Saturday, November 29, 2008
Okay. So internship ended yesterday. 2 weeks of understanding and finding out what CPG Corporation, and the Information Technology Department in particular, was all about.
Admittedly, before this internship, I havent a single clue who CPG Corporation were and what they did. But after introductions to the corporation on the first day, I was simply blown away by the sheer magnitude of this organisation.
Disclaimer: They have a website,
here. To make sure I do not violate their confidentiality agreement, what I'll be sharing with you is readily available on their website. It'll be summarised in my point of view, making it, in my opinion, easier to process. However, should you wish to get the information first hand out of the website itself, feel free to go ahead. Oh, and I'd better add that while I am trying to, whatever I post may not be 100% accurate in reflecting the actual fact of the company. Should you realise that to be the case, please do contact me so I can make necessary amendments as soon as possible to avoid further confusion.
Okay. First, the who. Now, lets start with some of its history..
CPG Corporation was originally a Singapore government organisation, previously named the Public Works Department. It basically oversaw the development of Singapore, and had many sub-divisions under it, one of which is now known as the Housing Development Board. However, the PWD was privatised in 1999 under Temasek Holdings, and key national divisions like the HDB remained under the government while others followed PWD into the private sector. The PWD was later renamed CPG Corporation in 2002, and was sold the following year to an Australian company by the name of Downer EDI, where it remains now.
Geographically speaking, CPG Corporation occupies the 11th to 18th, except 14th, storeys of Novena Square Tower B.
So secondly, the what. What do they do, you ask?
Put simply, CPG Corporation is a consultation firm. They take care of everything in the life cycle of a building or structure. Every nitty gritty detail from the birth of an idea right up to the maintenance of the completed building. They oversee the construction of the building, its material evaulation and site selection amongst many others. The only thing they do not do though, is the actual construction, which they sub-let out to contractors to handle under their supervision.
Each major phase of a project life cycle is handled by one of their 8 main subsidaries.
Its difficult not to be in awe after being exposed to their portfolio, especially since you're practically living in it. And it doesnt hurt that they can easily show you they're portfolio through any one of their tower windows overlooking the city.
Their portfolio can be found at their website. Im not about to type them out here, cause Im definitely not crazy. Theres just too many. But you'll soon realise that Im not exaggerating when I said you really are living in their portfolio. There's an almost 100% chance that you've been to one of their projects before. And like my mentor Mr Tong, Head of the Information Technology Department, said, "Its a 'cradle to grave' thing."
I'll have more on my reflections another time.
"Sixteen people were undergoing treatment for possibly having rabies in May in Hilton Head, S.C., after exposure to a baby raccoon later discovered to be rabid. While some of the 16 had merely cuddled it, an unknown number apparently could not resist kissing the wild animal on the lips."
Alone in darkness at
10:35 PM
