T HE services industry is one of the most important pillars of the Singa- pore economy, with the sector alone providing jobs to 80 per cent of the country’s 3.03 million workers, accounting for 70 per cent of total gross domestic product today. Unsurprisingly, the industry is extremely wide-ranging, encompassing key areas such as food and beverage (F&B), hospi- tality, tourism and retail, among many others. What they all have in common, however, is the challenge in recruiting and retaining human capital to keep their operations running smoothly. SIM Global Education (SIM GE), one of the larg- est private education institutions (PEIs) in Singa- pore, is doing its part to train and develop skilled professionals for the services sector. SIM GE of- fers a broad range of over 70 academic pro- grammes – diploma, bachelor and post-graduate degrees – from 12 renowned universities in the UK, the US, Australia and Europe. Armed with a strong foundation in their studies, many of SIM GE’s graduates over the years have gone on to stamp their mark in the services indus- try, be it through setting up their own business or moving up the ranks at global corporations. Striking it out on their own Roger Yuen is one who probably knows all about the challenges of the retail scene in Singapore and abroad, and he credits his time at SIM GE for giv- ing him the confidence and know-how to be his own boss. The 57-year-old technology entrepreneur is the founder and chief executive officer of social net- working shopping portal Clozette, a local shopping and networking start-up that boasts some 3,500 fashion brands covering handbags to shoes and make-up products. His start-up has raised more than S$7.6 million since 2011. One of its biggest amounts came in No- vember 2013, when Clozette closed a Series B funding with US$3 million (S$4 million). The fund- ing was led by Phillip Private Equity, part of finan- cial company PhillipCapital, with participation from existing investor Walden International and several angel investors. Although Mr Yuen graduated from SIM GE with a Diploma in Management Studies in 1986, he re- mains an active mentor to current students. He al- so says the classroom concepts that he picked up back then still remain very relevant today when it comes to managing Clozette. “I enrolled in this part-time course as I was al- ready working at that time. What I eventually real- ised later on was that this work-study arrangement suited me very well as it allowed me to immediately practice at work what I learned from my studies,” he says. Mr Yuen shares how he still practices Philip Kotler’s 4Ps of Marketing – Product, Price, Place and Promotion – that was taught during the Princi- ples of Marketing module, a knowledge tool that he applies every single day at work until this day. “Since my passion and interest was in manag- ing business and I had always aspired to eventual- ly start my own business, the SIM GE course ap- pealed to me with its encompassing modules of sales and marketing, financial accounting, busi- ness law, managing people and organisations.” He singles out the law module in the course for helping him “appreciate, understand and navigate” the various legalities involved in conducting busi- ness and managing companies. This, he adds, put him in good stead when he eventually opened his own company. Dennis Tay is a young start-up entrepreneur who graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor in Busi- ness with a major in Entrepreneurship from the SIM-RMIT programme. The 30-year-old is the founder of Naiise (pronounced “nice”), an online de- sign marketplace. Grizzly bear bean bags, oil barrel coffee tables, tumblers, rewritable chalkboard world maps, bam- boo ladders, locally-themed “Everybody Huat” T-shirts, and Horlick-coated cashew nuts are just some of the unique products packed into his ware- house-office. In Mr Tay’s eyes, Naiise is more than just a busi- ness – it’s his way of giving back to the local crea- tive and design community and give them that plat- form to showcase their talent. “I’ve discovered over the years that we have a lot of creative and gifted people in Singapore, but many struggled to find a sustainable way of mone- tising their skills and ideas. So they just fell through the cracks and gave up, and that’s a real waste,” he says. “We at Naiise not only better the lives of those that we work with, but also better the lives of consumers who buy the products that we sell. We believe in the quality and tangible value given to consumers.” Mr Tay shares how his training allowed him to better understand the ins and outs of the demand- ing nature of the retail world, especially as he is now busy expanding his business into several physical stores in Singapore as well. “The course was useful because it enhanced that knowledge. For instance, my lecturers empha- sised the importance of having a good cash flow and to always have mentors whom you can con- fide in and turn to for advice and guidance. Before I set up Naiise, I had a mentor who would spend hours going through my business plans and financ- es and making sure that I left no stone unturned.” Industry-ready graduates Another SIM GE graduate who chose an uncon- ventional career path is Amy Chua, the sec- ond-generation owner of the popular Chin Huat Live Seafood in Clementi, a restaurant that has been in business since 1995. The 35-year-old com- pleted her Business Administration degree from the SIM-RMIT University programme in 2005 and is helming the family business in the highly competi- tive F&B line. Besides supervising staff, Ms Chua handles the marketing role and oversees the purchasing of supplies. She also deals directly with her VIP cus- tomers, helping to arrange everything from han- dling their reservations to putting together a cus- tomised menu. She recalls how one of her lecturers, a former banker, gave her a valuable piece of advice: If you choose to go into business, always think big in or- der to succeed. “Those words have a profound impact on me. What she meant to say was, always look at the big- ger picture. If you want your business to flourish, you have to think out of the box and more impor- tantly, work smart. Don’t always do things by the conventional way. Sometimes, the alternative route may be a better option,” says Ms Chua. Fong Kah Seng is another firm believer in the merits of lifelong learning to stay on top of the fast-changing industry. Now 54, he first earned a higher diploma in hotel management before going on to do a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Man- agement