Often times, I hear from fellow overseas students commenting on the lack of positive recognition and support from the nation, which shouldn't come only after these students have become successful in the fields they specialize in. They want the government to recognize that establishing themselves overseas does not amount to disowning Singapore, nor do they deserve to be at the negative end of the old "quitters and stayers" debate. Instead, the government should value the benefits that are derived from an active overseas Singaporean workforce.

One such benefit from an active overseas Singaporean workforce is the lesser strain upon the local employment scene. The local talent pool has to face poor local support ranging from companies granting relatively lower salaries to them than to their overseas counterparts, plus having to face competition from the government's ever-beloved foreign talent, and on top of that, returning Singaporeans who have acquired broader skills, knowledge and overseas experience. It's tough enough when the government supports illegal immigrants who are successful; or attracts international professionals with generous funding rather than groom local talent. In such a harsh environment against the locally-educated, let not the overseas students make things worst for fellow Singaporeans.

While local branding in the global market is honorable, overseas Singaporeans should also be recognized for being a part of global big names such as Microsoft, Motorola, KPMG, Boeing etc. Singaporean employees in these companies carry the island's identity with them, and Singapore should be proud that overseas Singaporeans are a part of such successful establishments. Encourage overseas students to work abroad, instead of painting them as disloyal for not contributing to the local economy and technological advancement. Objectively speaking, this includes bond-breakers who paid the full monetary penalty in order to cash in on a greater career opportunity in the global scene. There is no need to create animosity against them, and lose valuable home-grown talents in the process. Rather, give them a sense of belonging and let them feel proud of being a Singaporean. Who knows what these scholars can contribute to the local scene in the future.

Some overseas students want to be a part of nation building too, and the government could encourage and facilitate their enthusiasm. While they may not feel the immediate pinch of poor public policies, they do call Singapore their home and consider raising a family here. Singapore is renowned to possess a safe and secure environment, and also offers a comprehensive academic and moral education. Overseas Singaporeans would know better, since they might have had a closer look at social issues and threats that exist outside the island. Hear what they may propose, make an effort to convince them of the policies in question, and have just that much more patience to discover overseas individuals who love Singapore too.

That said, more faith in the public sector could do good for the overseas scene, which is sometimes hard to come by considering selected policies that these organizations uphold. Being stationed abroad, many Singaporeans are exposed to more efficient systems and policies, and would expect local organizations to at least adopt some of their better attributes. Take for example the over-emphasis of academic grades when selecting manpower and determining aptitude, which at times can put many capable applicants off. The requests for A- and O-level grades from a graduate job applicant serve only to discriminate using factors irrelevant to the job itself, but such practices are still evident in the public sector's employee selection process today. Many overseas Fortune 500 companies, which often owe their successes to capable employees, utilize technical and personality tests to evaluate potential candidates. At the same time they omit information during the application processes that are irrelevant to the job post, such as race, photos, and high school results.

Government offices located abroad too could facilitate in earning confidence from overseas students, since they would frequently be at the frontline interacting with them. Events organized by Singaporean students abroad could be more eagerly supported by organizations such as Contact Singapore. However, since Contact Singapore's restructuring in the United States, resources have mainly been diverted towards their main mission of attracting foreigners into Singapore. Many student leaders share the same experience of having a hard time trying to seek Contact Singapore's support for their events. Contact Singapore has always focused themselves on wooing global talents, and not establishing stronger bonds between overseas Singaporeans and their island home. Hopefully the new Overseas Singaporean Unit could serve as a timely solution to the situation.

The renewed attention towards overseas Singaporeans in this global arena comes as a welcoming start for many like myself in the coming few years. However, more could have been done to better encourage and facilitate these countrymen who have the opportunity and courage to venture beyond our local shores besides. Besides taking new initiatives like the OSU, a review on existing mindsets and structures would greatly benefit this cause too. For now let's just hope that this is the first step of an improving social and economic scene, and not just more embellished hype.