Calling themselves HR GURU, a team of five third-year students from the Diploma in Business Studies (BS), Human Capital Management Option, emerged as champions in the Polytechnic Category at the Singapore HR Challenge 2012. This challenge was organised by the Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) and the grand final was held at the National University of Singapore (NUS) on 11 February 2012.

The theme for the Singapore HR Challenge 2012 was “HR 2020: HR Capabilities for Business Sustainability”. Participating teams were required to interview staff from a company, analyse the data collected and present solutions to address possible future HR challenges. Two teams, namely HR GURU and HR DEGREE from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, qualified for the grand final.

Pictured Left: HR GURU making their presentation

‘Good attitude’ was HR GURU’s secret to winning. It not only had the necessary resources and guidance from its mentor and lecturers, the team also practised tirelessly to enhance its presentation skills, anticipated possible questions from the judges and included a rap and skit to make its presentation interesting and creative. Ultimately, the team’s positive attitude and hard work paid off at the grand final as it clinched the championship trophy.  


To top it off, Natalie Chi of HR GURU and Joel Ooi of HR DEGREE, also won the “Best Speaker Awards” for the Polytechnic Category.

Pictured Right: Joel Ooi Boon Kuan and Natalie Chi Mei Shan won the “Best Speaker Awards”



Natalie sums up her team's thoughts on winning the championship, “It wasn’t easy having to juggle preparation for the competition and revision for our final examination. But with determination and encouragement from our tutors, we overcame the difficulties and made it! Clinching the championship title was a beautiful end to three wonderful years of education in Ngee Ann Polytechnic!”


Pictured Above: The champion team - HR GURU. (Left to right) The team’s mentor, Ms Jocelyn Soh and HR GURU: Amanda Teo, Nicole Li Lizhen, Noorazhar Bin Ya’acob, Geraldine Sim Han Wei and Natalie Chi Mei Shan

Article contributed by: Natalie Chi (BS, Year 3)
Photographs contributed by: Ms Ho Wei Yee, Senior Lecturer, BA