Nanyang Poly student engineers comeback after near-expulsion, wanting to 'throw studies away'
But being given a second chance made all the difference for Seamus Liew, who is now one of Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP)'s most outstanding graduates.
He recently won a gold medal in Mechanical Engineering CAD (Computer-Aided Design) at WorldSkills Singapore 2025 - his first major competition and proudest achievement to date.
"Because not only did I do it for myself, I did it for my teachers. I had promised them that I would win something. I also did it for my family and my friends, so winning made me very proud," Seamus told Stomp.
Getting here was far from easy, however.
Seamus opened up about a dark time in his life, when he had to "put aside" his studies due to personal struggles. He was then in the Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP), a bridging year at NYP designed to prepare students for their diploma courses.
"I actually overlooked a test. I completely didn't see the email. And because of that, I failed one of the modules and had to appeal against being expelled from the programme," he recounted.
"That put me in a deeper hole, because I was already dealing with some personal stuff. I felt like giving up and just throwing my studies away.
"I asked the director of PFP to give me another chance. He empathised with my situation and gave me that second chance. I took it."
Even after graduating with a Diploma in Engineering with Business, Seamus has not stopped upskilling or pursuing his passion. He currently helps out at NYP's Mechatronics department while awaiting enlistment into National Service.
Seamus at his NYP workspace. PHOTO: STOMP
Seamus, who also has interests in accounting, computing and mechanical design, said perseverance and commitment are key.
He added: "Because when I feel like giving up, I also feel motivated to not give up. It's like a loop and I think that is my greatest strength."
The WorldSkills Singapore 2025 competition tested that mindset to the limit.
"The first day, I went in thinking that I could do it. Turns out I could not, because some of the tasks were intentionally designed to be impossible to complete," Seamus recalled.
"It was very daunting and really demotivating for the participants, and I felt like giving up.
"However, I remembered my loop. Through it, I gained motivation for the next two days and pushed through."
Seamus is a gold medallist at WorldSkills Singapore 2025. PHOTO: NANYANG POLYTECHNIC
The aspiring design engineer hopes to next make his mark at the WorldSkills ASEAN Competition and snag gold for Singapore.
His mantra?
"Don't give up even when things seem impossible."
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This has been corrected to four of his NYP schoolmates. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
