Promoting keenness in engineering

An exciting and impactful way to stoke vocational interest in engineering is to provide students with hands-on experience in the usefulness of the technology. 

DISTED engineering lecturer Khor Ee Keat (right) conducting a workshop on digital electronics for SMJK Chung Ling Butterworth students at their school.

“An experiment workshop is a good avenue for students to better appreciate the marvels of engineering, leading to an increased interest to take up the field in further studies,” said Tan Lay Ha, SMJK Chung Ling Butterworth student counsellor. 

“Through wider experiential exposure, students gain practical knowledge about engineering which helps them to make a wiser career choice decision,” she stressed. 

As such, Tan invited DISTED College to conduct an engineering workshop at her school for 21 Form 5 students on 13 July 2012. 

“The workshop was specifically for those who had indicated strong interest in engineering and needed more opportunity to explore the field of study,” she said. 

SMJK Chung Ling Butterworth students hard at work in building a digital circuit during the engineering workshop conducted by DISTED.

Workshop facilitator and DISTED engineering lecturer Khor Ee Keat helped the students to discover more about electrical and electronic engineering by engaging them in building a digital circuit. 

“The experiment was an exercise to demonstrate the fundamental usefulness of digital electronics and binary system. 

“It gave the students a value added learning experience to their prior knowledge of basic electronic components such as resistors and transistors. 

“The workshop attempted to bridge what they had learnt in physics and maths in school to practical applications in engineering,” Khor explained. 

DISTED engineering lecturer Khor Ee Keat (left) guiding SMJK Chung Ling Butterworth students during the engineering workshop.

Participant Goh Wei Zheng commented: “Building a digital circuit can be complicated but it shows that engineering is challenging and thrilling. The workshop enriched my understanding of electronic circuitry that involves 7-segment decoder and 7-segment LED display.” 

“I’ve not firmed up on my ambition but engineering is one of my key options,” he added. 

His school mate Tan Wern Ke said: “The workshop rejuvenated my interest in engineering in my quest to obtain career planning guidance.” 

Tan Syean En too was glad to have attended the workshop as "it broadened my understanding of digital electronics and binary number system, and their usefulness.” 

Taking pride in having successfully constructed a digital circuit are SMJK Chung Ling Butterworth students (from left) Tan Wern Ke, Tan Syean En and Loh Yu Wei.