They no longer lose out in the job race; some even win scholarships for university. Mr Yeo Li Pheow faced a torrent of feedback when he started work as Republic Polytechnic's (RP's) principal in 2008. In 2009, Mr Yeo introduced internships and made changes to the curriculum so that courses would be more industry-focused. Today, RP students start preparing for industry from the moment they enter the institution. New graduate Benny Yip, 26, said that his internship led to a job offer and a scholarship for a university degree. He graduated last week with a diploma in health management and promotion. He did an internship at Alliance Healthcare Group, which was impressed enough to sponsor his studies for a degree in social science at SMU.