Ang Wee Kian

Discover SIM GE Ang Wee Kian outside his office at Marina Bay Financial Centre; the pair of water buffaloes were created by British sculptor Elizabeth Frink (1930-93). Depicting strength, industry and endurance (and of course a bull market), they were first installed and displayed in England for over two decades before being shipped to the financial centre in 2010 EDUCATION is a good stepping stone in one’s personal development and growth, says data specialist Ang Wee Kian, reflecting on his student days doing the SIM-University of London BSc (Hons) in Computing and Information Systems. Wee Kian, 30, who paid his own tuition fee throughout his studies, recalls that “the UOL programme gave me the flexibility to manage my time between my other commitments”. He graduated in 2009. His study was a holistic, engaging experience which gave him the opportunity to mix with fellow students with similar professional interest. Hence “it was easy to focus during the course of study and I have to credit the staff for making the learning journey seamless and motivating for me”. All-Rounder Programme Wee Kian graduated in 2009. Before his final year, he took up an internship. Because of his performance during internship, he got the chance to take part in the SIM All-Rounders programme where students were given coaching and workshop training by outside experts to develop their soft skills and prepare them for the work world. He is currently working in one of the world's biggest mining companies, as Team Leader in Master Data Management, a business function centralised in Singapore. “My job involves optimising workflow and managing work redundancy," he says. "We govern and process global requests and ensure that they adhere to the process and design. Part of my job is to identify and optimise the team's productivity, thereby ensuring accuracy and timliness in our work." He also manages a team of processors, including recent graduate Alan Png, 26, who holds the same UOL BSc (Hons) in Computing and Information Systems degree. Alan is the Administrator, Master Data. Wee Kian’s career goal is to prepare himself to be an effective people’s leader, to play a more “people-centric” role where he can actively share and impart his knowledge. “This goal is partly inspired by what I experienced while studying at SIM,” he says. Lately, Wee Kian is in a hurry because his wife has given birth and he has to rush home after work to babysit! "I have a baby girl, born in April this year. She is the first child and brought a bundle of job for our family," he gushes. Bucket List Hopefully, he may find time later to travel. “Travelling is always on my bucket list. TV and the Internet can only tell me so much. Travelling allows me to see things differently, to enjoy and appreciate diverse cultures. In fact I learn more when I travel, and I strongly encourage students to travel and spend till their last penny, before they start working.” Wee Kian’s parting words to current students plodding through their books and lesson notes are that studies are steps towards fulfilling their dreams. “Never give up your dreams,” he urges. “While it is always easy to bypass a tough situation, remember that you can make a difference and you can benefit by working your way through it.” His own operating philosophy is to challenge the status quo, always. “The world is much more connected now and things are changing rapidly. Change is the new constant,” he adds. - Posted online, 26 Dec 2014 Motivational Classics To Cope With Change Two books that have influenced Ang Wee Kian greatly are The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari - A Fable about Fulfilling Your Dreams and Reaching Your Destiny, by Robin Sharma (1999); and Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson and Kenneth Blanchard (1998). The Monk provides a step-by-step approach to living with greater courage, balance, abundance and joy. It tells the extraordinary story of Julian Mantle, a lawyer forced to confront the spiritual crisis of his out-of-balance life, and the subsequent wisdom that he gains on a life-changing odyssey that enables him to create a life of passion, purpose and peace. Who Moved My Cheese? takes the fear and anxiety out of managing the future and shows people a simpler way to successfully deal with the changing times, providing them with a method for moving ahead with their work and lives safely and effectively. “The two books tell me how to adapt, to get myself ready for changes, to be able to cope with new situations without being bound by limitations,” says Wee Kian. “Simplify your life to what is essential, so that you have time to travel, to fulfil your dreams.”