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On Equal Footing – International Women’s Day Special

International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It also serves as a call to action for accelerating women's equality all over the world, be it through closing the gender pay gaps or highlighting women’s contributions to health, science and technology.

In line with International Women’s Day 2020 campaign theme, #EachforEqual, we highlight scholars who have made waves regardless of gender boundary and bias.







Empowering Women in Tech - Nurul Fathiah Binte Ariffin, Singtel Group Cadet Scholar 



Currently an Associate Engineer in the Broadcast Department, Nurul Fathiah Binte Ariffin previously did an internship in the Mobile Networks department at Singtel. She was tasked with developing a dashboard portal, where she learnt the basics of signal testing and saw firsthand the work that goes behind maintaining the mobile network.

Despite the common perception that engineering is “man’s work”, she has never felt discouraged or disconnected in chasing her dream. “Although I was one of the ten female students in a cohort of 80, it did not set me apart from the male classmates in my course. We were all passionate about learning how to be an engineer and often exchanged and built on each other’s ideas,” she recounted.

“I strongly believe that everyone must work hard to be good at what we do, regardless of one’s gender. It is important to have the willingness to learn new things and always keep an open mind!”

Read the full story here.

No Gender Barrier - Joey Ong, LCH Lockton – MaritimeONE Scholar 


“The maritime industry is also widely perceived to be male-dominated, but I feel that gender is not a barrier to entering the industry at all. With hard work and a positive attitude, anyone can excel in this industry,” said Joey, LCH Lockton – MaritimeONE Scholar. She applied for the scholarship because it matched her interests, but what made her stay were the many career paths the industry has to offer.

“People often associate the maritime industry with containers or sea bound work, but the maritime industry is so much more than that, comprising roles in ship management, ship financing, marine insurance, to name a few,” she told us, shattering the perception that this industry is a dusty, man-only job.

Read more about her work here.

 

Wonder Woman - Anabelle Koong, MAS Undergraduate Scholar


Armed with a Masters in Law from the University of Pennsylvania, Anabelle is an Associate in the Anti-Money Laundering Department in the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

She works with a team that is responsible for developing and reviewing policies and issues relating to anti-money laundering and terrorism financing, a vital link in keeping Singapore’s economy and financial sector clean of illicit activity.

“I came from a class where most of my classmates went to medical school. Unsure about what path to take, I did my research and was interested in the public sector and the work of MAS,” she explained.

Read her full story here.

 

A Man’s Work - Tan Kai Beng, MOHH Healthcare Merit Award (HM A) Mid-term Scholar


For a long time, there existed a stereotype that a doctor is a man, and a nurse is a woman. However, Tan Kai Beng bucks this trend as a Senior Staff Nurse with SingHealth.

He emphasised that the stigma has lessened considerably and focused on the unique skills he is able to bring to the profession. “People often ask how I cope with the job of being a male nurse in a female-dominated environment. I add value by bringing a different perspective on board, such as in managing issues and resolving conflicts,” he explained.

“For example, when dealing with patients who are rowdy and abusive, I am able to manage them and offer alternatives to minimise tension escalation and ensure the safety of both the patients and fellow colleagues.”

In fact, Kai Beng was happy to share how his parents “are very proud to have a male nurse in the family” and credits them for supporting an affirming his choice to help the community.

Read his full story here.

 

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