Interview with PA Scholar, Jovi Kuah

1. How has the PA scholarship supported you in your academic journey?
I majored in Sociology at Nanyang Technological University. With the PA scholarship, I had the privilege of going on two internships with PA during the semester breaks to gain a better understanding of the organisation before full-time employment. The internship experiences allowed me to better comprehend some of the knowledge that I had learnt from Sociology, as they provided me with real-world context. Additionally, I was able to go on a semester exchange to the UK which was financially supported by PA. The exchange programme was highly memorable as it allowed me to appreciate the differences in the cultures of Singapore and another society.

2. What is the culture like at PA?
Despite being a large organisation with the majority of the staff stationed at the various Community Centres (CCs), PA has a caring and inclusive culture. PA believes that every staff member is an asset and is therefore committed to ensuring that the staff’s welfare is taken care of, as well as providing staff with many opportunities to learn and upskill while they are working.

3. Share with us some stories of your experience in PA so far.
During my time at the CC, I led the digitalisation of a local education welfare scheme in the constituency. It was a lot of hard work to digitalise the scheme as many people were used to the traditional way of application, which was through physical application forms. I believed that digitalisation would create a lot of convenience in the long run for all stakeholders, such as the applicant, the staff who process the applications, as well as the schools who endorse the applications. Following the successful digitalisation process, several residents and schools complimented my team for making the application process smoother and more convenient for them. It was a great experience as I got to witness firsthand the impact that I had made at the community.

4. What opportunities are there for individuals and scholars with PA?
As a PA scholar, you will have many opportunities outside of your daily work to better understand the organisation structure and to develop yourself as a person.

For example, you will be assigned to a cross-divisional project under the guidance of a mentor, which will enhance your understanding of the organisation and develop your capabilities to think from a management perspective. Additionally, you will be given the opportunity to be a part of various leadership programmes which are great experiences to hone your leadership skills.