LEARNING THROUGH OVERSEAS INDUSTRIAL TRAINING PROGRAMME CUM COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT

This paper describes the experiences of learning through an overseas community service project carried out, over 18 days, in February/March 2008, in Makassar, Indonesia. As part of their second year curriculum, Singapore Polytechnic (SP) students are required to attend an industrial training programme (ITP) of seven weeks duration at the end of the year. Those who opt for ITP overseas do a shorter stint to reduce cost. In the School of Architecture & the Built Environment (ABE), every year, about 30 – 35 % of the cohort go overseas for 3 – 4 week stint on an overseas ITP and/or community service project. In the paper we discuss how students and staff from ABE collaborated with the Department of Civil Engineering, State Polytechnic of Ujung Pandang, Makassar, on the construction of a pedestrian cum light vehicular bridge at a fishing village in Nelayan Untia, Makassar. Feedback from students, during and after the trip, showed that they benefitted greatly from this unique from of out-of-classroom learning. They developed a global perspective by recognizing the similarities and differences in the social, cultural, economic, environmental and technical conditions of the two countries.