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Introducing Cecilia – A Warm & Friendly Voice In NTUC LHUB

Cecilia is a warm and friendly colleague you can trust with your work and personal concerns. Many may not be aware that she has been selflessly serving union members of NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) for 17 years as the chairperson of the ESU-LHUB Branch. Always patient and helpful, she listens attentively and does her best to provide her sincere advice to anyone who needs them. For her daily work, she contributes as our Funding Executive. She plays a vital role in ensuring companies get their Corporate Training Grants distributed on time hence making NTUC LHUB a reliable training provider.

“That’s what I’m here for, to help people,” she says, with a smile. She has years of wisdom and an immeasurable amount of kindness in her eyes.

An Early Starter With An Unexpected Switch

“I’ve been working since I was 17,” Cecilia muses, and you can almost imagine her at that age, bright eyed and bushy tailed, eagerly signing up to be a clerical assistant at the Ministry of Defence. She stayed with the Ministry for 23 years, steadily upskilling herself and advancing through the ranks. And while it’s certainly a hefty achievement, what she decided to pursue after those 23 years will come as a surprise to many.

“I wanted to experience what the real world is like.” she beamed. At age 40, Cecilia left a job she had spent more than half her life in, a feat which would be uncomfortable for many; to start a new career in an entirely different field. However, it is exactly this sort of courage that keeps her optimistic and willing to try new things. Embarking on this new adventure, she continued following her instinct to serve, which is the reason she took up the union position in LHUB.

On tackling new and different jobs, she urges, “Don’t look at it as being scared, look at it as a challenge!”

Also serving as the Chairperson of ESU-LHUB Branch, Cecilia’s altruistic nature keeps her fighting for her beloved union members even when they prove themselves unappreciative, brazenly calling her out for not getting them everything they wanted.

Yet she continues serving them as passionately as she did the day she started her union work.

A Listening Ear For All

When asked about what it’s like to be the Chairperson of ESU-LHUB Branch, she says it can be tough.

“You have to be approachable,” with a sincere smile that gave the impression that you could talk to her about everything, which she confirms she’s willing to.

“I’m a person with no barriers.” she beams, and anyone who has interacted with her knows that to be true.

However, things aren’t always chatty and smooth-sailing.

“There are ups and downs, just like any job,” said with a quiet serenity. Cecilia has been actively bettering the welfare of union members the minute she stepped on board with NTUC LHUB, and her passion for the cause can still be strongly felt today. This includes moderating displeasures and disputes, which often isn’t the easiest to deal with.

However, what most people failed to realise is that Cecilia, as a branch official, is never off the clock.

“Because unhappiness doesn’t only come during business hours. It may come in the middle of the night so you have to be prepared to deal with that.”

Following her calling in life

At the end of the day, it’s the willingness to serve that makes Cecilia the longest-serving Branch Representative with LHUB. It’s something that comes so naturally to her, as she says she’s always been passionate about helping anyone in need.

It’s not just about being a listening ear either. A big part of Cecilia’s job is making sure all union members are aware of the union benefits and promotions that are made available to union members (such as discounts and contests, etc). Furthermore, Cecilia loves being able to be part of a ‘Do Good’ organisation that also helps to train and upskill lower wage and older workers.

When asked why she continues to do what she does despite all the hardship it brings, she simply smiles and says,

“That’s what I’m here for – to help you.”

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