From solutions analyst to AI engineering, SIT Applied Computing (Fintech) student Jasbir Kaur's work attachments with AIA culminated in an Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) that brought together technical expertise, business knowledge and the confidence to contribute beyond the job description. 

Speaking alongside AIA's senior leaders at the company's International Women's Day (IWD) 2026 event is not an experience most interns would expect. Yet for Jasbir Kaur, it became one of the defining moments of her Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) — a moment she had, in many ways, been building towards without realising it.
 

Jasbir (second from left) was given the opportunity to speak on her perspective as an intern at the start of her career, on building confidence, finding role models, and seeking support as a woman in the workplace at AIA’s International Women’s Day event. (Photo: Jasbir Kaur)
 

Building on Experience at AIA 

Jasbir’s time with AIA unfolded in three distinct phases, each building on the experience and insights gained from the last. What began as an early exposure to the company’s technology division later broadened into a business-focused role, before culminating in her IWSP as an AI engineer. By the time she took the stage at the IWD panel, she wasn't just an intern with something to say. She was someone who had earned the context to say it. 

Her first undergraduate work attachment placed her in the company's technology division, offering an early window into how a large corporate organisation functions from the inside. "I learnt about front-end development for AIA's projects and how the technology teams support business operations," she recalled. It was an eye-opening start, and one that left a lasting impression on both sides.  

Keen to understand the business side of the equation, Jasbir used her second work attachment to step into a solutions analyst role, gaining exposure to business workflows and processes. The experience broadened her perspective, but also sharpened her sense of direction. Determined to return to technology, she applied for her IWSP with the team that had first welcomed her. The hard work she had put in was not lost on her supervisors, and she was offered a role in the team.

Jasbir was also an emcee for the 2026 AIA Singapore Internship Vitality Challenge, a fitness event bringing AIA interns together for a day of friendly competition and camaraderie. (Photo: Jasbir Kaur)

Bringing Business and Technology Together 

Being back in the familiar territory of the technology team meant Jasbir could get into action quickly. Now taking on the role of an AI engineer, she joined the team developing a chatbot to automate labour-intensive workflow processes while ensuring its responses complied with existing regulatory controls.
 

Armed with the business knowledge gained during her previous work attachment and her familiarity with the organisation's applications and platforms, Jasbir hit the ground running. “It felt like my experiences from both placements came together in one full circle. I was able to onboard quickly and add value to the team with my prior experiences in both departments,” Jasbir shared. 
 

One of Jasbir's highlights during her IWSP came when she met a key technical requirement for the team's project, enabling the platform to handle multiple intents at once. Through experimentation and multiple iterations, she developed a workflow that could loop in multiple workflows simultaneously and then collect and combine their responses into a single, coherent answer, allowing the team to continue building on the project's capabilities. 

Keeping Pace with AI 
 

In the world of AI, nothing stays still for long. A workflow Jasbir built in January 2026 had to be revised months later when the underlying platform underwent significant updates, requiring her to revise prompts, restructure data and adapt to new capabilities. When asked whether she finds it challenging, Jasbir said, “It is a challenge, but the fast-paced and ever-evolving nature of the industry is also what I relish about the job. This is what I want to do.” 
 

Keeping pace with the rapidly evolving AI landscape requires a conscious and deliberate effort to stay abreast of the latest developments in AI and financial regulations. Alongside her IWSP and final-year project, Jasbir spends her free time keeping up with new developments, particularly guidelines and regulations issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). “I need to ensure that what I develop is aligned with the regulatory guidelines. If not, our team’s hard work will be wasted,” Jasbir said. 
 

Back at SIT Campus for an engagement talk. (Photo: Jasbir Kaur) 

Building Skills for the Workplace 

Modules covering AI, machine learning, Python programming and computing equipped Jasbir with the technical foundation she needed to contribute confidently during her IWSP. “These modules were extremely useful and relevant to my role as an AI engineer,” Jasbir said. But it was what she did outside the classroom that shaped how she showed up at work. 
 

As a SITizen ambassador, she took on roles as a moderator and emcee at campus events, learning to communicate clearly, engage different audiences and remain composed in front of crowds. "These opportunities helped build my confidence in speaking on and off stage, which has been a bonus when I need to present at work," Jasbir said. She also emceed the 2026 AIA Singapore Internship Vitality Challenge, a fitness event that brought interns together for a day of friendly competition. For Jasbir, it reflected something she has come to value about AIA. "AIA has a very people-inclusive culture. Events like these show how much the organisation genuinely invests in its people, even its interns." 

Growing into the Role 
 

When AIA opened the opportunity for final-year interns to volunteer as a panellist for the IWD event, Jasbir stepped forward. On the day, she found herself sharing the stage with senior leaders at AIA, speaking on building confidence, finding role models, and seeking support as a woman at the start of her career. "Getting to share my voice at that level was something I genuinely valued," she said. 
 

It was a long way from her first day in the technology division, and a reminder that at AIA, and at SIT, the goal was never just to get the job done. It was to grow into someone who could do more than the job asked. 

For students preparing for their IWSP, Jasbir’s advice is simple: “Know what you want and be intentional about pursuing it. Opportunities are everywhere – you just need the courage to take the first step.”