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Myanmar(Burma), officially called the Republic of Union of Myanmar, was once colonized by the British. The English people brought their technology, railways and built ports which led to the growth of economy which led to Myanmar, becoming the richest country in Southeast Asia. Myanmar got independence from 4 Jan, 1948. Then, coup d'état followed, which was joined by unsystematic governance later. The country turned from best to worst and it shut itself off from the world until 2011.


British rule in Myanmar in 19th Century. Credits: alchetron.com


Then, in 2011, the country opened up to the outside world which led to many transformations, especially in telecommunication industry. This further led to tremendous increase in usage of the internet in the country, opening more doors for the foreign industries to enter. But, there is a problem: our people and our education are not ready for the new market and there is a very big demand for the skilled worker, especially in engineering. With the loss of direction and motivation for our people inside the country, we must turn to an able organization that will be able to help us out in providing the needs.


Victory in Myanmar for the people. Credits: Huffington Post


Myanmar has badly lagged global and regional growth norms for decades, and the education system is in terrible shape, as are other key social services. Hence, it is a norm for young bright generations of the country to pursue higher education oversea, and Singapore is one of the most popular location. Back in December 2016, IET-PSB on Campus was setup in PSB Academy being the second IET On Campus after IET-NTU in Singapore. From the initial founding committee of six, two of them are from Myanmar. Thomas was elected as President, and Sean elected as Secretary. Like most other Myanmar students, they are highly motivated and passionate, and always determined to pursue their dreams. Upon joining IET-PSB On campus with a great burden on their shoulders, Thomas and Sean were up to the challenges, and they focused on building a strong team of committed committees, and created a very collaborative and supportive culture among the teams. In April 2017, Sean graduated with a Diploma degree in Electrical Engineering, and decided to take a 1 year break before continuing his study. Thomas currently decided to take a 4 months break before continuing his study in Singapore. Both of them had an idea to try to contribute and expand the IET network to their beloved country.


Thomas, Sean with other IET volunteers


“Today, I’ve met the Chindwin On Campus committee who look very promising to expand the network of the IET. I hope that the future engineering and technology development of Myanmar will become better and greater with the presence of a local IET network. Moreover, even though it will be tough, I feel that we can make it happen as Sean and I will try out best to support the On Campus group. ” - Thomas


“After coming back from Singapore and with the experience that I’ve got from IET-PSB on campus, I found out that If I keep on working hard, I improve on myself day by day. I hope I can contribute to the world with all the learning that I have done, which includes Myanmar. With the enthusiasm of IET Chindwin On Campus committee, I am very positive about the impact and future development of IET in Myanmar.” - Sean