The Project and Facilities Management programme at the Department of Building in NUS may be relatively new, but its students are set to make a difference to the urban landscape of Singapore and beyond.
By Ong Kai Ling
“Project management is a skill and construction of buildings can be one of the most complex projects. So if you can handle a building, you can handle anything else,” Grace Lee quotes her professor confidently when asked if an interest in construction is necessary for her course of study. The 23-year-old is a final year student studying Project and Facilities Management in the Department of Building at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
This is a far cry from the girl who confesses that she “freaked out” when she attended her first lesson in NUS and realised that the Project and Facilities Management programme is not the business management programme she envisaged.
Thankfully, Grace adjusted her perceptions accordingly and now feels that the programme has broadened her horizons. “I see the world in a more multi-dimensional perspective now,” she reveals.
A receptive faculty
Grace has been the year representative for her cohort since she was a freshman. As she is in the pioneer cohort to graduate with a Bachelor of Science (Project and Facilities Management) later this year, her role as year representative is essential to the faculty to garner feedback from students about the programme curriculum.
“Since my first year, the programme curriculum has been fine tuned for the better. The suggestions from the students during the student liaison meeting with the management in the Department of Building were taken very seriously,” she reflects.
“So it’s an ever-changing, improving curriculum. Hence you know that your options are valued and you have a say in your education that way,” shares Grace.
She is also active in the NUS Political Association (PA), first as a project director, then as the honorary general secretary. The PA organised the Kent Ridge Ministerial forums and past guests include Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2007 and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew last year.
In fact, Grace jests that the reason why she joined the PA was because she “wanted to meet the prime minister”.
Finding the right programme
Unlike Grace, Euwin Koh knew that he wanted to join the construction industry ever since he finished junior college. The 25-year-old cites a documentary he watched about Dubai when he was younger that sparked his interest in project management of building construction. “I thought projects are very interesting, very complex, and there are many roles to play, so I thought that I want to do something similar to that in my future.”
The industry also fits his career aspirations. “I don’t want to be rooted to a 9-to-5, deskbound job. So I thought something creative like construction of buildings may be something I really like.”
Euwin originally applied to study a real estate programme as there was no comparable programme offered for project management in Singapore when he graduated from Serangoon Junior College back then. However, during his National Service, the NUS
Department of Building launched the Project and Facilities Management programme. Hence he made the decision to switch to this new programme which was a closer match to his career aspirations.
With a background in science from junior college, Euwin finds the programme both engaging and challenging. “I’m able to study a whole range of different subjects because project management is not just about the technical aspects. You must know about the management side as well, and the soft skills needed. So this programme provides ample opportunities to learn about such subject matter.”
Attention to detail
As the programme is relatively new, the intake each year is small, with each cohort having around 100 to 120 students. “The department is very closely-knitted. As a result of that, the faculty in the department really pays attention to our needs. You just need to call them up or email them and they can arrange to talk about anything you want.” Grace reveals. “Because with the small size comes attention to detail.”
Euwin adds, “It’s a very homely place as everyone knows each other. Hence you feel very comfortable in class and you will speak up during lecture.”
Being the pioneer cohort to graduate with a Bachelor of Science (Project and Facilitates Management), Grace looks forward to “carving out a path” for subsequent batches. She also hopes that she can play her part in making the traditionally male-dominated construction industry more receptive to females. “Hopefully, we succeed in making a way for ourselves and it’ll be more gender-equal in future,” she muses.
For students interested in this programme, you do not necessarily need an interest in the building industry, although that is definitely an advantage. However, Grace cautions, “You do have to be aware about the fact (that this programme is linked with the construction industry) and have an open mind.”
“There are many other areas you can look into, not just building and construction,” Euwin agrees. “It equips you with a wide array of skills. Every job you go to will need some aspect of this programme, be it time management or risk management skills. All these skills are invaluable in your working life.”
