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Stanley Lee, a seasoned professional in his 50s with over 20 years of experience under his belt, found himself unexpectedly retrenched from his role as a Systems Engineering Manager. Having dedicated five years to this position, he was taken aback by the news, prompting a discussion with his wife about their financial situation. They decided it was best to hide the news from their daughter, especially since she had just received her 'A level' results and was in the process of applying for university, to avoid worrying her.

Proactive in nature, Stanley first checked his finances to see if he had enough to fund his daughter’s education. Next, he updated his resume and kept track his job applications using a spreadsheet. Unfortunately, as it was during the early stages of COVID-19, many companies were wary of hiring. Three to four months of unemployment did not deter him; he remained calm and searched for courses to upskill and reskill himself to boost his employability. Ultimately, he enrolled in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics course at NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) driven by his childhood passion for robotics and programming.

He found the course to be enriching, with trainers who possessed extensive industry expertise and coursemates who made learning more engaging. “We were able to create collaborative learning environment by sharing knowledge and experiences, as well as networking with fellow coursemates and trainers,” he opined.

Although Stanley left the course some months later after receiving a job opportunity as Principal Engineer for a local Infosecurity organisation, he mentioned that the programming and critical core skills he learnt came handy in his cybersecurity role and were applied in a couple of key projects.

Now as a Senior Systems Engineer for a Modern Data Protection and Data Platform company, he noted that the course broadened his understanding and expertise as he progressed, both refreshing and improving his abilities. Moreover, it gave him confidence that it was still possible to expand his skill set, regardless of age.

“Some roles may utilise your newly acquired skills, while other skills learnt may have indirect application too,” he shared. “I do believe a balance between technical and non-technical skills are beneficial and a must have. As long as you have the commitment and determination, you can demonstrate and apply your new knowledge and skills.”

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