Student Stories

Vichet, a 19-year-old international student from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, has big dreams. “My number one passion is to be an airline pilot,” he said. How has he been working towards his dream so far?

Well, after graduating from his high school, ICS International School, in his home country, he came to Singapore to study our Diploma in Mechanical Engineering Technology. He decided to further his studies with PSB Academy because he discovered that it offers a wide range of courses in partnership with various universities around the world. He also found all the modules in the course that he is interested in very inspiring and interesting.

“The reason why I chose to study Mechanical Engineering is because I was inspired by airplanes and the innovation behind their creation, which is very interesting to me,” he explained. “I would like to be an engineer working on the engines and other parts of the aircraft.” That sounds like a good steppingstone towards his dream of eventually becoming an airline pilot one day, even as he seeks to make a difference in the industry.

Ever since he started studying his diploma course here, he got to know a lot of people from different countries and their cultures. He also learnt how to be independent and rely on himself during his stay in Singapore.

“My greatest achievement in Singapore is that I am able to get out of my comfort zone to be independent and learn more about myself and what I will do for my future,” he reflected.

As for how his education with us has added value to his personal development, he felt that he had learnt a lot from his course as an engineering student, and gained the necessary knowledge and experience, which is vital to his success in becoming an engineering. In addition, he appreciated the opportunity to meet a lot of people from different countries and ethnic groups, who have interesting stories to share, especially about their countries and cultures.

Vichet also found the lecturers and tutors here friendly and helpful throughout the course. “I would like to mention Mr Syafiq because he inspired me to become a better engineer and to solve problems in real-life situations. He gave me the motivation to succeed in this course, no matter what problems I may encounter,” he elaborated. “Throughout my time at PSB Academy, I’ve had a very memorable time with my lecturers and my friends. If I had any doubts about the course, I would always email my lecturers for assistance.”

Among his many memorable moments studying here, he singled out the time when he was nominated as a representative for the Staff Student Liaison Committee (SSLC) Meeting as the most memorable. “As a representative of my peers in my cohort, I have a huge responsibility to talk about certain issues we face in this term,” he recalled. “I would raise any problems I face to my lecturers and other staff in PSB Academy.”

Besides having the support of his lecturers, Vichet attributed his passion in his field of study for keeping him motivated in spite of some obstacles that he had encountered along the way. He said, “I have seen examples of people who succeeded in this field of study and who have gained a lot of respect from the general public for their achievements. I always keep in mind the point that success doesn’t come easy.”

Although Vichet did not really have an exact goal in terms of achieving a certain level of standards before starting the course, he would like to achieve high grades for his exams and coursework, which he felt is very important to his success in the future. He also has plans to continue his studies with a Bachelor’s degree after graduating from his Diploma course.

When asked about his thoughts on the opportunities available in his home country for new graduates in his field of study, he replied, “As Cambodia is a developing country, I think there are a lot of opportunities because a developing economy needs an educated workforce, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. I am very confident that I can use this knowledge to serve my country in the future.”

As for his advice to those looking to take the same path as him, he said, “Engineering is not an easy subject, but with some hard work, you can be successful. Don’t be worried if you fail because failure is a path to success.”