In May 2002, I got my first job as a Contracts Assistant in a Facilities Management company. After slightly more than a year, I was reassigned to Assistant Project Engineer. Here, the work is more hands-on where I had to do earth testing and continuity testing on some of the installations. I had a Diploma in Electrical Engineering but all the hands-on knowledge has gone since I entered the mandatory National Service for 2.5 years. Just like any knowledge in the world, if you do not use it, you will lose it. I struggled in that position as I had no prior guidance and training. Everything was based on trial and error. It was until I was about 6 months into the job, a senior taught me how to carry out some of those electrical based testing. Not a classroom setting but he brought us out in the field and got us to do it. That was my first work-based training. I enjoyed it a lot and after, I was more confident and effective in carrying out those testing works.

In 2003, I joined a Network Marketing company. I know that look on your face but when I joined, I thought I could achieve my wealth there. That company was very Mandarin-based. Most of the good training workshops were carried out in Mandarin with amateur translation. It was very disappointing. I wanted to learn but the medium of communication was a big pushing factor.