Chris Koh and Ezekiel Goh
Chris Koh:
Youth is something to treasure as you are Full of energy, aspiration, and dreams when young. I took up Computer Science and studied in UK. I aspired to be an AI scientist and to serve humanity. I spent so much time in the computer room that my friends said the computer is my mistress!
Life is never smooth sailing. After graduation, I was offered a trainee IT business analyst role in London at an MNC, to be transferred back to Singapore after training. I was so homesick by then (eating potato daily), so instead of spending another three to five years on robotic research in UK (talking to robots?), I gave up my aspiration and accepted the job.
Make the best with what you get. My father passed on a few years upon my return from the UK. I had to take over the family business and gave up my love for computers. I made full use of the situation to learn about running a garment manufacturing company and at the same time served in the industry's association to learn more about the diversity of the industry. My computer knowledge helped my company and others improve productivity with the use of technology. I was also glad to be able to help young designers to ease into the industry by mentoring them.
Give back when you can. Following my experience volunteering at the industry association, I subsequently became a grassroots leader, chairing a Neighbourhood Committee to serve the community. This is a part of my dream being fulfilled — serving humanity. It was extremely rewarding, especially when working together with a group of passionate residents to transform and upgrade the estate we live in.
Nurturing the next generation for the future. It is important to continue serving in the community after retirement. One way is by nurturing youths. The experiences we acquire throughout our lifetime should not go to waste. I was helping a volunteer welfare organisation to roll out their social enterprise programme for persons with special needs and it was heartwarming to meet the beneficiaries in commercial establishments performing their duties. Next is to nurture my grandchildren!
Ezekiel Goh:
Youth was something that I had taken for granted. When I was in my primary school days, all I wanted was to be a secondary school student, and when I reached secondary school my only goal was to quickly get it over with and move on to a Junior College! When I finally reached junior college, I just wanted to graduate and become a University student. I was so caught up with rushing to become an adult because it seemed like being an adult would grant me more freedom, yet as I slowly inch closer to graduation from university, it is the opposite that appears to be true.
Life was never smooth sailing. I struggled massively in my academics in my youth, failing so badly that I was almost expelled from my secondary school. That served as a wake-up call to me and I learned that I had to work hard in order to achieve what I wanted, which is financial stability so that one day I could provide for my family.
Make the best with what you got. I have been fortunate to have been in different leadership positions throughout my educational path and even in NS, where I was able to pick up useful skills such as inventory management, performing deliveries, human resource management and so on. I've found that every time I have taken up a new challenge, the skills I've picked up all magically come together to help me better tackle the challenge.
Give back when you can. I first started volunteering at MPS sessions in late 2018, following which I was given the privilege of planning a zoo trip for our residents. We wanted to plan more trips, but sadly COVID-19 got in the way of that. Nevertheless, that experience eventually led me to volunteer at Food from the Heart, a non-profit charity organisation. I have been volunteering there since 2019 and have not looked back.
Nurturing the next generation for the future. As a teacher-to-be, I wish to inculcate within my students ideals that are influenced from the lessons that I have learned thus far, namely cherishing their youth, understanding that obstacles are omnipresent in everyone's lives, and giving back to the community. I feel that with technology, we are slowly becoming attached to what technology presents us: social media, gaming, and entertainment that it causes us to be detached from us what is actually happening around us. For example, using gaming as a means of catharsis is perfectly normal but when it becomes a form of escapism for the child, that is when it becomes unhealthy. Understanding the problems that others face sometimes provides a different perspective towards your personal struggles, and goes some way to motivating you to overcome them.
