NP offers global trade course
Unlike other business courses, it focuses on facilitating trade across borders between companies
Right after she completed her O-level examinations, Belle Yip, 16, was at work, helping to launch a marketing initiative for beauty chain Jean Yip Hairdressing.
As the niece of Jean Yip, Belle first got a taste of the family business at the age of 12, after the Primary School Leaving Examination.
She said: "I would follow my father to work and he allowed me to observe the business operations, which sparked my interest in it."
She is an intern in the marketing department and hopes to promote the Jean Yip brand to a younger audience and help expand the business overseas.
She will be enrolling in the new international trade and business (ITB) course at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) in April.
The course is jointly developed with IE Singapore and will have more than 100 students in the first batch.
It seeks to develop students' business skills through annual overseas learning trips and an overseas internship in the third year of the course.
The course chair, Mr Ho Chee Hoong, said ITB graduates will acquire strong foundation skills in key areas of business management, including international trade, finance, logistics solument, as well as analytics and use of technology in operational processes.
Mr Ho said that unlike a conventional business course, this programme focuses on facilitating trade across borders between companies.
Students will also be taught by lecturers with varied experiences in international business, information technology, as well as business development, blockchain and analytics.tions, supply chain manage
Malaysian Miguel Bay Hong, 16, is also taking up the course.
BUSINESS
Miguel, who goes to school here, started his own business at the age of 13, selling electronic items through an online platform.
On weekend trips back home to visit his parents, he would purchase electronic items and resell them in Singapore at a profit.
He said: "At times, it was tough for me as I had other commitments in school to worry about, such as my exams."
His supportive parents gave him free rein to run the business, sometimes giving him advice.
Miguel joined a co-curricular activity focused on entrepreneurial skills in secondary school, nabbing several national level awards including a silver in the National Design and Marketing Competition.
The future businessman is keen to gain a deeper understanding of international trade through the course.
He added: "I hope this course will help open new doors for me by allowing me to travel around the world while learning and applying different marketing techniques to start my own business as an entrepreneur."
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