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ISSUE 47  PAGE 39


                                                       CAREERS




                        Keeping in close contact with her clients has   But the work-study programme still requires

                     honed Ms Chong’s communication skills, and she   effort on her part. Ms Chong describes it as being

                     is able to liaise effectively with both shipowner and   diffi  cult at times, but not impossible to cope, even
                     ship charterer to understand their concerns and   though she has had to sacrifi ce some weekends
                     meet their needs. Being meticulous and organised   and rest days to revise past lessons and prepare
                     are useful skills to have as well, shares Ms Chong, as   for future ones. “It’s all about persevering and
                     they enable her to monitor the myriad claims and   being disciplined throughout,” she asserts. Under
                     settlement details on behalf of her clients, allowing   the programme, she has already covered modules
                     her to follow up in a timely manner.        on Introduction to Shipping, Tanker Chartering,
                        Ms Chong has had to quickly get used to   Legal Principles in Shipping, and Shipping
                     contacting charterers and shipowners based in   Operation and Management.
                     multiple time zones. She has become aware of   Beyond modules, classes, and examinations,

                     these time differences, and gives ample time for   Ms Chong emphasises that one of the biggest
                     people to respond to her messages.          advantages of the programme was information that
                        “I fi nd great satisfaction when I successfully   does not come from a textbook. “On-the-job training
                     convince both parties to agree on a decision, and   enables me to know precisely the things to look out
                     whenever I can close a fi le after claims have been   for, the factors behind them, and why things are the
                     handled amicably and paid swiftly,” she reveals.  way they are in shipping,” she highlights. She cites the
                                                                 example of calculating laytime, which is the amount
                     BEST OF BOTH WORLDS                         of time allocated for ships to load and unload cargo.

                     Ms Chong shares that she has been curious about   She was taught that it had a definite start and end
                     shipping since she was in school, but family and   point; she has since learnt — on the job — that there
                     friends could not fi ll the knowledge gap. “More than   are numerous real-world factors that can aff ect
                     80% of the world’s trade is transported via sea,”   laytime, such as “stoppages for various reasons,
                     she states. “So people depend heavily on shipping   and even waiting for the arrival of daylight”.
                     — but without really knowing how it works.” This was   Ms Chong is happy that she gets to learn from her
                     one of the biggest reasons why she decided to study   classmates at the ICS as well — they not only raise
                     Maritime Business. “It’s such a dynamic industry;   questions to lecturers, but also share what they face
                     learning about it will enable me to understand how   at work, how they resolve problems, and what they
                     business works around the world. I’m sure that the   could have done better. “This can easily expand my
                     career outlook will be favourable.”         knowledge and understanding, not only from the
                        Most diploma graduates take advantage of the   perspective of brokers, but also from shipowners,
                     momentum to immediately pursue a university   charterers, agents, and other industry stakeholders.”
                     degree. However, as Ms Chong was determined
                     to pay her own way towards higher qualifi cations,
                     she decided to fi nd full-time employment fi rst.
                     She also felt that the work experience and industry
                     exposure would help her narrow the choices from   WORK-STUDY PROGRAMME IN
                     which she would select her course of study, as her
                     diploma gave her fl exibility to pursue a degree in   SHIPOWNING, OPERATING AND BROKING
                     numerous related areas.                        In this programme by the Institute of Chartered
                        The ICS programme allowed Ms Chong to enjoy   Shipbrokers, students are attached to sector-
                     the best of both worlds.                       relevant employers for 12–18 months, and
                                                                    undergo facilitated learning, on-the-job training,
                     BALANCING WORK AND STUDY                       and work-based projects tailored to their
                     Ms Chong maintains that having a Maritime      respective job requirements. Upon completion
                     Business background was a defi nite advantage   of the programme, each student will receive an
                     when she started work at Vantage Shipbrokers.   industry-recognised certification that is often

                     “The diploma course prepared me by giving me   a precursor to wage progression and/or career
                     a rough idea of how shipping works, who the    advancement. The programme can be funded by
                     stakeholders are, and what each stakeholder’s role   SkillsFuture. To find out if you are eligible for this

                     is about.”                                     programme, visit www.ics.org.sg/wsp.
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