Tan Yang Keat chose to pursue ISE because of its versatile nature. Before university, he was not entirely sure which career path he wanted to take, but he saw that ISE offered the perfect balance between technical skills and business acumen. What inspired him most was seeing how seniors from the program went on to thrive in such a wide range of industries—this flexibility gave him the confidence that ISE would open up many possibilities.

The ISE program has been invaluable in equipping Yang Keat with a diverse set of skills. Through modules ranging from coding and project management to automation and financial modelling, he was able to build both breadth and depth in his learning. This exposure gave him the confidence to explore opportunities across multiple industries, which eventually helped him secure internships in the maritime, IT, banking, and consulting sectors.

Yang Keat’s first internship was at Univers, where he got an introduction to large-scale project management in the maritime industry and worked closely with stakeholders across different companies. Following that, at HP, he had the chance to lead his own project, where he implemented a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) tool using UiPath and VBA to streamline system integration testing—reducing process time by up to 50%.

At MUFG Bank, he had the opportunity to dive deep into banking operations and digital transformation. Yang Keat worked on multiple region-wide projects, including enhancing payment systems and supporting large-scale operational improvements across different countries. One of the highlights was having his own project on the ISO20022 migration for SWIFT payment messages, which gave him the chance to contribute to a global industry shift in financial messaging standards. Through this experience, he received strong recommendations and praise from senior leaders in MUFG’s operations division, which was incredibly motivating and affirmed the value of his contributions.

Lastly, at Kaizen Institute, Yang Keat had a taste of consulting work, involving market research, due diligence, and applying Kaizen methodologies to solve real business challenges.

These experiences collectively helped him secure the Global Management Associate Scholarship with PSA. What excites him most about this program is the opportunity for job rotations, short attachments to different business areas, and global assignments - allowing him to gain a holistic understanding of the business and contribute meaningfully to projects that facilitate seamless global trade.

Beyond academics, Yang Keat’s university journey has been enriched by countless experiences, one of the highlights being his student exchange programme at Pennsylvania State University. It was an eye-opening opportunity that broadened his global perspective and allowed him to form lasting friendships with people from all around the world.

Looking ahead, Yang Keat hopes to continue growing as a well-rounded individual and leader. His aspiration is to contribute to large-scale projects with not just regional but global impact, collaborating with stakeholders worldwide and gaining international exposure. He is particularly excited about taking on roles that allow him to travel, learn from diverse cultures, and create value on a global scale.