Never late to reach goals

From ITE certification to a Singapore Polytechnic diploma, this mother of three shares why it’s important to keep learning

By Gel Cabotaje

June 13, 2019

There’s always room for growth in one’s career. For Ms Jamilah Mohamed, it took a little nudge from her former manager and a couple of self-improvement books to take the leap to pursue a diploma.

“My former manager inspired me to study to upgrade my knowledge and do better for myself,” says the 31-year-old. She heeded the advice and read self-help books to gain the confidence boost she needed.

Her business administration certification from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) paved the way for her part-time diploma course in Business Practice at Singapore Polytechnic.

“I decided to continue business management because I had the basic foundation with me,” says Ms Jamilah.

She got her diploma in 2018, 10 years after finishing ITE.

The mother of three children, aged one to eight, is a Programme Administrator with Singapore Polytechnic’s Professional & Adult Continuing Education Academy, a Continuing Education Training Academy for adult learners.

During the day, she attended to the needs of fellow adult learners in their respective courses; in the evening, she became a student herself  three to four times a week.

Her diploma course equipped her with the customer service skills essential to her job and improved her communication skills, which came in handy at home too.

During the two years she was pursuing the diploma course, she had to juggle home, school and work. “I had to make my kids understand that I am studying to give them a better future,” she explains. “I want them to take me as a role model, that no matter where you are in life, you can always pursue education.”

Despite having to burn the candle at both ends on some days, she never regretted her decision to return to the classroom. “I came a long way from an ITE student to a diploma graduate. All the experiences and effort paid off.”