Miss Georgiana Ang, in her 20s, an undergraduate pursuing Nanyang Technological University’s Double Degree in Accountancy and Business, shares how the Auditor- General’s Office (AGO) Auditing Service Scholarship complements her interests and career plans:

Q: Tell us more about your choice of degree programme.
My interest in finance started from young. For example, I found it interesting to manage the class funds when I was the class treasurer in secondary school — even though that was only an amateur form of accounting.

As I grew older, I became interested in investing, so my parents would teach me how to make some sense of companies’ financial statements when they received them in the mail.

While exploring the list of business degree specialisations, I was drawn to business analytics for data exploration and visualisation. With my skills in programming and computers, I enjoy creating a Web app almost from scratch, or coding something useful to automate or simplify tasks. In today’s era, knowledge in data analytics is useful.

Q: Why did the AGO Auditing Service Scholarship appeal to you?
When I was 19 years old, I chanced upon the scholarship while browsing a scholarship booklet distributedin school the day the A-level results were released.

The AGO Auditing Service Scholarship leads to a job in public sector auditing that involves checking on the proper accounting and use of public resources and monies. Such audits, carried out by the independent AGO, enhance public accountability and help strengthen the financial governance of the public sector.

I like the idea that the findings of public sector auditing help not just stakeholders of a company, but also the nation. It affects people residing in Singapore, Singaporeans living abroad, companies looking to invest in Singapore and also the countries we have ties with.

Q: What does the scholarship offer?
It provides full coverage of university tuition fees, hostel fees, living allowance as well as full sponsorship for an overseas exchange programme.

An internship with AGO is compulsory for all AGO Auditing Service Scholarship holders, and I am able to tap this internship to simultaneously meet Nanyang Business School’s internship requirement.

During my 10-week internship at AGO, I experienced audit work and tried out data analysis — putting my knowledge gleaned from school into practice. This work experience helped make my undergraduate journey more fulfilling.

Upon graduation, I will serve a four-year bond at AGO.