Tan Yee Ling, 22,
Integrated Logistics Management

'I FAILED O-level English and retook English as a private candidate in 2004. When I got another E8, I thought I'd just go to the ITE and give it a try.

I asked my mum if she would be angry. She told me If I went in, I must work hard.

I signed up for a certificate course in Service Skills (Retail) and went on to a higher certificate in Integrated Logistics Management.

When I first started, I used to hide the ITE logo on my books when I travelled to ITE College East. Now I don't do that.

The teachers at the ITE are like our friends. They ask us to go out with them for coffee. They try to give us more confidence.

At the ITE, I have received many awards, like the Lee Kuan Yew Co-curricular Activity Award. As a Bridge Leader, I help motivate new students.

In the past, I didn't dare motivate others, because I couldn't make it. But now I can.'

Got an engineering diploma, but she'd rather be in sports

Wany Rafie, 21,
Business Studies (Sports Management) student

Photo/ Lim Wui Liang

'I WAS at Ngee Ann Poly where I did engineering. I graduated, but didn't want to work as an engineer.

Sports is my passion, so in 2005, I joined ITE College East to do sports management.

My mother asked, 'You already have a diploma but now you want to go to the ITE. What's the point?'

But I wanted to be happy and do something that I like.'

Vocational training dropout who went back and topped the school

Samuel Kitehpar, 22,
Mechanical Technology student

'I WAS at Qihua Primary in Woodlands. I was very naughty then, never did my Tamil and English homework. I was just not interested.

I failed my PSLE twice and went to Assumption Vocational Institute (AVI).

I was there for two years, but I left to work as an operator at National Panasonic when I was 15. The money was very attractive. I could earn $1,500 a month.

Photo/ DOMINIC WONG

My mum also works as a factory operator and my father is a port worker. One of my sisters is studying business at ITE Clementi, the other is in Woodlands Secondary.

I didn't know how important education was until I went for national service. My friends rose up very quickly. After a few months, they became sergeants. It was very hard for me. It was hard when I communicated too. Theirs was super English, mine was broken English.

My youth leader at church told me to go back to school. I went back to AVI again. I topped the school and was accepted into ITE College East.

After this, I want to go to the poly and then to Nanyang Technological University to study mechanical engineering.

I may join the police, or the Singapore Civil Defence Force, be a vessel manager at ST Marine, or an assistant manager at Seagate.

My only thought before was which company could pay me $60 a day. Now I can think beyond that.'