iWhiz, Singapore's first infocomm reality game show pits young talents against each other

Singapore now has its own Apprentice-meets-Survivor reality show set in the high-tech infocomm world.

The Infocomm Development of Singapore (IDA), together with several Institutes of Higher Learning(IHLs), the Singapore Computer Society and the Singapore Science Centre, has created iWhiz, a weekly 10-episode reality series where contestants have to use their infocomm skills and knowledge to solve challenges set out each week.

Hosted by MediaCorp TV artistes Mr Julian Hee and Ms Tracy Tan, iWhiz features 12 contestants aged 15 to 21 years old, who are grouped into three teams. The challenges are developed in line with the National Infocomm Competition launched in June 2006, and revolve around popular and emerging infocomm areas such as security and networking, software programming, as well as digital media and games. The first episode that aired on 5th February at 8pm on Mediacorp TV Channel 5 saw the contestants trying to design a game that was targeted at women.

iWhiz's Chief Judge KC Lee, flanked by fellow judges Andrew Sansom and Colin Png as well as IDA's Assistant Chief Executive Mr Khoong Hock Yun, relates his account of the contestants' performances

Three resident judges were drawn from the public and private sectors. The chief judge is Mr Lee Kwok Cheong, better known as KC Lee, an infocomm veteran with vast experience in the infocomm industry and Chairman of the Infocomm Manpower Council. He is accompanied by Mr Andrew Sansom, Vice President of Singapore Computer Society and Mr Colin Png, Director, Business and Marketing Organisation from Microsoft Singapore. Each week, they will also be joined by guest judges from the IHLs who will provide the necessary subject expertise for each challenge.

Singapore's ultimate iWhiz will stand to win the ultimate iWhiz vacation - an all-expenses one-week paid trip to Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, USA. The winner will meet with key Microsoft executives and researchers; as well as tour the Microsoft Home of the Future, Microsoft Centre for Information Worker and the Microsoft Museum.

In every episode, home viewers can also expect to win copies of Windows Vista Home Premium and Office 2007 by watching iWhiz and sending in their answers to questions based on the show that week.

All the iWhiz contestants gamely pose for a group shot with the judges and hosts Julian Hee and Tracy Tan

According to the judges, viewers can expect to see a broad range of human emotions during the series. "There will be laughter and tears. At times you will also see anger," said Mr Lee. There were even hints of a budding romance between some of the contestants.

The contestants who also come from a varied background all hope to make a career in infocomm. If anything, participating in iWhiz has only served to stimulate their love for infocomm. "I had a lot of fun and would love to continue in this in the future," 18 year old Mr Jasmond Loh, said.

iWhiz was developed as part of the iN2015 Masterplan to attract more youth to choose infocomm as a career. "I think that people will see that there is more to infocomm than just programming," Mr Lee said, "hopefully they will come away from this series with an understanding that infocomm can also be fun and challenging. We are hoping that more of the youth of Singapore will see what infocomm can offer them and make it their long term career choice."

For more information:

• iWhiz airs on Mondays, Channel 5, 8.00 pm-8.30 pm, MediaCorp TV. (till 16 April 2007)
• The Future is Infocomm. Be a Player. If you wish to find out more on how you can become a part of Singapore's infocomm talent, please visit www.infocommtalent.sg.