School of InfoComm Technology
The School
Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of InfoComm Technology is a highly-regarded Academic School for training IT and interactive digital media professionals. Its broad-based, technology-focused programmes have produced many graduates who have made their mark in industry and achieved success as technopreneurs and IT professionals.
The Courses
The School of InfoComm Technology offers the following full-time courses:
• Diploma in Animation & 3D Arts (A3DA)
• Diploma in Financial Informatics (FI)
• Diploma in Information Technology (IT)
• Diploma in Multimedia & Animation (MMA)
Training Facilities
The School has established the following technology hubs which provide a conducive environment for students to work on real-world projects:
• The DOT®
The DOT®, a Multimedia & Animation Centre, is equipped with facilities for 3D modelling and animation, audio/video post-production, 2D animation production, video production and motion capture. A new paperless digital animation production hub is currently being built to facilitate studio-based learning and master classes by top Hollywood animators.
• eGarage®
Set up by the polytechnic in collaboration with Hewlett-Packard, eGarage® is where students are challenged to experiment with ideas and come up with innovative solutions.
• RHyMeS Centre
The School also boasts a centre for the development of mobile applications. Called the RHyMeS (RFID Hospitality Management System) Centre, it aims to publish a symphony of mobile applications on Internet app-stores for commercialization. A number of the School’s alumni who have successfully set up mobile start-ups have been roped in to mentor budding mobile apps developers.
Real-World Learning and Collaborations
Close collaborations with industry leaders enhance the learning experience at the School by exposing students to real-world situations through projects, internships, study trips and immersions.
For instance, students in the new Diploma in Animation & 3D Arts course will soon have the distinction of being the first students in Asia to work with Toon Boom’s Harmony suite of software, used by world-class animation studios to produce Hollywood blockbusters.
Students also have the opportunity to undergo local and overseas internships in various sectors, thanks to partners such as banks and Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab, a collaboration between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Government of Singapore created to explore new directions for the development of games.
The School has also forged a collaboration with Microsoft Singapore to groom infocomm sales and marketing professionals. This is to address the shortage of these specialists in the IT industry. The move is in response to the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore’s infocomm manpower survey which shows a continuing demand for professionals in the infocomm sales and marketing category.
Winning Streak
Students, past and present, have proven their prowess with various achievements. Examples include:
• Douglas Gan Wei Tjong, who recently won the Singapore Computer Society Young IT Professional of the Year Award 2011 for exemplary leadership in IT arena. He is a co-founder of ShowNearby Pte. Ltd, known for its popular location-based services and products for mobile phones. The company has partnered industry leaders such as Apple and Google on projects amounting to more than $7 million. It is also in talks with major regional players to enter the markets of the neighbouring countries.
• Kelly Choo Hon Min, a co-founder of Brandtology, a Singapore technology start-up which is now a global leader in online and social media intelligence. The company was acquired by Asia Pacific’s leading media intelligence company, Media Monitors, for an eight-figure sum.
• Keith Ng & Damon Widjaja, who founded Socialico, a digital platform and social intelligence developer. The duo created FAME, an interesting Facebook application that adapts an online trading market into a virtual market exchange for friends and celebrities. The online social game has attracted more than 2,000 active players. Their entrepreneurial attempt was given a shot in the arm when the Media Development Authority granted FAME a $50,000 fund for its development.
• Rakesh Gupta, who won the Singapore Computer Society Young IT Professional of the Year Award 2009 and the Singapore Indian Young Entrepreneur Award in 2007. Rakesh is a co-founder of Heulab Pte Ltd, a learning software solutions company. Heulab has established a regional presence and a global clientele which include prestigious learning institutions in Australia, Indonesia, Middle East, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.
• A number of students have been awarded prestigious scholarships by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, Defence Science & Technology Agency, A*STAR, British Council, Sony, National University of Singapore, Singapore Management University and Nanyang Technological University.