Left: Joycelyn Yeo / Right: Ng Hui Lian
Joycelyn Yeo, a Home Affairs Senior Executive (HASE) at MHA Headquarters, and Ng Hui Lian, an Engineer with the Biometrics & Profiling Centre of Expertise at HTX (Home Team Science and Technology Agency), share what makes their civilian careers fulfilling, the close camaraderie amongst colleagues, and how they contribute in their own ways to keeping Singapore safe and secure.
1. In my current posting, I plan for the Home Team’s future manpower needs. My team studies global and local trends such as evolving HR practices and demographic changes to identify potential impact on our manpower and capabilities. We work closely with our Home Team Departments to recommend strategies to tackle these challenges. I find the work meaningful as it has genuine meaning to Singapore’s safety and security - that certainly keeps me going!
2. As a HASE officer, I enjoy exploring diverse roles across the Home Team that help me grow professionally and personally. I was part of the pioneering team that launched the SGSecure movement to equip our citizenry to deal with a terror attack. I worked with Home Team volunteers to roll out island-wide initiatives like the SGSecure-themed Emergency Preparedness Day, and to educate the community about first-aid approaches such as the ‘Press, Tie, Tell’ advisory which uses commonly available items to save lives.
3. Even as we continue our work-from-home arrangements, we continue to enjoy meeting up virtually via our Townhalls, each designed around creative themes including football, cafés and ice-cream! At these Townhalls, our Senior Management engage us in frank conversations to discuss ideas to improve our workplace and make it a happy one. Apart from Townhalls, our teams also make effort to build and maintain relationships with each other – this helps boost my morale and satisfaction!
1. As an Engineer at HTX, I innovate and create cutting-edge technologies to boost the Home Team’s frontline operations. This includes exploring the use of clearance systems, such as fingerprint scanner technologies, at borders and checkpoints to provide a safer and seamless experience for travellers while not compromising on security. I work closely with officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority to understand their operational needs and to trial the systems. This collaboration allows me to develop a customised solution that meets Singapore’s border security needs.
2. I was inspired to join the Home Team after a meaningful and purposeful internship stint with the Home Team during my undergraduate days. HTX has continued to provide me with such purpose as I get to apply my knowledge in Science to contribute to enhancing the safety and security of Singapore. I am also constantly learning a lot from working with my experienced colleagues across the Home Team, through the many opportunities to work on cross-agency projects.
3. Work can be intense, but the vibrant culture at HTX keeps me going! HTX is a happy workplace which organises many activities to keep employees connected. I vividly remember the “10k Steps” event which marks HTX’s move to our new home at the MediaCorp Campus. Besides accumulating ten thousand steps with my team, we were also challenged to complete tasks along the way. This was memorable as it allowed me to bond with colleagues from various units while engaging in a healthy activity!
