Who says we are the Slacker Generation? Three Gen Xers share their stories of going back to school and what new superpowers they now possess.
The public image of Generation X is this: we love wearing plaid. We love Nirvana. We don’t give a rat’s ass about stuff like the stock market blah blah, and we say no to corporate jobs.
The reality… well, while it’s mostly true that Gen Xers aren’t like their earnest, greed-is-good Boomer siblings, we value self-improvement as much as anybody. It’s just that we may not try to force it down everybody else’s throat. Ahem.
September marks Teacher’s Day, so we thought we’d also take a look at students, specifically Gen X students who chose to go back to school. This may be a trend now, thanks, ironically, to COVID-19, which has made working from home the new norm, and created a vacuum that more and more Singaporeans are filling up with learning. The fact the Singapore government offers this nifty thing called SkillsFuture has definitely helped boost this trend.
GEN X SINGAPORE talks to three individuals who pursued further learning of myriad kinds: Amy Tan is a senior graphic designer who decided one day to pursue her heart’s desire: fashion design. Chris Toh had worked in mass media for a decade when he took a leap and signed up for a course to be a certified massage therapist. Deborah Chew decided, in the midst of a thriving career, to go for her Executive MBA. Whatever possessed them? We find out.
“I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL TO REDISCOVER MY FIRST LOVE”
AMY TAN, IN HER 40S, SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER
At the end of 2017, I enrolled into two Diploma courses: a Diploma in Fashion Business (Merchandising and Marketing) and a Diploma in Fashion Technology (Apparel Design and Product Development). It took me 3 years to complete a total of 34 modules, through a mixture of part-time (night classes) and full-time (day classes) as some of the modules overlapped. I had to pass all the exams in order to graduate—if you failed, you had to retake the modules and exams. In addition, I also studied embroidery and couture beading under couture dress designer Charlotte Appleby in 2019.
I have always loved fashion since I was young. I remember watching my mom designing and sewing, observing how she chose the textiles, thread, colours, the way she manipulated the paper patterns and how she sewed garments by hand. But it was painful to see how tedious and time-consuming it was just to produce one creation, although it was one-of-a kind. So I chose a career in advertising and graphic design instead, and I surrounded myself with the latest news in arts, fashion, entertainment, textiles, technology…
But, every now and then, when I come across beautifully-designed clothing, my heart would skip a beat and I would feel warmth radiating within me. This happened more and more until I decided I had to do something about it—to go back to school and rediscover my first love.
It was not an easy decision as I’m the primary caregiver of my sickly elderly parents—my father is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. On top of that, I have a full time job with a pretty heavy workload. Initially, I could not imagine what life would be attending three or four classes a week—on weekends too—and dealing with weekly exams, market surveys, projects. And each Diploma had its own demands.
What drove me was the deep need to change—I needed the positive challenges and excitement that had been missing from my life at that point. I wanted to reinvent myself, to broaden my educational horizons, to subject myself to failure and learning again. To rewrite my story from scratch, even if it meant sacrificing other things.
Making the decision to return to the classroom made me feel bold, adventurous and accomplished. I’m not even talking yet about the tangible benefits, such as expanded options and opportunities for my career.
One of the wonderful things we got to do was to go to Paris on learning trips in 2018 and 2019. We were tasked with designing a small collection for French brands, and my classmate and I were assigned to Givenchy. We had to introduce a new and modern collection featuring prints and patterns. We had to do it all—from mood, colour and trend boards to fashion illustrations, from production and fabrication boards to technical garment drawings. We were required to document all our findings, sketches, developments, and processes into a final report for presentation.
Naturally we were all very excited, it was so cool in Paris doing the things we love and assigned to a renowned French brand. But the hard truth sank in once we started—there was so little time and so much to do; our ideas were all over the place. That was when I was grateful that I come from a graphic design background. Having had to work with editors, I’ve learned how to edit stuff and keep things compact. Putting together all the different boards, sketches and the development process seemed effortless to me. This process of training and having something to focus on, doing something about my journey—it was incredibly powerful.
