Changing Mindsets : The Way Forward

 

In many manufacturing companies, manpower is often cited as one of the main stumbling blocks to further expansion. Add-Plus Electronic Pte. Ltd, a provider of electronic manufacturing services for printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), is no stranger to such issues.

 

Mr Jimmy Phee, Senior QA Engineer, and Mr Lee Hong Choon,  Production Controller, from Add-Plus’ manufacturing team, who worked on the SME QIANG programme,

“As a SME (Small Medium Enterprise), we need to constantly reduce operation cost and maintain profits to stay in the business,” Mr Johnny Mok, General Manager of Add-Plus explained.

“But at the same time, we face difficulties attracting locals to our company, and we cannot depend too heavily on foreign workers. Our tight labour situation means we cannot expand our business as fast and as much as we would like to.”

Thus when approached by the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) to sign up for the SME QIANG Lean Six Sigma Programme, Mr Mok saw it as an excellent opportunity to upgrade the skill set of his team as well as re-look at the company’s work processes.

 

A Turn for the Better

 

Time for Change

Having spent the earlier part of her working years taking on administrative duties in the travel industry, Wendy Tan came to a point where she started questioning if she could have a more fulfilling career and calling in life.

The 28 year-old recalled facing stacks of paper work each day and doing “profit-oriented” tasks, which ultimately left her feeling drained out and uninspired. “At the end of the day I wondered what have I actually achieved.”

Her desire for job-fulfillment had her re-visiting a childhood ambition. Wendy had always thought highly of nurses and their duties, and even considered injections, removing stitches or drawing blood as ‘cool’ tasks!

From Banking To Blockbusters

 

Growing up, Mohammad Firdaus had always had an ardent fascination for doodling, movies and games. Unable to land a job in the animation industry with his Diploma in Multimedia Computing, he took to the finance sector and stayed there for 5 years.

Little did he expect, that going for an upgrading course with the bank he was working with, would turn into a pivotal moment that reignited his passion for animation.

Realising that his true passion in computer graphics had never left him, his uncle, Mr Affandi Salleh, introduced him to the WSQ website, opening a whole new world of opportunities for him to enter the animation industry.

Mohammad Firdaus