Chance meeting leads Noel to space industry

Taking stock of your strengths and values

Career coaching helps clarify next steps

The broader range of options you can explore

Making sure each transition builds on the next

Parames' & Noel's proudest career moments

Find out how developing crucial career skills can help you triumph over times of turmoil.

Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, get a headstart in your personal finance and career with The Straits Times.

Developing a vibrant, resilient career in this age will require consistent effort to make deeper and more frequent changes. 

Mastering what we do in the here and now, does not suffice. Instead, we need to cast an eye towards what our jobs may become and even consider entirely new ones.

In the third ST Podcast Live session recorded on June 3 at swish nightspot Rasa at Republic Plaza, we touch on what it takes to thrive at each stage of our careers, against a backdrop of economic upheaval.

This special episode of Headstart On Record is in partnership with Workforce Singapore, in support of Career Health, a SkillsFuture initiative.

We speak to a young engineer - Mr Noel Png - who did not let poor school grades deter him from an engineering career that took him to Britain and back home, where he also contributed to putting a satellite in space.

He is now a telecommunications system engineer at ST Engineering. Oh, he's also met Elon Musk.

He shares about his unorthodox approach to networking, how he found mentors who helped him find his direction in life and his thought process to take uncertainty in his stride.

Joining him with host and ST correspondent Tay Hong Yi is veteran senior career coach Parameswari Seenivasan.

A trained counsellor with over 15 years’ of experience from Workforce Singapore, she has helped over 2,000 clients in her work. She helps us draw principles and good practices from Mr Png's career experiences.

The ongoing series of ST Podcast Live sessions are being held to celebrate 180 years of The Straits Times in 2025, with three more events planned for the rest of the year.

Highlights (click/tap above):

3:13 How a chance encounter led Noel to work in the space industry

5:41 Taking stock of your strengths and values

10:37 How career coaching can help you gain clarity on next moves

16:43 The broader range of options you can explore

18:58 Making sure each transition builds on the next

24:38 Parames’ and Noel’s proudest moments in their careers 

Find out more from WSG about Career Health SG: https://str.sg/H8Ko

More about WSG: https://www.wsg.gov.sg/

Read how the live podcast went down: https://str.sg/uJ4C

Read Tay Hong Yi's articles: https://str.sg/w6cz

Follow Tay Hong Yi on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/AAxy

Host: Tay Hong Yi (hytay@sph.com.sg)

Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Lynda Hong & Joanna Seow

Follow Headstart On Record Podcast channel here:

Channel: https://str.sg/wB2m

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wuN3

Spotify: https://str.sg/wBr9

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Get business/career tips in ST's Headstart newsletter: https://str.sg/headstart-nl

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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#headstart

Find out how developing crucial career skills can help you triumph over times of turmoil.
Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, get a headstart in your personal finance and career with The Straits Times.
Developing a vibrant, resilient career in this age will require consistent effort to make deeper and more frequent changes.&nbsp;
Mastering what we do in the here and now, does not suffice.&nbsp;Instead, we need to cast an eye towards what our jobs may become and even consider entirely new ones.
In the third ST Podcast Live session recorded on June 3 at swish nightspot Rasa at Republic Plaza, we touch on what it takes to thrive at each stage of our careers, against a backdrop of economic upheaval.
This special episode of Headstart On Record is in partnership with Workforce Singapore, in support of Career Health, a SkillsFuture initiative.
We speak to a young engineer - Mr Noel Png - who did not let poor school grades deter him from an engineering career that took him to Britain and back home, where he also contributed to putting a satellite in space.
He is now a telecommunications system engineer at ST Engineering. Oh, he's also met Elon Musk.
He shares about his unorthodox approach to networking, how he found mentors who helped him find his direction in life and his thought process to take uncertainty in his stride.
Joining him with host and ST correspondent Tay Hong Yi is veteran senior career coach Parameswari Seenivasan.
A trained counsellor with over 15 years&rsquo; of experience from Workforce Singapore, she has helped over 2,000 clients in her work. She helps us draw principles and good practices from Mr Png's career experiences.
The ongoing series of ST Podcast Live sessions are being held to celebrate 180 years of The Straits Times in 2025, with three more events planned for the rest of the year.
Highlights (click/tap above):
3:13 How a chance encounter led Noel to work in the space industry
5:41 Taking stock of your strengths and values
10:37 How career coaching can help you gain clarity on next moves
16:43 The broader range of options you can explore
18:58 Making sure each transition builds on the next
24:38 Parames&rsquo; and Noel&rsquo;s proudest moments in their careers&nbsp;
Find out more from WSG about Career Health SG:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/H8Ko">https://str.sg/H8Ko</a>
More about WSG:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsg.gov.sg/">https://www.wsg.gov.sg/</a>
Read how the live podcast went down:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/uJ4C">https://str.sg/uJ4C</a>
Read Tay Hong Yi's articles:<a href="https://str.sg/w6cz"> https://str.sg/w6cz</a>
Follow Tay Hong Yi on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/AAxy">https://str.sg/AAxy</a>
Host: Tay Hong Yi (<a href="mailto:hytay@sph.com.sg">hytay@sph.com.sg</a>)
Produced &amp; edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Lynda Hong &amp; Joanna Seow
Follow Headstart On Record Podcast channel here:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/wB2m"> https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/wuN3"> https://str.sg/wuN3</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/wBr9"> https://str.sg/wBr9</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Get business/career tips in ST's Headstart newsletter:<a href="http://str.sg/headstart-nl"> https://str.sg/headstart-nl</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-stringify-link="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-sk="tooltip_parent">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
---
#headstart

Get a headstart in your personal finance and career with The Straits Times.

Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, get a headstart in your personal finance and career with The Straits Times.

Podcasters: Sue-Ann Tan & Tay Hong Yi

Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, get a headstart in your personal finance and career with The Straits Times.
Podcasters: Sue-Ann Tan &amp; Tay Hong Yi
Produced &amp; edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

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