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At the height of the pandemic, every sector of the economy was affected, particularly the aviation industry. With the mass grounding of flights, most airlines deployed their employees to alternative roles that supported the fight against the virus. Among these employees was Daniel Lim, a former cabin crew, who was seconded to become a COVID-19 contact tracing executive officer.

Having worked as a cabin crew for 15 years, the abrupt change was initially a challenge for Daniel. His new role required him to be familiar with Microsoft Excel, a skill that he had not utilised since his university days over a decade ago. “After flying for so long, I felt like a fish out of water in my new role. As my Excel skills were no longer up to date, I faced a lot of difficulties whilst contact tracing. It then dawned upon me that I needed to step out of my comfort zone and adapt to new circumstances.”

Daniel did not let his struggles dampen his spirit but instead sought to rise above it. With the skills gaps he had, Daniel knew he needed a refresher course to update his knowledge and skills in Excel. Determined to upgrade himself, he enrolled in the Data Analysis Fundamentals Using Microsoft Excel course with NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB).
With a deeper knowledge in the HLOOKUP and VLOOKUP functions, Daniel shared that he was able to confidently track and match cases, thereby, enhancing his quality of work. He shares that his newfound skills and certification helped him to progress to a senior role, which required him to conduct statistical analysis and work with developers to manage the Information Technology (IT) systems.

As Daniel’s secondment was approaching its end, he sought to broaden his horizons and challenge himself by venturing into a new industry. He subsequently decided to leverage his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance to make a career switch to the finance industry.

Recognising the need to be updated and relevant in the evolving industry, he enrolled in several NTUC LHUB’s courses, such as Fundamentals of Java Programming, Machine Learning and Advanced Analytics Using Python, Project Management, and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in Financial Services. Equipped with job-ready skills, he eventually secured a role as a Finance Manager.

Daniel’s upskilling journey does not end here. He is currently pursuing two Master’s degrees in Accountancy and Information Studies. As he reaches greater heights in his career, this driven individual seeks to further improve his employability by actively looking for opportunities to reskill and upskill.

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