Fulfilling career opportunities in the sports sector

Speech by Mr Baey Yam Keng, Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth, at Nanyang Polytechnic's Bu$iness of Sport Seminar

Mr Henry Heng, Deputy Principal,

Distinguished guests,

Alumni and students from the Diploma in Sport & Wellness,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. Good afternoon! It is my pleasure to join you today. This seminar also marks the 20th anniversary of Nanyang Polytechnic’s Diploma in Sport & Wellness Management. Congratulations!
2. The theme of today’s seminar, “The Bu$iness of Sport in Singapore”, is very timely. Many of you are probably thinking about your job options after graduation. Indeed, beyond recreational and competitive activities, sport can also offer you many career development opportunities.
   
   

   NYP graduates who have done well in the sports industry

3. Take, for example, NYP alumna Ms Jaime Cheong. A former national floorball player, Jaime became a personal trainer after graduation. She also managed a mental skills training company that offerd sports psychology. In 2013, she took on a two-year coaching stint as the national women’s floorball coach. Under her watch, the Team Singapore women’s team clinched a SEA Games gold medal last year.  Well done! Jaime has just joined Singapore Athletics as General Manager, and is tasked to take the sport and our athletes to new heights.
4. Another example is Mr Tan Tse Yong, Group CEO of FitLion Pte Ltd, who is here with us today. One of the most successful entrepreneurs from this course, Tse Yong has developed FitLion Pte Ltd into a leading health supplement and fitness accessories company in Singapore and Malaysia. In fact, FitLion was named one of the top 1% of Small & Medium Enterprises at the Singapore SME1000 Award 2016. Congratulations!
   
   

   Growing career opportunities in the sports sector

5. The Government is committed to developing a vibrant sports ecosystem in Singapore. Over the years, we have been working closely with the public and private sectors to help our Team Singapore athletes excel, and make sport a part of our daily lives. As we look to the future, we see many opportunities for talents in the following areas:
   
   - Sports programming; as we encourage Singaporeans of all abilities to enjoy sport
   - Sports branding and marketing; to leverage Singapore’s destination as a sporting hub to attract corporate sponsorships.
   - Coaching; to nurture aspiring athletes, and help them realise their fullest potential
   - Sports science and research; to give our athletes an edge over competitors through the latest scientific technologies and methods
6.  The learning and practical lessons from your Diploma will provide you with a good foundation for your future career. I also encourage you to expand your network of contacts, and speak with experienced practitioners to understand first-hand the job requirements. No matter which path you choose, you can still play a part in making Singapore a great sporting nation.
   
   

   Supporting our Team Singapore athletes

7. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the support NYP gives to our student-athletes. For example, NYP grants them time-off for overseas competitions, and provides make-up lessons so that they can catch up on their studies. This has helped many national athletes, including Shooter Martina Veloso, Hockey player Dineshraj Naidu, Handball player Olivia Wan, excel in both their sport and studies. Thank you, NYP, for your support!
8. Once again, I would like to congratulate NYP on the 20th anniversary of the Diploma in Sport & Wellness Management. And I wish all participants a fruitful and enriching time at this seminar. Thank you!