No roadblocks, just roadmaps for this engineer turned educator

Mr Lim Boon Yang Vincent sparks his students’ curiosity about emerging technologies and prepares them for cutting-edge work with his Robotic Process Automation (RPA) roadmap.

Mr Lim is a Senior Lecturer from Republic Polytechnic (RP)’s School of Engineering, and a finalist of the 2024 President’s Award for Teachers.

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When Mr Lim sets his mind on something, he dives right in. Like the time he tried to understand the intricacies of blockchain technology, because students were curious to understand how cryptocurrency worked. So, he put some skin in the game in order to experience the technology firsthand.

Although he had to pay a monetary price for this “lesson”, it provided him with a deeper understanding of blockchain technology. He used this knowledge to help students comprehend the potential risks and complexities of the technology and to develop courses on cryptocurrency.

Inspiration: From one adult learner to another

As an organisational transformation specialist in multinational companies, Mr Lim used to work on process improvement in overseas settings. He often wondered how he could tap on his experience to give back to Singapore. That desire led him to return to Singapore eight years ago and join RP as a lecturer in the School of Engineering, to nurture young minds and contribute to Singapore’s success.

He has a soft spot for older students enrolled in the RP’s Continuing Education and Training (CET) modules. After all, he was an adult learner himself when he moved into his teaching role. The profession had evolved from the time when he was a student, so he had to learn to lecture less, and engage his students more by making learning authentic.

“After that, I got into it quite happily,” he shared. “I enjoy working with students, linking up with industry and developing practical applications for our students to adopt.”

Transformation: Creating roadmaps to success for his students

Mr Lim finds satisfaction in shaping his students’ mindsets towards emerging technologies such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT).

He ensures his lessons do not focus solely on imparting technical knowledge, but “enlighten and empower learners” on the positive use of technology. “This empowerment has a ripple effect,” he says. “Once learners experience the benefits of these technologies in their own lives, they soon become advocates, sharing their insights and experiences with colleagues and family”.

“I enjoy working with students, linking up with industry and developing practical applications for our students to adopt.”

Mr Lim’s key area of research is in RPA with RP’s Centre of Innovation. RPA uses software robots to handle repetitive tasks, such as data entry. This increases efficiency and reduces human error. In response to industry demand, he designed a three-year roadmap combining formal curricula with industry exposure and certification. In this roadmap, students learn RPA skills, apply their learning in Final Year Projects (FYPs), hackathons, and internships. This structured pathway ensures students are well prepared to apply practise RPA technologies after graduation.

Mr Lim believes that industry engagement is key to keeping the wheels of the roadmap running and secures industry exposure opportunities for his students through his connections and expertise. For instance, through his partnership with Onn Wah Tech, a precision manufacturing firm, his students got to embark on a Final Year Project to digitalise the company’s business practices.

Beyond securing industry exposure opportunities, Mr Lim also recognises the importance of strengthening his students’ industry credentials. In collaboration with a renowned global RPA software company, he pioneered the world’s first Citizen Developer certificate, which accords professional recognition in RPA-related jobs. This certification will allow his students to be recognised for their RPA skills.

A firm believer in building positive relationships with his students, Mr Lim has supported his students throughout and beyond their time in RP. One of his first students, Naveen, struggled during an internship placement to automate his internship company’s HR reporting process. Mr Lim guided Naveen patiently, enabling Naveen to not only complete his internship, but also earn a commendation. Today, Mr Lim continues to provide advice to Naveen and support him in his career.

Reflection: Using tech for good

Mr Lim’s work extends beyond RP. He has been invited by organisations and government bodies in Singapore and abroad to assist in the adoption of emerging technologies.

But the less visible and sometimes more meaningful work is often within the community.

When Singapore Prison Services requested a half-day training programme for wardens, Mr Lim knew that he wanted to do more. He designed a curriculum covering RPA, AI and IoT for 2,000 wardens, who in turn taught these skills to selected inmates. He also introduced AI speech-to-text together with ChatGPT technology for notetaking, so wardens could spend less time on administrative work.

Mr Lim also enables his students to serve the community with their skills, whether through generating RPA solutions for a hospital to improve efficiency in patient care or teaching disadvantaged children how to code. Through technology, he says, “students can see that they are capable of making true contributions to everyone’s lives, including the less fortunate”.