The Ministry of National Development
(MND) plays a critical role in national
land-use planning and development. MND
EDGE Postgraduate Scholar Jasmine Neo
tells us more about its key responsibilities
and the part she plays in helping MND
achieve its mission.
The MND works closely with its dedicated Family of statutory boards
– the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), the Building and
Construction Authority (BCA), the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA), the
Housing & Development Board (HDB), the National Parks Board (NParks) and
the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) – to realise its vision of Singapore
as an endearing home and a distinctive global city.
In addition to building up Singapore’s physical infrastructure, MND also
focuses on nurturing rooted and cohesive communities in a vibrant and
sustainable living environment to foster a greater sense of belonging in our
people.
30-year-old Jasmine is no stranger to MND’s mission, having worked there
for six years. Prior to commencing her full-time sponsored postgraduate
studies, she was a Senior Assistant Director in the Housing Division where she
oversaw the Town Councils portfolio.
The MND EDGE Postgraduate Scholarship has given Jasmine the
opportunity to pursue a Nanyang Fellows Master of Business Administration
at Nanyang Technological University, thereby carving a brighter pathway in her
career and preparing her for future challenges.
Share with us your thoughts on the MND EDGE Scholarship
and how it will benefit your career with MND.
Jasmine Neo: I was very privileged to have been offered this scholarship as it
allowed me to broaden my knowledge and skills on a wide spectrum of topics
ranging from policy analysis to leadership. I believe my expanded skillset would
put me on a firmer footing to take on further challenges effectively in the next
chapter of my career!
Jasmine Neo Wei Ling
MND EDGE Postgraduate Scholar
Designation:
Senior Assistant Director,
Housing (Town Councils)
Studying:
Nanyang Fellows Master of
Business Administration,
Nanyang Technological University
Studied:
Bachelor of Business (Banking and Finance),
First-Class Honours,
Nanyang Technological University
"The
programme consists of case-study workshops
and provided unique opportunities for
participants to interact with statutory boards'
CEOs."
I am definitely proud to be a part of the MND
Family, where I get to contribute to its efforts
in shaping our living environment and driving
sustainable development for Singapore. In the
near future, I hope to contribute in areas beyond
my portfolio, perhaps by taking on a supervisory
role where I can impart my knowledge to and
share my experiences with younger colleagues.
Tell us about the knowledge and experience you gained from the MND EDGE Young Leaders Programme and the opportunities you enjoyed.
Jasmine: The MND EDGE (an acronym for
“Executive Development and Growth Exchange”)
Young Leaders Programme is a centralised
milestone programme that prepares young
officers for future leadership appointments. The
programme consists of case-study workshops
and provided unique opportunities for
participants to interact with statutory boards'
CEOs. It also gave us the chance to attend an
overseas learning trip to China, which was
indeed the highlight of the programme.
While we were there, we learned about the
developments in the Sino-Singapore Tianjin
Eco-City and the Guangzhou Knowledge City,
and gained a broader perspective about these
projects through meetings with representatives
from Singapore-China joint-venture companies
and Chinese government officials. My biggest
takeaways were the valuable friendships and
networks forged with my colleagues from
the infrastructure and environment cluster of
agencies!
Tell us more about your previous role as senior assistant director of housing (town councils) and your earlier stint in the ministry’s HR department.
Jasmine: I joined MND as a fresh graduate
and started my career in the Ministry’s HR
Department. This is where I was exposed to a
broad spectrum of HR responsibilities such as
talent management, ranking and promotion as
well as corporate branding.
I was posted to the Housing Division in line
with the Ministry’s job rotation framework in
2012. Together with my teammates, I assisted
in reviewing our Town Councils' functions
to better serve our residents living in public
housing estates. We did this by discussing ways
to approach these policy reviews, brainstorming
solutions, solving operational issues and
organising and participating in multi-agency
collaborations.
"Despite the challenges of work, there was
never a dull day in my job. I find great personal
satisfaction in being able to review and improve
our policies in order to better serve our citizenry."
Both stints gave me a better appreciation of
the Ministry’s role in developing Singapore. The
HR stint allowed me to gain a better grasp of
MND’s internal operations and its business
challenges, while my stint in the Housing
Division taught me how to see issues from
different stakeholders' lens, so that our policies
are more robust and can cater sufficiently to
each group’s needs.
Despite the challenges of work, there was
never a dull day in my job. I find great personal
satisfaction in being able to review and improve
our policies in order to better serve our citizenry.
My mentors and supervisors have also given
me good guidance and I am very grateful for the
training that they have put me through.
What advice do you have for aspiring MND EDGE Sustainable Development Scholars?
Jasmine: I don’t see myself as a 'scholar'
simply because I was awarded a scholarship.
At the end of the day, it is very much about
your performance on the job that will determine
how fast you progress and how far you will
eventually go.
An aspiring MND EDGE Sustainable
Development Scholar should have a keen sense
of what is happening on the ground so as to
formulate relevant and feasible policies. You
also need to be adaptable to changing scenarios
– learn to anticipate problems, approach issues
sensibly and respond to them quickly.
Lastly, it is important to form good
relationships and build a strong network
through each posting. In the Public Service,
inter-agency collaborations and discussions
are often necessary to move things forward.