2024 | Media & Communications Department: Matthew Lim

Coming to IPOS, and to the Media & Communications Department (MCD) didn’t seem like a natural choice for me when I applied. But in my 6 months here, I’m grateful to have been proven wrong, and for IPOS and MCD to have taken a chance on me.

I wouldn't characterise my internship here as a particularly easy one. Two days into the job, I was tasked with creating an EDM to promote one of IPOS' events. My response: "What exactly is an EDM ah?" (side note, it's essentially an online flyer, and one of the most common marketing tools). But as much as I've served as a source of stress for the MCD team, I'm grateful for their willingness to be patient and guide me through what I don't know, and at the same time, I'm equally grateful for their willingness to set and enforce standards.

Some unique experiences while I was here was being able to work with an inventor under WIPO's Inventor Assistance Programme (IAP). While covering his story and publicising it to various media outlets along the way, I genuinely felt that I was able to make a positive difference in the work that I was doing, even if only for one person, and one product. And I think I've been privileged to feel that even as I'm still only an intern - it's a rare experience being able to see the positive impacts of one's work so directly.

Some of the unique innovations and locations I’ve gotten to see as part of the World IP Day 2024.

In addition, I was able to work on the publicity efforts for the World Intellectual Property Day 2024 celebrations! I had the opportunity to coordinate video shoots with well-known influencers (and get some nice photos too), as well as learn about various marketing and publicity strategies. In addition, I gained great insight into sustainability, an increasingly important sector in Singapore.

Through all this, I’ve learnt that:

People truly matter, and I’ve learnt that by being able to work with a supportive team and management. At IPOS, I believe that I've been motivated to capitalise on my own strengths as well as learn from those with a wealth of experience to share. It has taught me that a good team can often be worth more than the most interesting work or benefits.

I believe that working at IPOS allows you to truly develop and grow yourself, while learning a lot more about a “hidden” (yet truly vital) part of Singapore’s industry and economy.

This is exemplified by the fact that while working here, I’ve been privileged to meet a large yet diverse community of individuals beyond just the Media & Communications department (another perk of the internship!) who, though specialising in different areas (such as engagement, economics, and administration) have a shared purpose in supporting Singapore’s efforts in becoming a global IP and innovation hub.