IT Whiz by Accident
School of Information Technology
Tan Soon Ann blossomed and became more confident in NYP – a far cry from his Normal Academic days back in secondary school. He opted for the Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP) as he was very clear that he wanted to take the polytechnic route, so he joined NYP directly after his ‘N’ Levels. He now graduates from the Diploma in Financial Informatics with a GPA of 3.98 and hopes to set-up his own IT company to continue building more tech solutions for others.
- OCBC Bank Gold Medal
- OCBC Bank Award for Outstanding Performance
1. Why PFP?
I wanted to specialise in something early, so the polytechnic route suited me best. The head-start that PFP offers has benefitted me in many ways. I had more time to adapt to poly life without having to stress over my grades. More importantly, it gave me a buffer period to weigh my options and choose a diploma. In fact, it was during PFP that I realised: “Hey, I’m actually good in IT.” (And I NEVER considered it before.) And things just took off from there.
2. What’s your fav food in NYP?
It’s gotta be Food Connect’s mala! I didn't enjoy spicy food before but when I tried it with my classmates, I fell in love with it! It was unbearably spicy at first but the more I ate, the more I enjoyed it. Shiok ah! A MUST TRY if you come by NYP.
3. What’s your favourite hangout in NYP?
T-Junction, ‘cos that’s where I spent most of my free time having fun with my friends! I love to karaoke and play pool with them. It’s just a great place for us to chill and nua. (For any one not in the know, T-Junction is the student-only lounge where there’s a gym, jamming studios, gaming rooms, karaoke pods etc.)
4. What did you learn during your internship at the international analytics firm SAS?
I picked up trending technologies like Machine Learning and Internet of Things. I also helped create a solution to detect defects in manufactured objects, so they can be removed as part of quality control. It works like a camera, capturing photos of the object, then by processing it with SAS’ Machine Learning model to id the problems. I was proud that this solution was featured at the SAS Analytics Insights Exchange 2018.
5. Tell us one thing that your family doesn’t know about you.
I’m always on my computer at home. So, they probably think I’m playing computer games or surfing the web aimlessly. But that’s not true! Most of the time, I’m researching new emerging technologies or testing out prototypes to further improve my projects. I just love building solutions with IT!
#BecauseWeCan