AFTER getting 18 points for his O levels, Dennis Ler (main head picture), 27, chose to go to polytechnic to do mechanical engineering, instead of to a junior college.

But he pulled out after six months.

Remembering the time he worked part-time on the service staff of the Westin Stamford Hotel during his secondary school days, and with the support of his parents, he decided to do a diploma in hotel management at Shatec.

That decision proved to be his turning point.

He said: "Over the years, I was just an average student getting mediocre grades.

"But due to my interest in the hospitality industry, I passed with good results."

During National Service, he decided he wanted to further his studies.

So he enrolled at the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), which did not require him to have A-level qualifications.

In 2005, he did a diploma in economics, which is part of a programme run by the University of London (UOL).

"I was far behind my peers as I didn't have A levels. But I worked hard and hung on.

"With help from lecturers and friends, and my parents, I managed to get the results I wanted. My lecturers really helped me a lot and I'm very grateful to them. Every time I approached them with a problem, they were very patient, especially my econs teacher."

Dennis was second-highest in his class and passed with distinction for a UOL diploma.

SIM's programme manager Sylvia Yeo said that only three Singaporeans earned a diploma with distinction.

For the sociology examination, Dennis had the second-highest score among his cohort, though he had only just picked up the subject.

Doing so well, he said "was a major boost to my self-confidence". That spurred him to do a UOL degree course in business, graduating last June with a second-class upper honours.

Almost immediately, he started work at his father-in-law's garment company in Johor Baru.

Now a business planning and development executive, he said: "Going to SIM gave me a chance to prove to myself and to everyone that by working hard, one can achieve anything."

Like Dennis, Oh Jin Wei, 23, wanted a second chance to prove his academic abilities, after dropping out of his business information technology course at a polytechnic.

So he went to SIM to do a diploma in management studies. He not only completed his diploma, but did well enough to be awarded a bronze medal for his results.

Now pursuing a UOL degree in banking and finance, he said: "My lecturers come 30 minutes earlier before lessons just to answer our queries, stay back later to clarify our doubts, and organise extra revision classes near the examination period."

Jin Wei hopes that when he graduates, he will be able to find a job in the banking and finance industry.

From a slow start in their studies, both of them have come a long way.

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