My heartiest congratulations to the Singapore Polytechnic Class of 2016!
Today marks the culmination of your three-year journey in Singapore's first polytechnic. As you join the ranks of close to 190,000-strong alumni, do take a moment to reflect on your SP journey and how you can make an impact on our society.
As you may have read in the news, the country is expecting the months ahead to be challenging as the global economy slows down. But, I am optimistic that you will be able to ride out the storm with the holistic education that you have received in SP. The industry-relevant skills, soft skills, global mind-set and good values imbued through your internships and participations in CCAs and community service, would have prepared you well.
Importantly, I encourage you to relentlessly pursue your passion whether you are stepping into the corporate world or pursuing further studies. If you are doing or learning something you are interested in, then you are likely to stay positive, tenacious and engaged even when circumstances get tough. I also hope that you will adopt learning as a lifelong commitment; continuously seeking knowledge and skills so that you can achieve mastery in your own field and be future-ready.
Amidst your pursuits, do remember to have a caring attitude and give back to the community wherever possible. A country is only as strong as its youth. Hence, you can play a vital role in not only shaping our economy but also our society to take care of each other. This way, we can collectively build a happy and liveable home for future generations.
I look forward to you, SP graduates, contributing to our nation’s success in the near future. Once again, congratulations to you, our alumni and our pride. Your lecturers and I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.