Pursuing further studies can often be nerve wrecking, but for Vincent Lee Jun Sheng, a full-time student of NUS Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) programme, it has been a transformative experience.
After graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering, he worked as a Product Support Engineer at OSIsoft, a software company that develops enterprise software to manage production and operation data. During his time there, he saw first-hand how the company helped its customers harnessed and analysed their data to improve their operations. This left him intrigued by the power and value of data analytics.
“I wanted to become a specialist who can analyse and extract useful information from data. That is what prompted me to embark on the NUS MSBA programme,” recounted Vincent.
Vincent (back row, second from right) with his course mates at a gathering
When selecting a suitable programme, Vincent knew he wanted a curriculum that would offer him a blend of technical and business knowledge and skills. This would ensure that he could apply the methodologies learnt to business cases effectively. “To me, the MSBA offers me the best of both worlds – the networking and soft skills one would gain from an MBA, and the hands-on and technical rigour of a computing programme,” he added.
The programme provided numerous opportunities to interact with industry partners. During the weekly industry analytics seminars, Vincent networked and learnt through the interactions he had with business analytics trailblazers.
He also formed many close friendships with course mates from diverse backgrounds and specialisations across industries. This peer-learning environment has helped him gain a head start in the collaborative field of business analytics.
As part of his MSBA experience, Vincent participated in an overseas placement in Switzerland as part of NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) Programme for six months. During this time, he worked at Logitech, a Swiss personal computer and mobile peripherals provider, whilst taking entrepreneurship and management classes at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).
His entrepreneurial mindset, strong work ethic and active participation in activities such as hackathons, meetups, expositions and workshops left such a deep impression with Logitech, that they offered him a job as a Data Scientist.
“This programme has helped many graduates to secure sought-after positions as consultants, data scientists, and product managers at multinational corporations, as well as start-ups in Singapore and abroad. I am exactly where I want to be and have the MSBA to thank for helping me attain my goal.”
To interested but hesitant applicants, a word of advice from Vincent, “It is important to take the first step out of your comfort zone and expand your horizons. I took the risk and found my dream job.”
For more information about the NUS Master of Science in Business Analytics programme, visit http://msba.nus.edu.sg/
