Matchy Ng, in his 40s, recalled when he was a Human Resources (HR) executive in the manufacturing industry where he handled tasks such as payroll, absentee processing, expatriate management and data entry. It was during this time that his colleague introduced him to the power of technology, which led him on a journey to enhance his skills and advance his career by pursuing a tech-enabled role in HR.

Matchy’s colleague demonstrated how macro – a recorded set of commands – could do the same work more efficiently. This spurred him to explore the use of macro where he subsequently created a programme to replace daily tasks, which his team found useful. Driven by an innate curiosity and a desire for continuous improvement, he consistently sought avenues to broaden his knowledge and skill set.

This hunger for learning ignited Matchy’s ambition to become a HR Information Systems (HRIS) specialist, leveraging technology to increase functional productivity. In pursuit of this goal, he enrolled in various courses by NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB), including Data Analytics, Data Visualisation and Python Programming Fundamentals to equip himself with the necessary skills to advance his career.

“Attending courses not only boosts my confidence in the specific skill sets that I was trained in but also gives me the extra edge over other job applicants. I also find that employers have more confidence in your abilities when you have certifications from trusted training providers like NTUC LHUB,” he shared. Now a HRIS consultant in the banking and finance industry, Matchy reflected on how his expertise in data analytics and programming allowed him to reinvent processes and methodologies at work.

With the aim of becoming a HRIS director, Matchy remains committed to acquiring skills to help him advance in his career, such as pursuing a tech-centric master's degree in the future. "With perseverance and continuous learning, you will become an expert who can put your learning to good use and achieve your goals," he said.