The Cybersecurity Student Volunteer and Recognition Programme (SRVP) recently honored 97 students in Singapore for notable contributions to the field.
The award recognises students who have had impact in the field while undertaking their studies, among other responsibilities, like supporting events and displaying leadership. Each winner volunteered for at least 30 hours, while gold award winners had to volunteer for at least 150 hours to qualify for the honor.
One gold awardee, Lee Yi Terng, was introduced to the world of tech at a tender age of three, spending time playing around with his father’s computer. He then moved on to tasks such as fixing the family’s WiFi, to more complex issues such as configuring firewalls and giving advice regarding potential phishing scams and dubious websites.
In 2020, he formed an interest group teaching others about cloud security through a series of weekly workshops. As Lee had accumulated 150 hours, he qualified for the gold award.
As Lee finishes his final year at Singapore Polytechnic, he said: “It’s definitely not the end for me – even though I’m going to the army, I’m exploring other ways I can bring cloud security workshops to youths in other ways, and also how else I can contribute to the community.”
Lee disclosed that he has applied to be part of the cyberdefence unit during his national service.
Guest of honor and Minister of State for Communications and Information, Tan Kiat How, said that the need for a more knowledgeable and capable pool of cybersecurity professionals has never been more clear than in this age where cyber threats could cause physical, real-world effects.
“Growing a robust talent pipeline is one of the foundations of Singapore’s cybersecurity strategy,” Tan said. He added that “this process begins upstream, with youth in schools.”
“Therefore,” the Minister continued, “the Government aims to use programmes like SVRP to develop a strong pipeline of cyber-security professionals, and a cybersecurity workforce that is positioned to seize and take advantage of the growing opportunities in the sector.”
