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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