Please share with us your professional life’s journey and at which point in your career did you aspire to pursue this FlexiMasters?

I graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering) from Yangon Technological University, Myanmar. Since then, I have been working in the construction industry in both Myanmar and Singapore. After my graduation, continuing education wasn't at the top of my mind though I had been obtaining work-related professional certificates to improve my knowledge and skills. Upon completion of such certificates, I discovered it was advantageous to upskill myself in my area of interest, which is construction project management instead of diving deeper into structural engineering. I decided to search for courses related to my interest area, and found the FlexiMasters in Construction Management offered through PaCE@NTU, and signed up for the courses in 2021.

Which aspect of this FlexiMasters do you like the most?

The best aspect of this FlexiMasters in Construction Management is the courses are stackable to Master of Science in International Construction Management . Upon completing the courses, I can transfer my course credits earned to this Master’s programme should I decide to pursue my postgraduate education.

How did you find studying in NTU?

It was really great studying in NTU. I enjoyed every moment of it, especially the professors in my classes were friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable. Not only they were professional academically, but also experts in their respective professional areas. They transformed the classroom’s environment from dry and boring lectures into interesting and exciting discussions by integrating their own industry experiences in their lectures. Another interesting thing about this FlexiMasters was that the learners were from different backgrounds and age range. Some were young graduate students whereas some were working professionals with decades of experience. Such diversity helped me in building my connection and broadening my social network as well.

What were the challenges you faced when trying to complete this FlexiMasters?

Working full-time while studying part-time was indeed challenging, especially in time management. Most of the classes were offered twice a week for thirteen weeks straight and started at 6:30pm. However, it is a norm for most construction professionals to be unable to leave work earlier than 6pm. I had to take taxi to arrive on time to each class as my office is located quite far from the campus. Fortunately, my employer was very supportive of me to continue my learning at NTU and allowed me to leave work earlier on the days that I had class. Another challenge I had was the financial. As an international learner who is working in Singapore, it was not easy in saving for my course fee since it was not a small amount. However, it was well worth for me.

Will you recommend PaCE@NTU’s programmes to your friends and family?

Yes, I would recommend PaCE@NTU’s programmes and courses to my friends who want to upgrade their knowledge and skills at a reputable university such as NTU. This FlexiMasters provides us great opportunity to further our study, allowing us to pursue Master’s degree by transferring the relevant course credits earned from completing this certificate.

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