AT A GLANCE:
Access to data is immensely valuable to support data analytics between public institutions, as well as between the public and private sector. Enabling a Trusted Research and real-world data Utilisation and Sharing Tech, or enTRUST, is a national data exchange platform that facilitates secure data sharing and analysis of anonymised research and real-world data. This provides a central infrastructure and governance solution for sector-specific Public-Private Data Sharing (PPDS) projects. To develop his capability to build a platform of such scale, Teng Fone began skilling up at GovTech Digital Academy (DA).
BACKGROUND:
Before there was enTRUST, there was the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) TRUST – a PPDS project platform in the healthcare sector. Using this success as a springboard, the technical team set out to make this infrastructure available across other sectors. This is where Teng Fone, a Data Engineer on the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Division (DSAID) in GovTech, enters the scene. His key responsibilities involve the backend and frontend infrastructure development of enTRUST, but he also plays a pivotal role in shaping the overall system architecture.
Teng Fone is passionate about fostering an environment of knowledge exchange to promote mutual understanding and technical proficiency. Professional errors, to Teng Fone, are opportunities for growth. By reflecting on setbacks and sharing his insights, he cultivates a workplace culture rooted in shared learning. This commitment has allowed him to bring his ultimate goal of fortifying the team’s capacity to develop and deliver superior, dependable and secure platform products closer to fruition.
NEED FOR UPSKILLING:
Design thinking involves placing user needs at the forefront of solution generation. When he was deliberating between two approaches (container-based approach versus a conventional compute instance) for enTRUST, Teng Fone could have gone down the conventional route. Instead, he went beyond his comfort zone to implement the container approach that was better suited for the users. Not to mention, it was also more scalable and easier to maintain! However, there was a catch; he needed to upskill to maximise the benefits of this approach.
LEARNING JOURNEY:
Situation
Teng Fone and his team needed to develop a deployable and manageable web server through SHIP GitLab. As the backend web server developer, Teng Fone was faced with a dilemma – he could adopt a conventional compute instance or he could adopt a container-based approach. Either approach would have sufficed, but Teng Fone saw the clear advantages of the container-based approach.
Task
Prior to development, the team received a surprising demand for the extensive development of large scales of containers. That said, user feedback was not their only consideration. Compared to the conventional compute instance, the container-based approach had superior scalability and would be easier to maintain. This solidified Teng Fone’s decision to push forward with the deployment of the container-based approach.
Action
While Teng Fone successfully deployed the container-based approach, he had reservations about his decision. That was also around the time that he came to know about the programmes offered by DA. Excited by the prospect of receiving instructor feedback and acquiring fresh insight on his existing work practices, he jumped at the opportunity to enrol! Teng Fone learnt techniques for the seamless deployment of infrastructure under the tutelage of knowledgeable facilitators. With this newfound knowledge, Teng Fone’s confidence in his containerisation skills grew. The programmes also deepened his understanding of concepts relevant to his work, as well as equipped him with enhanced strategies for security, scalability and system performance optimisation.
Results
With their new skills in Amazon Web Services (AWS) and container technologies, the team was able to integrate enhanced robust security measures and deployment protocols into their daily operational framework. Not only has this resulted in significant improvements in team efficiency, it also heightened reliability within their product portfolio!
Teng Fone was also able to meet programme attendees from various backgrounds. Through conversing with them, he could glean fresh insight on his existing work practices. As a whole, the experience opened his eyes to diverse perspectives that he could apply to both the advancement of his projects and his personal growth.
“Established practices often stem from routine procedures or perceived familiarity. The guidance of the exceptionally skilled instructors at GovTech Digital Academy (DA) can spark a shift in perspective on the execution and advancement of projects., DA also provides programmes that align with individual interests. For instance, an engineer can seamlessly acquire valuable insights by taking programmes in Product Management, thus broadening their horizons.”
Phang Teng Fone
Data Engineer, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Division, GovTech
NEXT STEPS:
Teng Fone is keen to attend programmes that cover other Cloud platforms such as Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). He would also like to delve into other areas of expertise such as Product Management for his own personal growth and to further add value to GovTech and Singapore Public Service.
EMBARK ON YOUR LEARNING JOURNEY:
By upskilling, Teng Fone built a learning culture that oriented towards innovation and consistent improvement.
Keen to embark on your own learning journey?
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