In this ongoing “Featured Write-up” series, InternSG will showcase the profiles of a few selected students to help the working community better understand the thoughts and aspirations of young ‘still-in-school talents’ within Singapore.
This article is the series’ inaugural write-up, and features an interview with Randy Valentius Kamajaya, the 13th President of NUS Students’ Computing Club. He represents the voice of the computing student community in NUS.
InternSG: Randy, tell the readers more about yourself.
Randy: I’m an undergraduate in my 2nd year of study with NUS School of Computing. I happen to be the President of the Computing Club too.
InternSG: It’s great to hear that you are active in contributing to your student community. Tell us more about the lifestyle of a computing undergraduate.
Randy: The best part of being a computing undergraduate is that it equips you with more than necessary skills to make a breakthrough in the working world, while at the same time not forgetting to enhance your university life as a whole through its vibrancy and vast number of activities.
InternSG: What do you think others outside your field perceives you?
Randy: Computing is no longer just studying the theories because our field of study proves that skills can be applied in a more fun and outgoing manner, such as organizing cybergames competition and game development competition sponsored by big names, such as Ubisoft. The whole computing dimension has now evolved from boring unexciting technical applications to beautiful graphical interfaces with engaging experiences in both corporate and consumer spaces.
InternSG: What are your aspirations?
Randy: I am currently planning to specialize in computer security while minoring in business management. High end IT security companies such as Symantec would be a great start. I have also been developing simple games during my free time as I also have a strong interest in being a game developer. I dream to work in big games companies like Blizzard.
InternSG: What is your ideal internship?
Randy: My ideal internship would be one that does not only deal with the theory aspect of the job, but to apply it in a more practical manner as well. To put it simply, basically sitting down in front of a computer for 8 hours a day is not attractive anymore as it lacks the human interaction.
InternSG: And what kind of roles and responsibilities would you like to see interns taking up in a company?
Randy: A good internship has to be able to provide balance to all these aspects. However I would expect interns to be hardworking and portray the correct image that the school has nurtured in you. We have to push our limits in order to show that we are not just another employee.
InternSG: You just won a plane ticket to anywhere in the world. Where are you going?
Randy: I would be going to Silicon Valley. It has been my dream to go and experience the kind of IT industry there.?
InternSG: Right after graduating from school, you are offered a privileged career in banking ($120k annual). At the same time a venture capitalist would like to give you $1 million to start a business and become profitable within 5 years. Which will you take?
Randy: This is a tough one. The banking offer would be attractive, however there is an entrepreneurial side lurking inside me. I believe that when there is a will, there is a way.
InternSG: How do IT professionals stay competitive in the face of foreign talent influx?
(This worry is shared by many of your peers, current executives and even governments across the globe. Therefore we hope you can share with us your in-depth thoughts and possible advice.)
Randy: Information Technology, IT is not just about the theories anymore. IT professionals have to equip themselves with other soft skills such as management and operation which will help them to stay competitive in the face of foreign talent influx. Singapore’s tertiary institutions have done a good job in teaching us all these skills so that we would stay competitive in the working world.
InternSG: Thank you for your time. It’s good to hear from an undergraduate’s perspective on the working world. How should readers / employers get in touch with you?
Randy: Thank you for your time too. You can get in touch with me at [encode_email email=”randyvk@nus.edu.sg”].
We hope you like the “Featured Write-up” article series. If you are someone, or you know of someone who has an interesting background (has achieved excellence in extra-curriculum activities, possess special talents, or can write really interesting articles), don’t miss this opportunity to be featured in this write-up series on InternSG.
Please feel free to [encode_email email=”writeup@internsg.com” display=”email us”] with a short executive summary of yourself (or the person you are referring to), and we will get back to you with more information.