Steering his way to a maritime career

Seah Cheong Hock was in his forties when he started out as a Trainee Steersman with Tian San Shipping (Private) Limited in 2009. The chance to work in a new industry was a life-changing experience for him, as he was an ex-offender and had been plying his trade in the construction industry before joining Tian San through the Place and Train (PnT) Programme for Harbour Craft Steersman.

“I started as a Trainee Steersman and my job was to learn how to handle or steer vessels or crafts. Everything was new to me, as I had no relevant background and experiences at all. Learning from scratch was not easy but it was fulfilling, and I felt a sense of achievement along the way as well,” says Cheong Hock.

To qualify as a Steersman, Cheong Hock recalled how during the initial period of four months of “on-the-job training”, he and other trainees were coached by the Senior Manager for Operations and were also sponsored for the Port Limits Steersman Course in preparation for the Steersman Examination.

Career Coaching @ CaliberLink

At 48, KW Lee has had an extensive career and bags of experience in the banking and finance industry. He never thought he needed additional training or help in his career until he came across CaliberLink.

He says: “I first came across CaliberLink in March during its road show at Raffles Place where it was holding its official opening for its Bras Basah office for Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs). I had heard from my friend that it provided services such as career coaching and offered courses such as image workshop and resume workshop, which were excellent for job seekers preparing for interviews or a switch in career.”

A Cocktail For Success

Muhammad Shafiee bin Abdullah has always wanted to make it big in the food and beverage industry. He recalls: “Since young, I’ve always found bartending and bartenders to be cool and trendy. To me, it wasn’t just about mixing and serving drinks, but also the showmanship of bartenders and the way they showed off their flaring skills to entertain crowds, which intrigued me.”

In 2008, he took his first step towards fulfilling his ambition when he joined the Timbre Group as a bartender. At that time, he had little experience in the trade and relied on picking up bartending skills while on the job.

Shafiee recalls harsh training conditions, competition with better and more experienced bartenders, as well as growing expectations and demands in the job from his managers and customers alike.

A Passion for Learning Blossoms

Hamidah Abdul Karim is a senior travel executive with a passion for floristry. So deep is her love for floral design that she regularly takes part in floristry competitions locally and abroad.

"Flower design has always been my interest and floristry is an avenue for me for enjoyment or to express myself, no matter how busy I am with my full-time job or family commitments," says Hamidah. "Entering competitions is just another platform for me to showcase my artwork and techniques."

For Hamidah, she values the exposure and creative environment that she gets at competitions. She explains: "I enjoy learning new things and I believe everyday is a journey to learn. And the more I learn, the more I crave for new ideas and opportunities. New ideas and creativity somehow nurtures oneself. "

Chasing Her Dream

For many, switching careers is a daunting move. For Chew Yixin though, her decision to switch jobs could not have been more drastic. Having managed acquisition projects in the government sector prior, Yixin decided after five years, that she was going to realize her dream of becoming a fashion designer.

Yixin explained: “I've always been interested in fashion, from the garment construction point of view. From Rei Kawakubo's deconstructed garments to Hussein Chalayan's innovative pattern cutting, fashion has always excited me. I see it as the architecture for the human form that combines both art (design), and science (construction).

After spending five years in project management, I thought it was time for me to chase my dream. For me, it was now or never.” 

Servicing People With A Knowledge Bank

 

Growing up in a large extended family, Anita loves being with people. That is why she opted for a career in the service industry straight out from school.

“I finished my GCE “O” Levels in 1986 and up till 2000, I worked in Office Administration and Property Management,” Anita said. “In 2001, I joined Tan Tock Seng Hospital as a Housekeeping Supervisor during the SARS period and I enjoyed the housekeeping work so much that I decided to stay and develop in this area.” She later joined the Somerset Service Apartment in 2005 as a Senior Housekeeping Supervisor, before becoming a Housekeeping Supervisor with The American Club in 2008.

“After two years with The American Club, I realised that with just experience alone, I wasn’t able to progress any further,” Anita shared. “But fear stopped me from going further in my studies. Thankfully, my boss, Mr Tang, saw my dilemma. He encouraged me to upgrade myself and supported my desire to take on further training, so I decided to enrol in the Diploma in Tourism (Hospitality Management) with Tourism Management Institute of Singapore (TMIS).”