It’s Not About Being the Best, But the Best Version of Yourself
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.
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Brewing a New Chapter Through Lifelong Learning
Sheena brings more than a decade of experience in the retail and education sector, where she managed multiple retail outlets specialising in educational toys and oversaw day-to-day operations. Over time, she began to notice a shift. Customers were increasingly seeking more unique and experience-driven products, while the retail landscape itself was becoming more competitive and fast-changing. At the same time, Sheena observed a growing interest in more mindful and natural lifestyle products, which sparked her curiosity about opportunities within the Food & Beverages (F&B) space. With her experience largely rooted in traditional brick-and-mortar retail, Sheena made a deliberate decision to pursue her lifelong interest in F&B entrepreneurship. Inspired by her passion for floral and herbal infusions and her desire to create a brand of her own, she enrolled in the Flavourful Ventures: A Journey Into F&B Entrepreneurship course at NTUC LearningHub to turn her vision into a reality. Returning to the classroom was initially a challenge for Sheena, as she had not studied for a long time and found some of the learning processes unfamiliar. However, with guidance from her trainers and support from her classmates, she gradually adapted and grew more confident throughout the course. Throughout the programme, Sheena gained practical exposure to key aspects of building and managing an F&B business, including identifying business opportunities, product development, branding and bringing products into the market. The hands-on learning experience also gave her greater insight into creativity, innovation and customer engagement within the F&B industry. Beyond equipping her with practical entrepreneurial skills, the programme also broadened her perspective on what it takes to build and sustain a business in today’s competitive landscape. Sheena eventually went on to start her own tea brand, Tea Therapy Singapore, offering a distinct range of caffeine-free, unsweetened and 100% natural floral tea blooms. Through the course, she was able to turn a long-standing personal interest into something more tangible, gaining the confidence and practical knowledge needed to pursue her passion in the F&B space. The course also gave her a supportive space to experiment, learn from mistakes and grow her confidence as a first-time digital business owner. Today, she manages the business end-to-end, from sourcing raw materials to product design, branding and online sales, applying the skills and knowledge gained from the programme to shape and grow her business. Through the journey of building her brand, Sheena also came to appreciate the importance of lifelong learning, adaptability and continuously upgrading herself to stay relevant in an evolving business landscape. Looking ahead, Sheena remains committed to lifelong learning as she continues to grow both professionally and as a business owner, and plans to further develop her skills through NTUC LearningHub courses, including public speaking. Reflecting on her journey, she shares, “Learning is a lifelong journey. When we continue upgrading ourselves and apply what we learn, we can turn our passion into new opportunities.”
Taking the Next Step: A Mid-Career Digital Journey
At 49, Farizan has built a steady career in the services industry where she has worked for the past four years as a Sales Admin Executive, overseeing sales coordination, purchasing, logistics and finance support. Working closely with multiple departments, she ensures smooth daily operations and keeps workflows running efficiently within her organisation. While working hard to establish herself as a dependable, meticulous and consistent teammate, she could never shake the persistent feeling that she could further streamline her work processes by expanding her skillsets. As businesses moved deeper into digital transformation, Farizan took a step back to reflect on how she could remain relevant in Singapore’s highly competitive and dynamic economy. Through her own research on social media, she began to see the potential of technology to enhance efficiency and productivity in her daily responsibilities. Determined not to let comfort and familiarity stagnate her professional development, she seized the opportunity and enrolled in the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP) Digital Marketing Specialist course at NTUC LearningHub after chancing upon it online. The structured and industry-relevant curriculum gave Farizan clearer insight into how digital strategies translate into real business impact. It also helped her better understand how campaigns are planned, executed and measured in today’s digital landscape. Farizan gained practical knowledge in digital marketing strategies, search engine optimisation (SEO), online copywriting, campaign analytics and online campaign management, areas she had always been curious about but had not had the opportunity to explore in her previous scope of work. The guidance from experienced trainers and the unique insights shared by coursemates from diverse industries further enriched her learning experience. By embracing the intensity of the knowledge-filled course, she was able to bring together the different concepts she had learned through the programme’s capstone project and apply them in a practical digital marketing scenario. Building on what she learned from the course, Farizan now approaches her role with a broader perspective. While she continues her core operational responsibilities, she has also taken on expanded responsibilities at work, supporting digital marketing initiatives, assisting in online campaign coordination and contributing insights to enhance customer engagement. These opportunities to apply her new skills have not only allowed her to add greater value to her team but has also strengthened her confidence in navigating change. This step forward marks just one of many in her journey of self-improvement and lifelong learning. Shortly after completing the programme, she began exploring other courses to further develop her data analytics capabilities, such as the Retail (SF): Data Science Fundamentals course. Recognising that others may still be on the fence about taking the first step, she shares, a mindset she now carries beyond the workplace and even onto the stage as a performer, “Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Learning new skills may feel challenging at first, but it opens new opportunities and builds confidence.”