Employer Showcases
EMPLOYER SHOWCASE
The Quest to Find a Calling If you are looking for a meaningful and rewarding career, join the education sector and make an impact on the future generation. “After junior college, I took on a variety of jobs, such as a salesperson, tutor and secretary assistant at a law firm,” she said. “However, it was only after my stint teaching in a school in Africa during my university days did I find my answer – I want to teach.” For Lydia, who now has at least five years of teaching experience, her time with the Kenyan students ignited her passion for teaching and helped her reach her purpose in life, which is to “pass on the love of learning” to every child. But for others, their passion for teaching started at home. For Gladelind Koo, Senior Allied Educator (Learning and Behavioural Support), she credited her younger brother for motivating her to start her teaching career by working with children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). “Through the process of taking care of him, I got to know more about him and his friends at the Special Education school. These children are kind-hearted and they are able to exhibit mental resilience in overcoming the obstacles they face in their lives,” said Gladelind, whose younger brother has Down’s Syndrome. While there are challenges when it comes to teaching students with SEN, Gladelind finds the experience rewarding and fulfilling. These children are Gladelind’s “source of inspiration and motivation”, and seeing them integrate well into society became her goal in life.
or some, finding their dream career can be a lifelong journey. The prospects of having a lifepath that is fulfilling, purposeful and customised to their interests and skills can be easier said than done. The Ministry of Education (MOE) is one such place where some individuals have been able to challenge themselves to grow and are living out meaningful careers. With more than 30,000 individuals at MOE contributing in numerous roles, it certainly takes more than a village to raise the children.
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Learning never stops
Lydia Simon
For some, passion starts abroad (and for others, at home) When asked about her next step after graduating university, Lydia Simon, now the Level Head of English at Jurongville Secondary School, knew she needed time to discover herself. It took a serious journey of self-discovery halfway around the world to find her calling for teaching.
52 \\ SINGAPORE’S 100 Leading Graduate Employers 2021
When Fiona Lee, a Media Relations Officer in MOE’s Communications and Engagement Group, was a Teaching Intern after her ‘A’ Levels Examinations in 2015, she was inspired by the teaching team who mentored and guided her. The nurturing environment at MOE was the impetus for her applying for her first full-time job there. But the learning never stops, especially when you are working in the education sector. Barely six months into the job, Fiona was thrust into the COVID-19 Media Relations core team as part of MOE’s pandemic response. She did not have any prior experience in media or communications, but she took up the challenge regardless.
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