National Youth Council's On My Way Taster Programme

Trying out the job scopes of the industry

The next part of the programme involved trying out some jobs related to the industry. 

The eight of us tried out roles such as data analyst or software engineer. I was ‘offered a job’ as a data scientist. Though I found it challenging as I had no computing background, the guides were very patient and helped me step-by-step.

Read more on: Giving career options a try with On My Way’s Taster Programme | Youthopia 

I left Singapore in 2012 after I failed my A-levels. My best bet at the time was to become a waitress and work my way up. 

My mom, of course, was not having it. So she and my dad scraped together some money and sent me to the States to study. I started at community college first, then managed to transfer to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

I did a couple of internships during and after college with companies such as Clique Media and Guideline. Eventually, I landed a role at Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness and lifestyle brand, Goop, as a business intelligence engineer for the better part of my mid to late twenties. Today, I’m a senior business intelligence analyst at a men’s T-shirt company, True Classic, based in California. 

Starting Life in LA

When I first landed in the States, everything was so different. My previous memory of America was when I travelled there as a child for a holiday.

The other notable difference was just how much of a multicultural melting pot LA is. Singapore always talks about being multicultural and diverse, and rightly so. But when I was in LA, you were exposed to so many different nationalities and people. It was much more diverse than what I was used to back in Singapore.

At UCLA, I majored in Global Studies, which is funny because it has nothing to do with what I’m doing now. Still, I loved Global Studies. It was a mix of Economics, Political Science, and Anthropology examined under the lens of globalisation. I learned a lot; the program shaped my worldview and opened me up so much to understanding the privileges I grew up with, especially about being part of the majority race in Singapore.

But I also studied coding on the side during my junior year because I thought there was no career prospect with my degree in Global Studies. 

Read more on: Meet Dwi Choong, the Singaporean Who Moved to LA and Worked for Gwyneth Paltrow at Goop (ricemedia.co) 

How has SMU challenged you both personally and academically?

I joined SMU as a young, free-spirited girl, but in my senior year, I look forward to life with a more mature mindset and a better game plan for my future—I now know what I want, and where I want to be. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll keep learning to figure out what’s best for me.

Academically, I enrolled in a different course from my polytechnic diploma—from a quantitative diploma in Accountancy to a qualitative degree in Business Management, with a major in Communication. The shift was a challenge for me because as much as I grew comfortable with numbers in the polytechnic, I realised my speaking and writing abilities had declined.

SMU taught me to take charge of my learning experience and I’ve been doing just that—with learning sometimes taking place outside of the classroom, through my CCAs and internship. I’ve been able to grow as an individual, and as a leader through the various leadership opportunities made available to me.

Read more on: Insights From an Insider: Tarina Naresh Khiantani | The SMU Blog 

With SMU, I have travelled to

I travelled to Wuhan, China in 2019 for my overseas community service project (OCSP). The project, known as Project Wings, served to teach English, Career and Leadership skills to tertiary students at Wuhan Dongxihu Technical School. Coming from an Indian descent, it was definitely a challenge teaching in Chinese, but with the help of my OCSP friends, I was able to have a thrilling experience to teach and communicate to students in a language that is not native to me.

Read more on: Insights From an Insider: Tarina Naresh Khiantani | The SMU Blog 

When Ms Rina Evianna, 29, was growing up, all she ever dreamt about was finding a job in the aviation sector.

After graduating from university in 2015, Ms Rina landed a coveted job with Singapore Airlines (SIA) as a stewardess. Her dream had come true.

But just two years into her contract with SIA, she suffered a debilitating back injury that forced her to resign.

While disappointed, she was determined to remain in the aviation sector. After taking time to heal, she soon found a job as a customer service specialist with the International Air Transport Association (Iata). 

She also took a part-time diploma course to upskill herself during this period...

Read the full article on: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/parenting-education/republic-poly-graduate-29-eyes-return-to-career-in-aviation-sector