Shayna Ng – Professional Bowler
Shayna Ng, one of our 2022 interns, shares her experience with Portas. Shayna is a 3-time world bowling champion and a 2-time Sportswoman of the Year. She was also listed in the Forbes 30 under 30 in 2019.
- Course / University: BSc Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University (2014)
- Portas office location: Singapore
Life before consulting
I have been bowling most of my life (18 years!). I am still pursuing my professional bowling career, while completing my internship at Portas. I recently began to realise the importance of planning for a life beyond sports and decided to explore the corporate world.
Given my experience as an elite athlete, and Portas’ mission to harness the benefits of sports for all, it felt like a good match.
My Portas internship
During my internship I supported with research on trends and global initiatives for Diversity and Inclusion in Sport. Given my interest in women and sport (I am on the Singapore National Olympic Council’s Women in Sport Commission), this was very interesting to me. The role includes developing content, problem solving, planning, and executing site visits. I have also supported a project focused on the area of public sports facilities.
The best bits of my internship
The opportunity alone is something I am grateful for! As an elite athlete, Portas is very accommodating of my training commitments. I have been allowed to split my time between work and training, and the team in the APAC office is very welcoming!
Challenges I met during the internship
Having had no prior experience in the corporate world, I naturally struggled with the hard skills – excel, data modelling, etc. It has been a steep learning curve – but I expected no less!
What I learned from my internship
I received excellent training in PowerPoint and Excel and am still learning to process information in a more structured way.
My perception of sport before and after joining Portas is vastly different. It is interesting to see sport from a business perspective – and its potential for growth. Sport can truly unite and impact beyond the sporting community. I am thankful to be part of this ecosystem.
My advice to incoming interns
#1: Maintain a growth mindset. The more I learn, the more I realise how much I don’t know. Knowledge is never-ending and the only way to grow is to keep an open mind.
#2: Embrace the learning curve. Challenge yourself to things you didn’t think you could do.
#3: Communication is key. Always communicate with your buddy / mentor. When in doubt, ask. And contribute to discussions, wherever possible.
