Nestle Singapore Signs FEU Tech I.T. Student as Intern

An Information Technology student from FEU Tech has been granted a once-in-a-lifetime internship at Nestle Singapore, proving how Tamaraws continue to uphold excellence even in the midst of a pandemic.

Due to his numerous academic credentials and awards, Paulo Lawrenz Ong (or better known as “Paul” to his schoolmates) was recognized as one of the Institute’s top incoming interns and was chosen to flex his I.T. skills abroad.

“Being part of the Nestle Internship Program is a rare opportunity but also a daunting challenge

for me. A challenge to prove what Tamaraws can do,” Paul said.

He also narrated the beginning of his internship application, boldly disclosing how unexpected this “triumph” was as there were lots of foreign applicants who wanted to score that position too.

“It began when Nestle Philippines invited the top incoming interns from FEU Tech’s I.T. Department for a work-from-home internship in their Singapore office and two of us passed the interview with the HR Manager of the Philippines. We then had our final interview with the Regional Trade Assets Manager and HR Manager of Singapore,” he shared.

“I did not expect to pass the interview because I heard from HR (Singapore) that there were other applicants from different countries. The pressure and high expectations from my friends and family also got to me but luckily, I was able to withstand them all,” he added.

Paul believes Nestle Singapore will help him fulfill his objectives to sustain academic learning and career development. As an intern in this company, he will be handling Trade Asset Optimization Management (field tracking, inventory, procurement, etc.) of data coming from Asia, Oceania, and Africa which is right up the alley of his specialization, Service Management and Business Analytics.

“I’ve been exposed to complicated and challenging tasks in FEU Tech but I am still able to learn, grow and smile. I always believe that every day is a learning experience,” Paul said. “I’m excited to be part of their team and make my alma mater proud.”

He was thankful to FEU Tech’s Industry-Academe Linkage, Alumni, and Placement (IALAP) Office for assisting him in this internship process.

“IALAP supported me from the beginning to the end of my internship application. The Director, Ms. Carmi Suarez, is very caring, supportive, and goes beyond the call of her duty to assist me in this pursuit,” Paul said.

Ms. Suarez is confident that Paul will do a great job in his internship abroad.

“For me, there are three words to describe a Tamaraw intern. First, they are Forgers equipped to mold themselves to become better even in the hardest situations. Second, they are Effluent and never lose innovative ideas that can change the shape of society. And lastly, they are Ubiquitous! They could be anywhere in the world after their internship. No company will say no to them,” she exclaimed.

With numerous local and international industry partners, IALAP’s biggest edge remains to be its personalized approach in dealing with the individual needs of each intern and ultimately narrowing the gap between the academe and the industry. Aside from this, their required number of internship hours has provided ample time for Tamaraws to truly immerse and learn the culture and technical requirements in their field of specialization.

“Through the vast array of connections we have, an industry-relevant and competitive internship experience definitely awaits our students,” Ms. Suarez said. “It will always be our primary goal to make them ready for the ‘real world’ as they continue living the core values of fortitude, excellence, and uprightness.”