Studies at SIM-University of London (UOL) from 1991-94. Mr Fong later completed an Executive MBA at SIM-University at Buffalo and then a Master of Hospitality Administration from the US. Now Group Chief Executive Officer of Grace In- ternational, an international management and con- sultancy group of boutique hotels, Mr Fong said his four years at SIM-UOL had taught him crucial life skills such as how to manage human capital. “That is key in the hospitality industry for any business to succeed. I also believe in the value of having EQ, especially in our industry, as you must be able to relate to your key shareholders, employ- ees and your guests. Ours is a service industry, and if you simply follow the guidelines of a text- book, you will come across as lacking genuine warmth and honest sincerity,” he says. Grooming local talent BreadTalk Group President Goh Tong Pak appreci- ates that a large percentage of PEI graduates are likely to be working professionals pursuing their fur- ther education, often on a part-time basis. “Working and studying at the same time allows them to relate what they learnt in the classroom to practical workplace situations. The network and connections that they developed during the course of their studies are invaluable,” says Mr Goh. “The students from PEIs whom we have recruit- ed so far demonstrate high level of determination, high energy level and very driven, are very hard- working with humble disposition, goal oriented with very clear vision of their future career end point. Im- portantly, they adapt very well, even at the frontline serving customers,” he adds. One of BreadTalk’s newest employees is Victor Chay, a 25-year-old who graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Management from the SIM-University of Manchester pro- gramme. One of the top graduates in his cohort, Mr Chay is now on the company’s Management Associate track, a two-year training programme that exposes him to all aspects of BreadTalk’s operations, from working different shifts at one of the branches to as- sisting the vice-president in handling special projects. Mr Chay, a former president of SIM GE Scholars’ Network, rates the two-year BSc pro- gramme, which covers the entire range of manage- ment subjects, from marketing and human resourc- es to strategy and investment, very highly for the vast exposure it gave him to prepare him for his cur- rent job. “The different modules such as human resourc- es, economics, finance marketing – all these helped me a lot to better understand the world of business and how things are run,” he says. Though still a newbie at the company, his most memorable time so far was a four-month stint at BreadTalk’s Causeway Point branch where he put in gruelling nine-hour shifts six days a week. “It was tiring but extremely rewarding. It was an eye-opener and a good learning experience as I got to serve customers, interact with them, and even be part of the production team in the kitchen. I found it very fulfilling and I hope to get another chance to be in the frontline again,” he says. Employers like BreadTalk are increasingly valu- ing the contributions of graduates of transnational education, with PEIs like SIM GE playing a more pivotal role in grooming local talent for the services sector. “Continual education and training equips individ- uals with the knowledge and skills to take the indus- try into the future, and graduates from PEIs are es- sential to the future of our sector,” says Anthony Gan, Executive Director of the Singapore Retailers Association. “Many have graduated and gone on to take sen- ior positions in the sector, making a huge differ- ence to the nation’s retail industry. We hope this trend will continue long into the future,” he adds. Grace International’s Mr Fong also points out that it is less of a financial burden if one were to study in Singapore rather than at an overseas cam- pus, given that the cost of getting a degree abroad is often beyond the means of the average working adult with family commitments. He adds: “As there are now more global busi- nesses searching for candidates with more global educational experience and skills set, a transna- tional education provides you an added advantage and a foot in the door.” Serving the services sector Many of SIM GE’s graduates over the years have gone on to stamp their mark in the services industry, be it through setting up their own business or moving up the ranks at global corporations. PHOTO: ION ORCHARD ◆ SIM GE is one of Singapore’s largest private education institutions and offers over 70 full-time and part-time academic programmes such as retail marketing, banking, finance, economics and management from 12 reputable global universities. ◆ Its total student enrolment is 22,000 where 19,000 are full-time and 3,000 part-time students. There are 124,500 local and overseas graduates from SIM GE to date. ◆ SIM GE students often score top honours in its partner universities programmes. For example, 167 SIM-UOL students graduated with first-class honours in 2014; the highest number of achievers in the world for UOL International Programmes. ◆ SIM-University of Stirling offers a retail marketing programme where students are eligible for Retail Executive Scholarships awarded by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency that covers 90% of the course fees. ◆ SIM GE has been voted by the public as “Best Private Institute” at the annual AsiaOne People’s Choice Awards 2015, its 7th consecutive win since 2009. “I had always aspired to eventually start my own business. The SIM GE course appealed to me with its encompassing modules of sales and marketing, financial accounting, business law, managing people and organisations.” - Roger Yuen, founder and CEO of Clozette SIM GE’s University Partners This is the second of a five-part series on the employability of graduates from transnational education programmes SIM Global Education is doing its part to develop skilled professionals for an industry in need of local talent About SIM GE ADVERTORIAL “The different modules such as human resources, economics, finance marketing – all these helped me a lot to better understand the world of business and how things are run.” - Victor Chay, a Management Associate at BreadTalk Group “I believe in the value of having EQ, especially in our industry, as you must be able to relate to your key shareholders, employees and your guests.” - Fong Kah Seng, Group CEO of Grace International www.simge.edu.sg The Business Times | Wednesday, June 10, 2015 | 11