My Meaningful Summer Internship
This summer I had the opportunity to intern at GovTech’s Government Digital Services’ (GDS) Personalise (Percy) team.
I wanted to experience what it is like working in the public sector, and I thought GovTech would be the perfect stepping stone for me to explore! Although I do not come from a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) background, it did not stop me from applying to GovTech. The wide variety of the types of tech that GovTech does, and the numerous products and services they create for citizens and businesses in Singapore, was compelling reason that led to my application. An internship with GovTech would be a great opportunity for me to explore other disciplines that I do not usually come across in school and I’ll get to learn beyond my scope!
From the day of my interview with Shawn and Yun Rong, I knew that GovTech was the place I wanted to intern at. They answered all my questions candidly and without hesitation and shared about GovTech’s Agile, Bold, and Collaborative (ABC) values with passion. The positive interview experience affirmed my decision of spending my summer for a meaningful internship with GovTech.
I was emplaced in the Personalise (Percy) team in GDS, as a Marketing and Community Development Intern. Percy is a product that allows government officers to send targeted emails as well as generate personalised website recommendations using machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).
Today, having personalised services is the way to go for many companies to increase their customers’ satisfaction level, This goes for the public sector as well. Percy’s goal of improving public’s communication experience with the government and to deliver customised services to better cater to the needs of their stakeholders, resonated with my belief in how organisations should be interacting with their stakeholders. I am excited to see how I am able to receive tailored recommendations of where to eat or where to go in the future, simply based on my activities.
Leveling up my skill sets through this internship
This internship has given me the opportunity to many new skills that I would have otherwise not picked up in school. Just to name a few, I have learned:
- Data wrangling for better data visualisation
- How to conduct user research to understand users’ pain points
- Quantitative data analysis to develop user personas for effective marketing strategies
- Creating website content and monthly EDMs with A/B testing and segmentation
- Find user acquisition channels through new partnerships
- Scrum methodology framework through Sprint Reviews, Sprint Retros, Stand-ups, and Product Vision Workshops
- Adobe suite skills
8. Web Analytics
My role also gave me a glimpse into the UI/UX world, where I got the opportunity to conduct user testing with public officers on beta feature releases for Personalise’s Email Marketing tool. I learned about their pain points and learned how product improvements stem from user research.
I also got to conduct surveys with citizens about their opinions on upcoming features at Smart Nation Digital Government Office (SNDGO)’s Smart Nation Builder, a roving truck that goes around Singapore to engage with citizens and gather feedback on how GovTech can improve on our products and services. It was an enriching experience because I got to engage directly with citizens, and that gave me a deeper insight into how we can create more intuitive solutions for their everyday problems.
I’m thankful to those with that I’ve crossed paths with
At GovTech, colleagues here feel like friends and everyone in my team is very encouraging and their motivation to make their project successful inspires me every day. Besides the Percy team, I am also very grateful to the other Marketing and Community Development people in the Digital Design and Development team (otherwise known as the DCUBE) under GDS. They are the main reason why I love going to work. They created a culture that was safe, open, and very fun for interns to learn and flourish.
One of the highlights of this internship was when one of my supervisors brought a card game that allowed us to engage in heart-to-heart talk to really get to know more about one another. This is usually not common within other companies, and it was something I am thankful for. There is never a dull day here in my team! There will always be buzz and positivity when working with them and they have made my time here with GovTech enjoyable and memorable.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my Reporting Officer, Yun Rong for her unwavering support, guidance, and mentorship throughout my entire internship period.
Doing wholesome activities with my team
In DCUBE, one value that is constantly emphasised is ‘Care’. I got a chance to put this into practice when I volunteered with the DCUBE team to deliver bread to the elderly folks under Touch Community Services. As more companies engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities for their employees, GovTech is no different. We get to bond with our colleagues, but at the same time create a meaningful impact on society.
This internship has opened my mind and given me great satisfaction
I’m grateful for the chance to explore my career interests in the public sector and tech industry through this internship. I have gained so much exposure in a short span of time, and that helped me deepen my conviction to further my interest in the tech industry. Knowing I am contributing to Singapore’s Smart Nation ambitions through the projects I have worked on, has given me a huge sense of fulfillment. The constant innovations, great culture, and common goal of improving lives through technology are something that I am proud to take away from my internship with GovTech.
Oftentimes, people think the tech industry only offers tech roles, but at GovTech there are corporate roles available too, so anyone can try out if they have the heart to learn and remain proactive in everything they do!
An internship not to be missed!
GovTech also organised many internship activities for us. Internship engagement day was when we got to meet physically with over 100 other summer interns for the first time, to bond over games, food, and activities. We also got to learn more about GovTech’s culture as a whole and were assigned mentors to help us in our journey at GovTech. I got to make new friends with interns who had similar interests and motivations for joining GovTech.
If you are looking for a place to start your journey in the public sector as well as a place where you can be unapologetically yourself, GovTech is for you! Do not be afraid to give your opinions or clarify your doubts as everyone here is very welcoming.
Find out more about their internship program at go.gov.sg/govtechinternship All the best for your applications!
