Fresh NTU graduate Koh Yu Xuan shares what drove her to take on seven internships in four and a half years, and emerge better for it
By Tan Zi Jie
Shopee, Grab, TikTok, Goldman Sachs… Computer science graduate Koh Yu Xuan has nailed internships with these giants, and even twice at Shopee. All part of her impressive seven-internship streak while studying at NTU.
It all started in 2020 when the Renaissance Engineering Programme (REP) student took part in her first mobile app-building hackathon while “bored” at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joining and winning more competitions with her friends had her hooked on creative problem-solving.
“But I wasn’t satisfied with just coming up with quick ideas over a few days for these contests. I wanted to know more about the real business challenges, and be part of teams that come up with solutions to tackle problems in different industries,” she says.
Keen to improve the consumer experience of everyday apps she uses regularly, Yu Xuan interned with Grab, Shopee and TikTok.
App-solute insider
Yu Xuan ended up getting a taste of product management, data analytics, operations and cyber security work in e-commerce, social media, ride-hailing, finance and the government across her seven internships.
“I’m a frequent user of Grab, TikTok and Shopee, so I wanted to be part of the teams refining and delivering meaningful features that provide a better user experience and improve people’s lives. For instance, I helped integrate a new bill payment product in the Shopee app,” she says.
From her first to fourth year, Yu Xuan did one full-time internship per summer break.
As her interest in different industries grew, she pursued three more part-time internships while studying full time. Luckily, her gigs with Grab and TikTok were mostly remote, so she could juggle her studies and work through careful time management.
Besides interning for organisations, Yu Xuan also honed her research skills analysing the effects of game-based learning on tertiary students’ mastery of science subjects, as part of a project under NTU’s Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) programme in her second year, and even presented her paper at an international undergrad research conference.
Top of the stack
During her exchange at University of California, Berkeley, Yu Xuan (first row, second from left) took courses in artificial intelligence as well as product management and development.
Yu Xuan at REP’s graduation night in May.
Each internship application usually involves three rounds: a brief chat with human resources, a coding test for technical roles, and an interview with the hiring manager.
Yu Xuan estimates that she beat “hundreds of applicants” to secure her attachments with companies like Goldman Sachs and Shopee.
“NTU’s brand name helped me stand out. Our team-based learning and interdisciplinary projects boosted my cross-collaboration and presentation skills. This meant I could adapt to fast-changing situations, speak up and deliver convincing pitches, and work with people from all backgrounds,” she says.
Excelling in competitions is another way to secure hot internships. Yu Xuan’s team reached the semi-finals in a Shopee product design competition, which led to her first internship with Shopee’s financial services team in her second year. She returned to do her mandatory attachment with their app performance team the next year.
Yu Xuan explains: “At NTU, completing one internship is a curriculum requirement, but we have the flexibility to do more than one internship if we are motivated and curious to explore further. REP’s curriculum, which blends business acumen with technical know-how, also helped me stand out as a prospective intern. For example, my software module gave me a solid foundation in app-building, while a management class taught me the qualities of an inspiring leader.”
Among her internships, Yu Xuan found her stint with superapp Grab’s trust and safety team especially eye-opening. She and her team sourced and ran tests to assess if certain security tools could effectively enhance the platform’s user security.
Since then, she has become fascinated by the growing field of cyber security, finding it meaningful to safeguard user data.
Intern intel
“My internships strengthened my problem-solving skills and let me discover the fields I’m interested in. I’ve realised that I’m passionate about finance, cybersecurity and technology,” Yu Xuan adds.
She received multiple job offers even before graduating. Following her interests, she accepted the position of Associate Specialist, Product and Solutions, with Mastercard as the job scope combines her favourite fields and taps skills she’s refined through her internships.
But doing so many internships can be tiring and stressful, and may not be for everyone, cautions Yu Xuan.
She reiterates that her curiosity drove her to take on the internships. “The experiences not only exposed me to a wide range of industries, but also sharpened my critical thinking and gave me diverse skill sets. I also made many friends and built valuable connections with people from different backgrounds.”
To juniors contemplating multiple internships, Yu Xuan advises: “If you’re clear about your career path and are a good fit for your target industry or company, then you don’t need so many stints.”
She adds: “But if you’re unsure about the type of work you like, then internships are a great way to explore different roles and sectors. You’ll learn, make mistakes, and find out if you’re passionate about a certain field or should pivot in a different direction.”
This story was published in the Jul-Aug 2024 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
