My proudest moment thus far

My proudest moment so far would be getting my driving license. It may seem normal to most people that getting a license is no big deal but I got it as a driver in the SAF. You see, passing the TP in the SAF is no easy feat. We had to drive an old manual 3-tonner around Kaki Bukit area which is notorious for its traffic.

When I first posted as a driver for the SAF, I felt terrible. I pledged for my entire life that I will never drive a car as I don’t like what I see on the road every day. Errant drivers and road rage are the main reasons for me not to drive in Singapore but since I was in it, might as well take it.

I started off as the worst among the 4 pupils under my instructor. My buddy was my platoon mate so that was very calming as I have someone who I knew better. He told me that he too wasn’t good at driving but he needed my support as much as I needed his. I told myself that if I were to give up, I would have let him down really bad. So, I endured the whole duration of the driving course for him and also because if we were to fail, we would have to come back for remedial training and that was the most irritating part of the course since I live far from the camp. I told myself that I have to pass on my first try as I have no choice if I don’t one to come for remedial training every weekend.

I took every training seriously. Even though there were a few mistakes, I learnt from them to improve myself. As time passed, I noticed my sharp improvement from the day that I first drove in the circuit. A week prior to my test, I felt an overwhelming confidence that I can pass my test that even my instructor praised me and noted my stark improvement from day one. He expected me to pass on the first try as he believed that I could. My buddy was also amazed at how I had improved since day one and wished me the best of luck for my test.

On the morning of the test, I was nervous but confident. Luckily, I was pitted with the most lenient tester in that camp. That even boosted my confidence and I carried on with the test. It was peak hour morning and traffic was quite bad but manageable. After half an hour, I returned, parked my vehicle and the tester asked me some questions before telling me to drive safely.

As I head back to the meeting point, the test conductor saw me and he shouted out, “Congratulations, you passed!” My eyes widened as he had confirmed my hunch. I knew I passed but not a good passed though. His words sank deep into my head and I shook his hands in excitement. I never thought that I would pass the test as I was at one time the worst performer. My buddy was jubilant for me and my instructor was also very happy for my accomplishment. They knew my struggles before and to see me pass was heart-warming. I will never forget that day for my whole life.

My views on the migrant crisis in Europe

Recently, we saw everywhere on the news and television about the mass migration of people entering Europe. The effects of the civil war in countries such as Syria and Iraq particularly resulted in their people seeking asylum in European countries hoping to get a better life. This was after a heart-braking picture of a little boy drifted ashore on the coast of Turkey prompting urgent response worldwide particularly in Europe.

I feel that the migration issue has to be tackled from the core and that is the civil unrest in the affected countries at first. The problem of the Middle East right now is having too many groups fighting each other. We’ve seen many airstrikes by the US and its allies but why does the current situation in Syria and Iraq still persists? The US and its allies continues to provide arms for the Free Syrian Army rebels who are fighting against the Syrian government but I feel that does not solve the current issue quickly. By the day, there seems to be more and more splinter group operating in the area and the best way to tackle this is by having troops on the ground and I mean REAL soldiers. Turkey and Saudi Arabia can send their own troops to fight the Syrian government rather than handing money and weapons to these fighters who are not guaranteed to sustain in the long run.

As for Europe, it is good to see some countries like Germany and the UK inviting these asylum seekers a place to settle down. No doubt that these migrants will have a better life than their homeland. However, I understand that having too many foreigners can be a problem. Dilution of local culture can happen and many Europeans in particular are proud of their heritage and history. Not long after, countries like Hungary have sealed off their borders to prevent more influx of migrants. As much as I support the European countries allowing these migrants to settle in their lands, I feel the migrants can be there temporarily rather than permanent. This way, Europe will still keep its identity and once the situation gets better in the Middle East, the migrants can return home bringing along useful skills that they can use to build their country back up.

However, whether the situation in the Middle East improves in the near future remains to be seen. Otherwise, the migrants are going to have a new problem to deal with In their new home….

Reader response Draft 3

In the article "Why the climate fight needs engineers", Shah (2015) suggests the need for engineering leaders with technical skills to help tackle climate change in the Asia-Pacific. Also, he agrees with Khew, Deputy President of IES (Institution of Engineers Singapore), who believes the urgent demand for "sustainable engineering solutions" will help achieve an eco-friendly economy with opportunities given to engineers to find sustainable solutions and creating a resilient infrastructure system.

I agree with the author that engineers are needed to help combat climate change. Engineers are the frontline of innovation and equipping them with much needed knowledge on sustainability and instilling leadership skills in them to take on directives can help tackle climate change. Engineers should use their expertise to find sustainable solutions as the world looks into sustainable energy in the future. However, I feel the roles of engineers can be further examined by the author on the context of social and economic well-being such as creating social awareness through technology and improving existing systems which can therefore be economically cost-effective.

According to Parkinson (2003), one area that engineers can focus on is the need for support for social change [1]. Engineers can help develop or fine-tune existing technologies which can bring about social awareness on climate change to convey a message to the public to use eco-friendly technologies. For example, encouraging users to switch to eco-friendly vehicles such as electric cars can educate the public on reducing carbon emissions on the road. Fortunately, engineers have successfully engineered electric-powered vehicles which do not use fossil fuels and are also in the midst of introducing them on the road in the future. Solar technology is also being used as alternatives to generate electricity in homes as well.

Furthermore, by tweaking existing systems, engineers can implement cost-effective measures. In one example, Nusca (2010) mentions how engineers in the US Pacific Northwest had successfully improved efficiency of dams in warm climates through a devised management system whereby water losses in the summer are reduced by 25% and the risk of flooding is also reduced as reservoirs are filled reliably. The system enables them to ‘’determine when to empty the reservoirs’’ for flood control in the winter and “refill them in spring’’ for storage [2]. They did not have to buy expensive add-ons to their system but just by having engineers to improve on them proved to be cost-effective.

In conclusion, engineers are needed to help tackle climate change but I feel that their roles can be further examined by the author on the social and economic front. Engineers also need to take into account changing patterns in society and the environment so that they can come up with new ideas when addressing climate change. Nonetheless, the engineering sector has contributed significantly to the economy and will certainly be needed to help create an eco-friendly economy in the future through sustainable solutions as governments seek to gain an edge against climate change.

(490 words)

Summary Draft 3

In the article "Why the climate fight needs engineers", Shah (2015) suggests the need for engineering leaders with technical skills to help tackle climate change in the Asia-Pacific. Also, he agrees with Khew, Deputy President of IES (Institution of Engineers Singapore), who believes the urgent demand for "sustainable engineering solutions" will help achieve an eco-friendly economy with opportunities given to engineers to find sustainable solutions and creating a resilient infrastructure system.

(71 words)