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Singapore graduation, new courses, alumni function

Tuesday 8 November 2011, 2:26PM

By Massey University

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Mr Maharey with Mr Ghee (left) and Mr Kwong at the signing of the memorandum at the New Zealand High Commissioner's residence.
Mr Maharey with Mr Ghee (left) and Mr Kwong at the signing of the memorandum at the New Zealand High Commissioner's residence. Credit: Massey University

Science and Innovation Minister Dr Wayne Mapp was guest of honour at the second graduation for food technology students at Massey’s Singapore campus last week.

Massey University in Singapore will also be collaborating with the Singapore Workforce Development Agency and the Singapore Manufacturer's Federation to provide short courses to technical personnel in the food industry. The purpose is to develop and enhance manpower capabilities of the food manufacturing workforce in Singapore.

Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey, agency deputy chief executive Goh Eng Ghee and federation secretary-general Gwee Seng Kwong signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday night.

The previous night Mr Maharey and other Massey staff hosted an alumni function in the Hilton Hotel attended by about 120 Singapore-based Massey graduates.

The University's Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health was chosen two years ago as the food technology degree provider for Singapore Polytechnic. It involves Massey staff teaching Singapore students, who have completed diploma studies at the polytechnic, for the final two years of a Bachelor in Food Technology (Honours).

This year 35 students graduated, including three with first-class honours. All last year’s cohort of 29 graduates have found work in the food industry while one, May Wee, was awarded a PhD scholarship by Massey.

Institute head Professor Richard Archer says the degree Massey offers fits exactly with the needs of the Singaporean food industry. “The graduates have skills in all of consumer business, process design, factory operations and research and development,” he says.

“This is exactly what is required for innovation in the food industry. So graduates disappear into industry jobs almost as soon as they step off the stage, parchment in hand.”

The programme is managed by Associate Professor Kelvin Goh, who works full-time at the Singapore campus, while more than 20 staff travel to Singapore each year to teach for between two and four weeks. Institute of Fundamental Sciences and School of Engineering and Advanced Technology staff members are also part of the teaching team.

Dr Goh says feedback from many companies has been positive. “This is very encouraging because our graduates are performing beyond the companies' expectations,” he says. “I am confident that this new batch of graduates from the second cohort will be well received and welcomed by the food industry.” Graduates have found the course challenging and rewarding. Wong Xin Yu, an assistant food technologist at Nestle’s research and development centre, says she found the Bachelor of Food Technology programme offered by Massey University to be intensive but very well structured. “

The degree has prepared me with skills and knowledge that are essential in the food industry," she said. "Food safety, processing technology and chemistry are useful knowledge which helped me a lot in my current job dealing with food product development work, where innovation is required to in this competitive industry.”