Oracle Academy Data Modelling Competition 2008!

The team, lecturers and the high-flyers of Oracle

Over a hundred teams took part in the prestigious Oracle Academy Global Data Modelling Competition 2008, and Temasek Polytechnic's very own made it onto the top honours list!

The team consisting of Teh Xue Fen Shellen, from the Diploma in Internet & Multimedia Development, Koh Jun Kiat and myself, both seniors of our very own Dip FBI, clinched a 6th place finish in the competition. This earned us bragging rights as the only Asian and Singaporean team in the top honours list of 11 teams.

However, the road to this achievement was fraught with much difficulty. The Oracle Academy Global Data Modelling Competition requires participating teams to create a database ERD diagram based on a given topic, for a fictionalised company or organisation of the team’s choosing. For this edition of the competition, the theme was meteorological weather systems, definitely not the ideal topic for amateurs in the field. At this point, it was late November, some 6 weeks to D-Day.

Without any knowledge of such systems, we turned to the National Enviroment Agency (NEA) Meteorological Services to find out more. Despite having busy schedules of their own, they were still willing to take time out to help us through with our data gathering efforts. And this even though we were pretty much clueless on what we needed to find out! For their invaluable help, kudos go out to Mr. Lesley Choo and his colleagues at NEA Meteorological Services.

Information in hand, we moved on to translating it into our ERD "masterpiece". Countless hours were spent drawing up and re-drawing our diagrams. Without a doubt, this was the toughest part. In the space of three weeks, we went through many major revamps, and each revamp had to be done in an even shorter span of time than the last. All this on top of a full-load of school and CCA commitments!

But things started falling into place. Slowly but surely, we began to put together a coherent and solid diagram, one that withstood the rigourous questions from not just ourselves, but the lecturers as well. Along with the diagram, we submitted a set of Microsoft PowerPoint slides which detailed the ERD diagram. Finally, on the morning of D-Day, we were done.

After a four month wait, the results were finally released in May, to our great surprise and joy. Our hard work had paid off! But at this point, I must pause to give special thanks to our dear lecturers, Ms How Woan Ling and Ms Cheng Huey Chen. Without their strong support and help, we would not have achieved what we did. To the lecturers we owe a BIG THANK YOU!

By Benny Chng

An Unforgettable Study Tour

Lasting for six days from the 7th June 2008 to the 13th June 2008 , the Global Citizenship (GC) study tour to Paris and London was a successful and fun-filled experience. Lead by Ms Marlina Binte Mastor and Mr Toh Kee Heng, the lecturers, the group of 30 Financial Business Informatics (FBI) students had a great time experiencing the rich culture and history of London, and shop in the hyped-up Paris.The purpose of this trip was to have a cultural exchange with the locals, and to apply what we have learnt during the GC lectures and tutorials in real time situations, which in this case, is the overseas trip. Some of the highlights of the trip were taking a Ferris wheel ride on the London Eye, a cruise night tour around the Eiffel Tower and visiting the University college of London, the Bank of England Museum, Thomson Reuters and having fun in Paris DisneyLand.Footsteps were left behind while memories brought back to Singapore. This study tour is really beneficial in providing me an actual real fact of how living in London and Paris were like, especially in Paris, where we get to live in a hostel. Moreover, our lecturers have also given us the chance to ask around the locals and interact with them. The tour is also offered us a sense of freedom as we get to tour around the city to spend a day on our own doing the activities that we love to. For instance, entering the horrifying London Dungeon and to shop and have our own lunch around the shopping malls, cafes or pubs.In conclusion, I would like to end off my report with some of my personal reflection. Being as a first time traveler to overseas has really widened my horizon and enlarges my vision and thinking. Furthermore, the feeling of traveling to the other side of the world with my best friends and to spend quality time with them really makes this journey an awesome one.

By Chee Meng

Study Trip In London-Paris

FBI students at University College London, a world class university ranked among the top 10 globally.

Ms Zorbas explaining the courses offered in UCL.

At UCL's Virtual Trading Floor, which is supported by Reuters and 4 leading investment banks - Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley.

Dr Christopher Clack, Director, Financial Computing and Quantitative Finance at UCL giving a demo on the Reuters 3000 Xtra to FBI students at the UCL's Virtual Trading Floor.

At the Bank of England. Wei Choy, we can see you !

Marlina posing with Paul Julius Reuter.

At London Bridge with Tower Bridge in the background. London Bridge is defintely NOT falling down !

FBI gals, Nicole, Erlianna, Li Zhen, Uyanga, Shu Xian, Huan Yi, Joyce and Valerie at The London Eye.

Gisele, Shawn, Ashwin, Leo, Nadiah and Naqiah enjoying the famous British fish & chips meal.

Shu Xian, Erlianna and Long Jun having dinner in an English pub.

The Bobby at Buckingham Palace - a favourite among the FBI students. Nicole and Huan Yi taking a snap before the changing of the guards.

Travelling on the Eurostar, a high-speed train service from London to Paris. Marlina just before embarking.

Arrival at the Eurostar terminal located at Gare du Nord station in Central Paris.

Eiffel Tower - the icon of France

At Disneyland Paris

Reuters Development Centre in Paris

Mr Mody giving a presentation of the latest state-of-the-art applications and financial solutions at the Reuters Development Centre in Paris.

Reflection Time - Yuan Hong, Wan Ying, Chee Meng, Zhi Yuan and Jonathan.