Building Forward through Reinvention and Sustainability
Herawaty Tjioe chose to pursue sustainability through SIM’s SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP), transforming how she works as a culinary instructor. By applying practical waste-reduction and resource optimisation practices in her kitchen, her journey demonstrates how lifelong learning can enable meaningful mid-career reinvention and real-world impact
8 April 2026
At a stage where many assume the most defining chapters of their careers have already been written, Hera’s journey suggests otherwise.
After years of running a home-based business, she chose to deepen her knowledge in sustainability through SIM Academy’s SCTP Job of the Manager (JOMAN) Sustainability Manager in the Built Environment programme. What followed was not just a shift in direction, but a transformation in how she works, teaches, and creates impact.
Today, as a culinary instructor, Hera applies sustainability in practical, everyday ways. The learning experience has reshaped how she approaches her work in the kitchen. She adopts a circular mindset in her use of ingredients, crafting traditional cups from fresh pandan leaves while repurposing the cut-offs into pandan juice. She also experiments with turning lemongrass trimmings into beverages and with fermenting organic waste.
These are not isolated practices, but part of a broader, systemic approach to reducing waste and rethinking resource use. By embedding these methods into her teaching, she goes beyond techniques to introduce measurable practices that reduce waste and optimise costs. The result is a more intentional way of working; one that benefits both her students and the environment.
Why Reinvention Matters
Career reinvention is often misunderstood as a complete reset. In reality, it is a deliberate expansion of capability and perspective. It enables individuals to adapt to changing demands, contribute more meaningfully, and align their work with evolving personal values.
Rather than replacing her foundation, sustainability reframed and extended it. What changed was not what Hera knew, but how she applied it. By integrating sustainability, she demonstrates how impact can begin with small, practical changes that scale over time.
Whatever the starting point, reinvention requires both structured learning and the willingness to step into unfamiliar territory.
The Role of Support and Access
Mid-career transitions are often shaped by access to resources, to learning opportunities, and to supportive ecosystems.
For Hera, SkillsFuture funding and SkillsFuture Credits played a crucial role in lowering the barriers to entry. They enabled her to pursue further learning with greater confidence, reducing the financial and psychological costs often associated with career transitions.
Equally important is the structure provided by programmes like SCTP. Beyond knowledge acquisition, such programmes offer frameworks, peer learning, and practical application, all of which support the translation of learning into real-world outcomes.
A Different Way Forward
Hera’s journey is a reminder that reinvention is not about starting over, but about building forward. It is about recognising what you already bring and choosing to expand it in ways aligned with both your personal purpose and broader societal needs.
Her advice to others considering a similar path is simple: don’t overthink it. Progress begins with action, and growth often comes from embracing the discomfort that follows.
In a world where industries continue to evolve, the ability to learn, adapt, and apply knowledge meaningfully is what defines long-term relevance. Her story shows that with the right mindset and support, it is never too late to begin again.