My Internship Experience at GovTech Digital Academy

Last year, I spent six months living abroad during my exchange program. Being alone in a foreign country can be daunting, but it taught me how to be independent, explore outside of my comfort zone and learn about the different cultures.

Since then, my perspective of the world has broadened beyond our little red dot, and it painted a picture of the efforts that Singapore takes to stay ahead despite its small size. I am always grateful for what we have, and I am proud to call Singapore my home.

This experience inspired me to join GovTech, the lead agency driving Singapore’s Smart Nation development. I wanted to be part of a team that embraces digital innovation and contributes to projects that make a real impact on the lives of people in Singapore.

Hey there!👋🏻 I’m Yue Rong and I recently had the incredible opportunity to intern at GovTech Digital Academy (DA) as a Marketing Intern. I chose this role because of my passion for marketing and my desire to expand my skill sets. What’s more fitting than an upskilling academy within GovTech?

I was impressed to discover that GovTech had a well-established learning and development framework, which was a new area for me. I wanted to try something out of my comfort zone, as I believe that learning always happens outside of it. I’m really glad that I did, because this internship has been an unforgettable journey filled with warmth and growth!

My Experience at GovTech

When I first stepped into GovTech’s office building, I couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated. As a university student, I was entering a new environment that was worlds apart from my campus life. Surrounded by hurried office workers who appeared to know exactly where they were going and what they were doing, I felt like a small fish lost in a big pond!

My worries soon dissolved as I collected my laptop and staff pass. The onboarding process was organised, guiding and equipping me with the necessary knowledge to start on the right foot. My colleagues also gave me a little office tour and I was amazed at the facilities the organisation provides. I felt that I had everything I needed to work conductively.

Honestly, I had initial concerns that working in an office environment might be rigid and monotonous, with a stereotype of being bound to my desk and performing tasks repeatedly like a robot.

Spoiler alert: I was proven wrong! 😛

Instead of a strictly regimented environment, I discovered a dynamic and engaging workplace filled with opportunities to learn and grow. GovTech prioritises being agile, bold and collaborative as their core values, which I observed my colleagues practising in their daily work. Every day, our team is thinking of improving our systems and efficiency, through innovative and creative ways.

There are also many events and workshops happening, with guest speakers and industry leaders sharing the latest trends or their experiences. I attended a career talk ‘Kopitime Series’ by Civil Service College, where the co-founder of The Woke Salaryman gave really solid advice on how to navigate your career path, which will be very useful for me in the future :)

I also attended a few events by WOGAA (Whole-of-Government Application Analytics)! One of which is a Guest Speaker Series which featured Meltwater, and how we can leverage open-source intelligence to improve digital initiatives. I was really amazed at the level of technology today. For example, they had a feature to identify potential Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) for media campaigns. This would save a lot of time, instead of manually sourcing and comparing various KOLs in the future.

They also organised a Best Practices Webinar, where I gained a deeper understanding about Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), which was very timely as my team was also planning an SEO strategy for DA as well.

GovTech also celebrates festive occasions such as Chinese New Year and Hari Raya. We also held an Employee Appreciation Day, which made me appreciate how inclusive and welcoming GovTech is, taking care of the well-being and welfare of its staff.

What I Enjoyed the Most

At GovTech Digital Academy, not only do we provide a range of programmes for Public Service Officers (PSOs) to upskill or reskill, but we also organise events with industry partners, ensuring that PSOs stay up to date with the latest trends and best practices.

I had the opportunity to work with industry partners like Microsoft and Google. Our team organised two Artificial Intelligence (AI) events, where Microsoft and Google shared more about Co-pilot and Gemini respectively, prompt engineering, various use cases and how PSOs can apply AI to their daily tasks.

Photos taken by me.

It was an enriching experience to collaborate with such big tech companies and learn from their expertise!

My Work as a DA Marketing Intern

Interestingly, while I helped others to upskill, my mentors encouraged me to do the same. Jameela, my marketing mentor, shared with me a variety of online courses to help deepen my knowledge and skill set. This allowed me to work on various exciting projects with new perspectives!

One of my main tasks assigned was to develop a marketing strategy for DA. The courses helped me to understand the consumer mindset and behaviour, and I was able to develop a strategy that was relevant to our target audience. I liked how I could learn and apply my knowledge, and I was grateful for the opportunity to do so.

One of the key projects I led was an EDM campaign for DA. It might sound like an easy task, but it took about a month to be produced as I introduced new elements — such as animated graphics to add a fresh touch to our usual communications. The empowerment from my mentor allowed me to explore new ideas and contribute meaningfully to the team.

I also hosted a fun sharing session with the team, where I showed them how to create animated GIFs and how we could incorporate them into our work. I’m excited to have passed on these skills so the team can keep using them even when I’m not around!

We also embarked on a video series for GovTech Digital Academy — the campaign, “Dare to Change”, talks about how public service officers have upskilled with DA, and how they have made an impact at their workplace. It aims to inspire fellow public service officers to begin their journey of growth by stepping out of their comfort zone.

It was my first time being on a production set on the client’s side, so it was a very interesting experience! I was involved in the shooting process and gave my input during the scripting and shooting phases. Psst….I also starred in one of the videos — you can catch a glimpse of me on the big screen :) The videos are live on GovTech Digital Academy’s YouTube page!

Feeling very accomplished and satisfied that I was able to oversee this project from start to end, and I am especially proud of the end product! I hope that these videos will reach people and inspire change.

Lastly, I enjoyed the team’s dynamics. We were like a group of Avengers, with each person bringing their unique strengths to the table. We constantly exchanged knowledge and encouraged each other to be the best versions of ourselves. It was inspiring to see my colleagues embark on their individual learning journeys, just as I did!

Key Takeaways and Learning Outcomes

My internship at GovTech Digital Academy was a period of immense learning and growth. Here are some key takeaways that will undoubtedly help me in my future career:

• Continuous Learning: The importance of staying updated with industry trends and continually upskilling provided me with a fresh mindset. The various workshops and courses I attended have equipped me with valuable skills.
• Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange: Working with a diverse team taught me the value of collaboration. Exchanging knowledge and learning from each other was a key part of our success.
• Innovation and Creativity: Finding innovative ways to solve problems and be more efficient was encouraged. This mindset will help me stay ahead in the ever-evolving field of digital marketing.

Overall, my internship at GovTech Digital Academy was a fulfilling experience. I was able to put my skills to good use while also being nurtured in many ways. The satisfaction of contributing to meaningful projects and the personal growth I experienced made this journey truly rewarding. My colleagues, who I regard as mentors, also played a big part in my journey at GovTech.

I am really grateful for the team at GovTech Digital Academy, and safe to say, I will miss them a lot. I never thought that I could achieve such a tight-knit team and warm friendships along the way. ❤

If you’re considering an internship at an organisation that values creativity and continuous improvement, GovTech is the place for you. The internship programme is structured and beneficial, with key milestones and goals set for you to achieve your goals. Learn more about GovTech’s internship programme at go.gov.sg.sg/govtechinternship.