DSTA Scholarship

[itsmeagain]

Hi all, I am new here. I would like to find out what are the chances for me to secure DSTA postgrad scholarship upon graduation?
- Expected to graduate with Second Upper Honors from local uni
(currently studying Mechanical Engineering in Year 3).
- Will be interning at DSTA soon for a period of 3 months.
- fairly good O Level and A Level results.

not high ...

unless you have S papers or H3 equivalents,
going to end up with 1st class honours, and/or
has extremely good technical skills and knowledge,
... they can find out during your internship.

[itsmeagain]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

not high ...

unless you have S papers or H3 equivalents,
going to end up with 1st class honours, and/or
has extremely good technical skills and knowledge,
... they can find out during your internship.

I did a H3 paper in JC. I got a Pass only though.
Hmm, so I really need to prove myself a lot during internship.

[itsmeagain]

Hmm. hopefully there are DSTA postgrad scholars here who can shed some light.

Originally Posted by itsmeagain

Hmm. hopefully there are DSTA postgrad scholars here who can shed some light.

I got a postgrad sponsorship from my ministry (MOM)....

[itsmeagain]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I got a postgrad sponsorship from my ministry (MOM)....

I see. Different things that DSTA and MOM look out for right?

Perhaps. But it is more of management's recommendation than Uni results per se. I got 2nd upper and I have heard of people getting 3rd class and being sent overseas for 1 year Masters to acquire specific expertise. Don't be taken in by those people who spout nonsense in the forum...such as u dont stand a chance and stuff like that. There is no hard and fast rules and nothing (or not much) is cast in stone. It is really a case by case thing.

Originally Posted by itsmeagain

I see. Different things that DSTA and MOM look out for right?

[itsmeagain]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Perhaps. But it is more of management's recommendation than Uni results per se. I got 2nd upper and I have heard of people getting 3rd class and being sent overseas for 1 year Masters to acquire specific expertise. Don't be taken in by those people who spout nonsense in the forum...such as u dont stand a chance and stuff like that. There is no hard and fast rules and nothing (or not much) is cast in stone. It is really a case by case thing.

how do they obtain recommendation from the management in the first place?
i am quite curious about that.

[itsmeagain]

Up for the night.

itsmeagain, it all depends on you already. You need to display sound technical skills, speaking skills, presentation, writing, bootlicking and balls-carrying skills in varying measures as the situation requires. Even then you need to get senior management to somehow notice that you exist among all the other engineers. You need your boss to groom you instead of take your credit from you.

What it ends up is in you being classified with a high CEP and thus a "high potential" staff who is singled out for further grooming.

Essentially only the top 5-10% will be in this bracket. If you hadn't done well in studies you better hope you do damn well at work (i.e., problem solving skills, prompt and efficient, etc.) to stand out from your peers.

After you've done all that, hope and pray that a scholarship falls your way. Telling your boss that you desire further learning to help with the company's cause might help.