As someone who never had any interest in engineering previously, 2021 graduate Marcus Lee certainly didn’t expect himself to become well-versed and passionate about multiple engineering fields by the time he graduated from university. “I only became interested in engineering after learning more about SIT-DigiPen (Singapore)’s systems engineering program,” Marcus says. “Realizing that there are different aspects to engineering opened my mind and made me keen to learn how the various disciplines come together.”
Prior to joining DigiPen (Singapore), Marcus completed his Diploma in Information Technology (Mobile Business Application Specialization) at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. While researching university options, he came across SIT-DigiPen (Singapore) and became intrigued. Marcus sought the opinions of his relatives and close friends, and their positive reviews gave him the confidence to apply. Additionally, the opportunity to study overseas for one trimester as part of the school’s Overseas Immersion Programme also appealed to him.
Marcus eventually chose to pursue the BEng in Systems Engineering (ElectroMechanical Systems) — now renamed as BEng in Mechatronics Systems (METS) — as he wanted a multidisciplinary degree that would give him exposure to the different domains of engineering. The METS program, which is jointly offered by Singapore Institute of Technology and DigiPen (Singapore), brings together the fields of mechanical, electrical, electronics, and software engineering. Throughout his undergraduate studies, Marcus gained deep knowledge in each respective field and also learned how to integrate these various fields together through multiple hands-on engineering projects. “I enjoyed combining and applying knowledge in different engineering fields with software design, abstract math, and real-world physics,” Marcus says. “I also became more fascinated with engineering the more I learned from my amazing professors.”
After completing his undergraduate studies and finishing an eight-month internship at the Land Transport Authority, it was time for Marcus to think about his future in the workforce. As a student, Marcus had already heard about Thales and was drawn to the company. Thales is a multinational corporation that creates high-tech solutions and services in defense, digital identity and security, aerospace, space, and transport market industries. Marcus admired their work and how the group continuously develops innovative solutions to solve real-world problems on a global scale. He also wanted to be part of a company that made other people’s lives better.
Marcus applied for a job at Thales upon graduation and successfully got in. As a software engineer in the Thales Digital Identity & Security (DIS) Singapore office, Marcus is currently working on an embedded software engineering project where he helps to read, validate, and create code for products related to digital identities and securities. “In layman’s terms, embedded software systems consist of different electrical and electronic components,” Marcus explains. He credits his multidisciplinary engineering education with giving him the passion and skills to do his job well. Additionally, he is grateful for his colleagues who are always ready to guide and mentor him.
Marcus has been enjoying his work since he joined Thales in June 2022, and he cites reading code and finding bugs as his favorite part of the job. “There are different problems for me to solve every day,” he says. “This challenges my understanding of software engineering and allows me to grow and improve.”
Though Marcus is still considered a “freshman” in the workforce, he does not intend to stay that way for long. He is constantly seeking avenues to become a smarter and more experienced engineer, and he even plans to pursue a master’s degree in computer science when the opportunity arises. He is grateful to have gained an interest and passion in engineering thanks to SEEMS, and looks forward to forging a bright future with Thales.