Blogs

By Isa Nasser, Director of Consumer Sales at NTUC LearningHub

From a boy who was often disciplined for not focusing on his studies, Isa shares his journey from his schooling days, a conversation that changed his life, and how he never stops learning, even as an accomplished tech professional.

Didn’t do well for O-Levels
Growing up, I attended a neighbourhood school, where I was surrounded by many passionate teachers. As a child, I wasn't particularly excited about learning, and was often disciplined for not completing my revisions. However, with the encouragement of my teachers and mother, I managed to do well in school. The incredible support system helped me get into Victoria School – my first-choice secondary school.

Victoria School was known for its talented and high-calibre educators. Unfortunately, during my time there, I found myself unable to do well academically. The culprit? Gaming. I was distracted by a first-person shooting game that was released during my secondary school years. I became obsessed with it, and as a result, was unable to focus on my studies. Due to my poor ‘O’ Level results, I was not able to gain admission to the Junior College of my choice and was instead admitted to a local polytechnic.

At first, I felt disappointed and let down by my academic performance. Despite that, I chose to focus on the positives of polytechnic education, such as its vibrant campus life and hands-on learning experience. The course was not in vain, as I soon discovered my first passion in robotics and mechatronics. I worked hard, and it paid off. Back in those days, it was extremely difficult for someone from a polytechnic to gain admission to a local university, so when I was offered admission to the National University of Singapore (NUS), I was thrilled!

How a ‘C student’ inspired me
The transition to university, however, was a challenge. There was a gap between what I had learned in polytechnic and what was taught in university. At first, I felt that university was too demanding for me, and I wondered if I could even complete my degree.

But the direction of my entire life was transformed by a single, chance conversation.

To complete a particularly difficult C++ programming assignment, I sought the assistance of a friend enrolled in NUS' computer science programme. Afterwards, I asked him how well he had performed in his modules. His answer surprised me. While he scored well in most of his courses, he got Cs in some.

As a result, I began to wonder, "How can such a smart individual like him get Cs?" He explained to me that he studies harder for topics that interest him, and less for ones that do not. This strategy seemed like a terrible way to earn a degree. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised that there was more to it. Focusing on topics he was passionate about gave my friend an endless motivation and energy to learn.

I had an epiphany. I had been looking at my studies the wrong way. Instead of viewing courses as obstacles, I should have thought of them as knowledge brought to us by academic giants of the past. I needed to appreciate those past discoveries, put myself in the shoes of the inventors, and not take natural phenomena for granted. This change in mindset fuelled my future successes and taught me not to worry about failures.

With a renewed attitude and outlook on learning, I began to expand my knowledge beyond what was taught at university. I have, for example, used MATLAB to develop artificial intelligence that can tune electric motors on my own initiative, something beyond what was taught. Even though I was not the top student in my class, I found myself enriched with most knowledge during that semester.

I carried this attitude into my professional life as well. Having worked as an electrical engineer in an automation company for a number of years, I joined Ngee Ann Polytechnic as a lecturer. To make learning effective for young adults, I had to learn pedagogical design. I taught myself how to use the Unity game engine, and utilised these 3D environments to develop educational games.

Following my stint at the polytechnic, I worked at a Robotics and Automation training academy where I was able to design a course on Industry 4.0 for the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) ULeap e-learning platform.

Receiving the Digital Training Transformation award from then NTUC Secretary-General Mr Chan Chun Sing

My team and I even won the Digital Training Transformation award, which I received from then NTUC Secretary-General Mr Chan Chun Sing. I reflected on how my gaming addiction, which impeded my studies then, was now the driving force behind my ability to create impactful games.

The skills I acquired at Ngee Ann Polytechnic and the Singapore Institute of Technology (University of Glasgow) as a lecturer, along with my coding expertise, enabled me to secure a position at NTUC LearningHub, a continuing education and training provider. Here I am able to utilise both my teaching and technical skills to help others upskill and pursue their interests in technology.

Discovering your interests through lifelong learning
Even today, I am always learning new skills, such as using Python to automate trades based on stock market data. I believe that one should never stop learning, and that the key to success is to find what interests you and dive deep into it. That's what I did, and it has led me to a fulfilling career and a lifetime of continuous learning.

My journey has been a testament to the importance of upskilling. It is not about being the best, but about being the best version of yourself. You should not be satisfied with what you already know and instead, always strive to learn more. And that's what I want to inspire others to do – never stop learning, growing, and challenging themselves.

Upskilling is more than just increasing your employability, it will increase your value as a person. It will enable you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to create a meaningful and fulfilling life. So, I encourage everyone out there to take the time to explore their interests and find their passions. It's never too late to start, and the rewards are boundless.

Reach out to our Skills Consultants to find out more about how you can transform your life through learning today!