceSG@Bukit Canberra, a centre under PSD that helps residents with government services and connects them with government agencies.

She said she chose to intern at ServiceSG to learn more about the different services that the various ministries provide. She also wanted to improve her communication skills.

“Some residents are not technologically savvy, so communication is important – the way we explain policies and processes to them is very important,” said Aaliyah, who joked that she has become an “encyclopaedia” of policies.

Students from seven courses, such as Nitec in community care and social services, digital animation and accounting, can join this programme.

The internship will last between three and six months, and students will be graded for it as part of the industry attachment module in their school curriculum.

“We believe the programme allows our students to explore and gain valuable exposure to the various career opportunities that the Public Service offers,” said the ITE spokesman.

He added that it will work closely with PSD to expand the programme to more students from other courses.

Since January, Year 2 student Reyian Danial has been interning with SingStat, Singapore’s Department of Statistics. He works mainly on social media content creation. 

Reyian, 17, who is doing a Nitec in visual communication, said the internship has given him an opportunity to apply his graphic design skills and curate designs for a younger audience. 

“Since my primary school days, I have always been interested in drawing,” he said.

“I remember when I was younger, I would look for any pens or markers to practise drawing.”

Aaliyah said she managed to get the hang of the job quickly because she was given the opportunity to do a complex transaction on her first day at the internship in January.

“It showed that I have the trust of my mentors and everyone here,” she said.

“From that experience, I learnt that it does not matter whether you are an intern or whether you are still learning.”

She added: “As long as you have the right mindset, you will be able to catch on fast.”

Describing herself as someone who “cannot sit still”, she said she hopes to pursue a career in events management when she gets her Nitec qualification.

The course has also helped Reyian learn more about the public service. Although he has not decided on the next step in his career, he has encouraged his peers to try the programme.

“It really opened my eyes to (see that) ‘Oh, so this is what it will be like working in the public service’. It helped me to hone my leadership skills and step out of my comfort zone.”