At 19, I embarked on my maritime career, working alongside diverse nationalities in the open sea. This experience taught me invaluable lessons in respect and teamwork.

My service in the Army and Navy, especially as part of the Fast Craft team, reinforced the importance of focusing on people and strengths and appreciating what we often take for granted.

A small bunch of guys supported multiple exercises. That further taught me to focus on people’s strengths and never their weaknesses. My Navy stint also gave me the opportunity to send aid to Timor Leste, where I learn to appreciate what we have at home in Singapore.

It also opened my eyes to how things that we take for granted in our daily lives can mean the world to someone else.

Post-Navy, I spent 10 years at Keppel Offshore & Marine, working with a dedicated team from across Asia. These individuals, often fishermen or farmers back home, came to provide for their families. We had scaffolders, riggers, dockers, painters, cleaners, grit blasters, power toolers and load testers. We groomed them to acquire essential skills, emphasising the importance of skills development in any operation.

A short stint at a rigging company taught me resilience and versatility. In 2013, I joined POSH Semco, managing global marine transportation projects in Korea, Australia, Timor Leste, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and beyond. Our success stemmed from valuing our people and enhancing their skills. The travelling took its toll after 7 years, so I decided to move to a job that kept me anchored more in Singapore. It was also time for me to give back to the working talents in Singapore.

So, I left POSH to join a talent acquisition company, which originally only did contract roles in the marine crewing and subsea space.The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for stable employment, leading me to establish a Permanent Placement desk at my talent acquisition company. Over 6.5 years, we built a reputable team recognised by many companies locally and internationally.