School of Social Sciences

Class of 2016
Degree: BSocSc major in Psychology and Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources

Lead, Human Capital Division
Singapore Economic Development Board

Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.

I am currently working at Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) in the Human Capital Division. The Human Capital Division creates and implements solutions to ensure a sustainable workforce to drive current and future growth industries in Singapore. This includes influencing national manpower policies and strategies, developing a conducive education and capability development ecosystem to build an industry-ready workforce and creating tools and initiatives to enhance talent development across sectors. Specifically, my portfolio looks at pre-employment training, which means I work very closely with institutes of higher learning (IHLs) i.e. Polys, ITEs, Universities on outreach and education strategies to build a talent pipeline for our key industries. In addition, I support the semiconductors industry on their manpower needs.

What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?

I chose to pursue a degree in social sciences because of my interest in Psychology. I wanted to better understand how humans behave, think and interact and how such behaviours would have an impact on organisations and businesses. SMU provided me with an opportunity to take both Psychology and Business modules, which made my learning holistic, relevant and opened the doors to multiple career pathways. In addition, I felt that the small classes would be more conducive for learning.

How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?

Looking back, my education in SOSS has allowed me to think about problems more critically and holistically, develop new perspectives and generate unique solutions to problems. This comes from healthy debates on theories and perspectives encouraged by my professors, working on difficult projects and interacting with peers from a different major/degree in my SOSS modules.

Do you have any advice for your juniors that are currently in SOSS or for those who are planning to join the SOSS family?

The advice I would have for prospective students is to embrace the uniqueness of your degree from SOSS. In a fast-changing and uncertain world, a degree from SOSS sets you up for exciting career opportunities that might not be apparent from the start. Also, start thinking about the types of career which might be of interest to you early but remain flexible and be willing to change as new interests and opportunities open up. Lastly, enjoy your time at SMU, there are truly no limits to what you can experience and achieve in school, the only limitation is the one you impose on yourself.