Please tell us about your role and responsibilities

I joined e2i’s year-long undergraduate programme upon graduation, which allowed me to experience the various functions within the organisation. During this period, I was exposed to grant policies, organised employer engagement events, and underwent a mentorship programme to provide career guidance to jobseekers.

Currently, I handle corporate partnerships with business associations, to see how we can join forces to better serve the employment and employability needs of the local workforce. I also manage the coordination of employment facilitation services for workers impacted by restructuring exercises in companies across Singapore, to ensure that they have access to employment-related resources so they can quickly bounce back.

What made you pursue a career in this field?

Although I did not have a clear idea of what career path I wanted to embark on, one thing I knew for sure is that I wanted to create a positive and meaningful impact on others. I was also excited by the idea of being able to experience the various functions in the organisation, especially since I was unsure of what I was good at, or what I wanted to do.

Hence, I decided to apply for a role at e2i as the company’s mission resonates with me – to create better jobs for better lives. As the saying goes, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Knowing that our work has a far-reaching impact on the people we serve keeps me going.

What do you enjoy most about this role?

My role is quite dynamic as it involves developing new initiatives within the organisation and/or with other partners, hence I like that I always have different projects to work on, and many areas to learn in. I can also quickly get to know many colleagues across the organisation as my coordination role requires a lot of cross-department communication. The people here are what makes this role enjoyable! The exposure to various functions also enabled me to gain a wider perspective of my work and develop a deeper appreciation of the organisation’s work.

What are some work challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

As a fresh graduate, I found it difficult to value-add to the organisation, as I lacked the experience and knowledge of the employment landscape which my colleagues had. On my part, I did a lot of reading through online research and internal resources to build up my knowledge.

Another important lesson is to not be afraid to ask for help. Whenever I faced obstacles, my teammates were more than happy to guide me along and I definitely learnt a lot from them. I was also able to share my newfound knowledge with my fellow batchmates when they encountered similar issues.

What is needed to be successful in this role?

Communication skills are important, especially when you have to engage many different stakeholders and get everyone’s agreement. For example, during engagements, you have to be able to bring across your messages or concerns tactfully and succinctly, in order to achieve your objectives.

Having a sharp mind will also enable you to contribute meaningfully. As a new person in the organisation, you can provide a fresh perspective when making evaluations, and identify areas of work which can simplified or streamlined so that things can be done more efficiently.

It is imperative to keep an open mind as well, as we come across people from all walks of life in this line of work.

Please share your advice with students who are keen to pursue a career in this field

It is a people-oriented sector, so you have to remind yourself to stay grounded and practise empathy. Often, it is easy to get caught up in our own objective and being immersed in day-to-day work that we lose sight of our purpose. At the same time, keep in mind that you should not feel responsible for everyone’s issues. Frequent perspective-taking to put yourself in the shoes of others is also key to making sure what you do within your scope of work benefits those whom you serve, is relevant to them and user-friendly.