Job progression and training are two things that often go hand in hand. However, many workers don’t know how or where to go to upskill and upgrade. Perhaps we can learn a thing or two from these inspirational workers who have taken training seriously, and are set to progress in their careers.
Preschool Teacher Juhanis Juwasa
When 26-year-old Juhanis Juwasa graduated with a Diploma in Food Science and Nutrition in 2011, she never thought she would end up being an English Teacher for My First Skool. After all, these two sectors are worlds apart.
After her graduation in 2011, she had an opportunity to be a relief childcare teacher in preschool. She took on that job knowing that she loved children, but that stint also made her realise her passion for early childhood education and that she had more to explore in the industry.
Juhanis pursued her passion further by becoming an assistant teacher with the same preschool two months later. Seven months later, in November 2012, she applied to be a preschool teacher with NTUC First Campus through the Trainee Teacher Scheme.
For 15 months, she had two days of on-the-job training and three days of studying at SEED Institute, an NTUC training institute, every week. She eventually graduated with a Professional Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education (Childcare) in May 2014 and was appointed an English Teacher at My First Skool at Tampines Avenue 4.
For Juhanis, learning and upgrading are important and a part of life.
She said: “Learning never stops as there is always something new to learn. Things change, so we need to upgrade ourselves to keep up with the knowledge and current trends.
“Now we have special needs children. So we have to know what is needed in order handle these children.”
She plans to pursue the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education in Psychology in UniSIM, which is in collaboration with SEED Institute. She is currently in the midst of her applications for the July 2017 intake.
Her principal approved of this upgrading step and encouraged her for being proactive in her own upskilling.
She hopes that this degree will enable her to understand children better, especially their behaviours, emotions and the way they think.
“I’m still learning to understand their needs. With this degree, hopefully I can support their learning and development better,” she added.
Marketing Executive Soh Ming Kai
As a marketing executive at Fitlion, Soh Ming Kai, 30, takes pride in providing an exceptional online shopping experience for customers. His employer is one of the top supplement and fitness accessories online retailer in Singapore.
“E-commerce will certainly take over brick-and-mortar shops. Even now, we see a lot of physical shops closing down or branching out their businesses by going online,” said Ming Kai.
Ming Kai was one of two Fitlion employees that took on the SkillsFuture Study Award for the Retail Sector in April last year. The award, provided by SPRING Singapore, supports early to mid-career Singaporeans in courses relevant to their jobs.
He has since completed his 12-month Diploma in Business Administration (Supply Chain Management) with PSB Academy under the study award. Ming Kai is now further contributing to the growth of Fitlion domestically and internationally by paring his newfound knowledge to Fitlion’s e-commerce platform.
“It was an enjoyable experience. I did a cert in sports when I was in ITE, so I didn’t have much experience in business and management. Things that I knew before my diploma was really whatever I learnt on the job. But after completing the course, I now have an in-depth knowledge on how to help the business grow,” said Ming Kai, who has been with Fitlion for the past five years.
Customer Service Fashion Associate Nicole Chin
Like many young workers her age, Nicole Chin has big dreams and aspirations.
“In five years, I see myself in a managerial role,” said the 23-year-old.
Soon after graduating from Singapore Polytechnic with a Diploma in Business Administration majoring in marketing and retail last year, Ms Chin embarked on her first full-time job working for fashion-retailer Charles & Keith as a Customer Service Fashion Associate.
Besides frontline work, her job includes providing fashion advice, product knowledge and expertise to customers, and fashion styling.
She is also one of the company’s first two employees to embark on a SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme and have undergone a 16-month on-the-job training at her workplace and classroom training at the Singapore Institute of Retail Studies (SIRS).
Through this programme, Ms Chin was given a head start in her career and her progression in the industry may be fast-tracked.
“My training in SIRS was similar to what I learnt in Poly. However, I learned concepts and theories in Poly whereas in SIRS I’m learning things that are more applicable in real life,” said Ms Chin.
Ms Chin also believes having such an initiative is a good way to let young people know that the retail industry, like any other, provides progression opportunities for workers and is a good industry to be in to start a long-term career.
Forklift Operator Ang Say Hin
A 22-year veteran at TPSC Asia, Ang Say Hin has seen his job role evolve from that of a forklift operator to one that includes supply chain operations. On any given day, the 55-year-old and his partner work together to ensure that stock in the company’s warehouse is accounted for and that deliveries to and from the warehouse are done efficiently. Where necessary, Say Hin will also be personally packing product samples that will be sent to clients and organising delivery orders.
When asked what keeps him going all these years, Say Hin replied: “It’s a job we are paid to do, so we’ll always try our best and make sure we do the job well. It’s our responsibility as employees to do our job well, so we’ll just do it.”
He did admit that while he may not be very proficient in English, or very well educated, he has been taking up new skills on his own initiative.
“I picked up a number of different skills and licenses over the years. I have my taxi license as well as my Class 4 and Class 5 driver’s licenses to drive trucks and heavy vehicles like prime movers. You never know when a new skill will be useful,” he said.