From Associate to Engineer: Blast Engineer Yeo Hwee Kiat’s journey of growth

Blast Engineer Yeo Hwee Kiat shares about how the culture and opportunities at HTX have given him purpose and allowed him to grow both personally and professionally.

Hwee Kiat

Sitting in the audience at the 6th International Conference on Protective Structures (ICPS6), HTX Blast Engineer Yeo Hwee Kiat was anxiously fidgeting with his laptop as he mentally rehearsed his presentation.

The conference, held at Auburn University in the U.S., brought together researchers from around the world to share their findings on the protection of civil infrastructure against natural and man-made explosions, impact, and other extreme loadings.

More than 24 countries participated and contributed to 190 presentations. Four speakers from HTX, the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) were chosen to present Singapore’s research findings. At just 28 years old, Hwee Kiat was one of them.

Nerves aside, he delivered his presentation with confidence and poise. "I am excited and honoured to have been able to present the research we have done to an international community of like-minded professionals," he proudly declared.

For him, experiences like this are part of what makes working at the HTX Protective Security & Safety Centre of Expertise (PSS CoE) so rewarding.

Identifying a job with purpose

Hwee Kiat joined the organisation through the HTX Science & Technology (S&T) Associate Programme in 2020. Then a fresh graduate from NUS — with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) degree with Honours (Distinction), specialising in Aeronautical Engineering — he was looking for a career in which he could grow and contribute to society.

With its commitment to employee development and its focus on Singapore’s security, the HTX Associate Programme fit the bill.

Armed with a background in Mechanical Engineering and the knowledge of conducting Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations that he gained during his final year project, Hwee Kiat saw a perfect fit and decided to join PSS CoE. This began his journey and his involvement in developing industry guides, tools, and standards for blast engineering in Singapore.

A notable project he has worked on was developing a fast-running method to predict the effects of blast propagation in partially confined spaces. This project is targeted for use by fellow blast engineers who are forward-deployed in the Singapore Police Force’s Centre for Protective Security, which focuses on Security-By-Design (SBD) projects and event security planning.

The work is particularly meaningful to Hwee Kiat because of Singapore’s urban landscape and high population density. “We must always be prepared against possible terror attacks. One way to do so is to study the effects of explosions in semi-confined environments, as it is through this understanding that we can further assess the structural resiliency of building designs, so as to prevent progressive collapse that could lead to more casualties,” he emphasises.

I really appreciate how Er. Dr Tan charts the developmental plans for each of us based on our experience level, so we have a clear direction for our personal and professional growth.

Finding opportunities for personal development

He adds that the opportunity to speak about his passion at ICPS6 was a major milestone in his young career — and one made possible by the technical mentorship of his co-author, Er. Dr Tan Swee Hong, Head (Blast Engineering), PSS CoE.

In addition to guiding Hwee Kiat through his research and in refining his ICPS6 presentation, Er. Dr Tan also shared his views on how Hwee Kiat can upgrade his skills progressively towards achieving formal accreditation as a Professional Engineer.

In 2022, Hwee Kiat sat for the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FEE) for Mechanical Engineering (ME) and passed on his first attempt. He is now preparing for the next milestone, which is the Practice of Professional Engineering Examination (PPE). Passing both registration examinations is required as part of the multi-year assessment framework before any candidate with sufficient work experience can apply to sit for the final interview by the Professional Engineers Board.

Gratefully, Hwee Kiat exclaims: “I really appreciate how Er. Dr Tan charts the developmental plans for each of us based on our experience level, so we have a clear direction for our personal and professional growth. All these developmental opportunities would also not have been possible without Director (PSS CoE)’s and HTX management’s fullest support, especially so for my recent work trip to present at ICPS6!”

Ng Shu Herng, the Director of PSS CoE explains: “Here in HTX, we place a great deal of emphasis on training and development of our officers. This is particularly pertinent for very niche technical disciplines such as blast engineering, which are not typically taught in Universities at undergraduate levels. HTX identifies suitable candidates like Hwee Kiat, and then groom them through a structured developmental programme comprising a combination of on-the-job training, mentorship, and post-graduate courses. This is how we build up in-house capabilities that enables us to fulfil our mission as the Home Team’s force multiplier.”

Building both community and career

That said, a culture of support and emphasis on development is something Hwee Kiat has grown used to in his time at HTX.

“The HTX management doesn’t view us as just engineers or work horses to carry out tasks on a day-to-day basis. They care about our personal development,” he explains.

In 2022, for example, the company hosted the HTX DeepRacer Challenge, an event in which HTX partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) Singapore to explore Machine Learning in a fun and interactive way. This was done through autonomous miniature race cars fitted with individually trained Reinforcement Learning models. More than 300 Xponents from technical and non-technical backgrounds participated in the event, which included workshops and immersion visits to AWS.

As a member of the HTX House Challenge (HTXHC) organising committee that planned the event, Hwee Kiat had the added advantage of gaining valuable experience in planning, procurement, logistics and more. Perhaps more importantly, he connected with people from different departments and forged friendships that he cherishes today.

This is why it is with confidence that he says: “I recommend those with a passion for science and technology and who wish to do meaningful work that directly contributes to Singapore’s security to consider the HTX S&T Associate Programme.” After all, it has given him more than just a career. Through it, he has also found a community in which he can grow and thrive.

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