Right now I’m in the midst of creating my first collection, taking my time to explore and edit. A group of us comes together once in a while to discuss how we can take our creations to the next level. I want to revolutionise the way people wear clothes, doing fashion in a sustainable manner that changes the world for the better. I see my clothing speaking for itself regardless of seasons—it should bear the identity of me.
I hope to work with some smart fabric companies to develop special materials to create fashion that functions as a new interface, impacting the way we communicate with the world and with each other.
So don’t call Gen Xers aimless, disengaged or cynical. Just because we skateboarded through secondary school in oversized checked shirts, or listened to hiphop in public with our friends doesn’t mean we’re slackers. We are just different. Our independent streak was fostered by the need to fend for ourselves while our parents toiled for long hours at work, and this makes us comfortable being self-reliant. We are a generation with the privilege of “radically rethinking”: we have the luxury and the prerogative to determine what is convenient and cool, then deviate if we choose to.
Don’t forget: we are responsible for inventing indie music, for reviving the art scene, and for pioneering much of what we now know as the Internet. We have more entrepreneurs than any other generation and are more optimistic about life.
So going back to school is a Gen X thing—if it interests us. I think more than the generations before and after us, Gen X is open to new ideas, willing to humble ourselves to unlearn so we can relearn new things. We work hard and complete tasks on time and accept responsibility for own actions. We will try by any means necessary to overcome challenges on our own.
“I BECAME A SPA THERAPIST WHEN THE SPA INDUSTRY WAS TAKING OFF”
CHRIS TOH, 52, CONTENT EDITOR
At the time, I was looking for a job and I wanted to do something that was different from my previous jobs. All the positions I had held for the 10 years before were in media. My then-girlfriend told me about this course which gave me the opportunity to learn spa therapy. So I had signed up for a course to be a spa therapist. This was conducted by SPAcademy, which is based at Raffles City.
To be honest, I was initially reluctant. But Singapore had just recovered from the Asian Financial Crisis, and this course came with a bond of six years. We would work at the spa run by Raffles, which not only meant income security, but it was a reputable spa as well. The SPAcademy promised that all trainees would get paid throughout the training period, which was around a year and a half. At that time, the spa industry was just starting to take off. There were very few luxury spas around, but the signs were that spas and spa therapy would be the next big thing, which turned out to be true. I wanted to see it would be like to be part of that.
The course was about 18 months long, with a 6-month attachment to the spa before you were confirmed as a staff member. Yes, there were exams, both theory and practical. We had to learn biology, and all the basic massage techniques and various treatments the spa offered, including mani/pedi (manicures and pedicures), facials, waxing, body wraps and more. We had to perform these tasks as part of our exam. Once we passed, we would be accredited by ITEC and CIBTAC. This meant that we could work in any spa accredited by these two institutions anywhere in the world.
After we graduated from the course, we joined the Amrita Spa at the then-Raffles the Plaza and Raffles Hotel to serve out the remainder of our bond. I did all the various treatments the spa offered, except waxing and mani/pedi, for all the hotel and spa guests.
What cool stuff does a spa therapist know that a Muggle doesn’t? People go to the spa to feel better. Not just physically, but mentally as well. Knowing where to massage is important to give the guests the best treatment possible but one of the key things that we learnt from the get-go was to listen and observe. People think massage is merely a physical thing. For the massage therapist, it’s not just kneading flesh: they know wholistically how to make a guest feel relaxed and rested by the time the session is over.
A therapist’s job isn’t only to do massage—you have to pay attention to how your client is responding to the massage and adjust what you’re doing accordingly. We learnt how to observe people, everything about them. From their stance and walking style we can tell whether this person right-handed or left-handed. By observing the skin of their soles during reflexology, we can tell which part of their body needs more work. For example, someone whose right shoulder is slightly lower than their left, chances are the person carries their bag on their right, which would indicate that their body would be more stressed on that shoulder area, but also the left lower back (as the body tries to compensate for balance). Paying more attention to those areas during a massage would usually help that person feel better.
Although the spa is a relaxing place for the guests, it is a busy workplace for the staff. For example, we have to change towels several times during the day. Clean, dry towels don’t just magically appear. We use hundreds each day—at the pool, at the jacuzzi area, at the steam room.
It isn’t easy being a therapist. You can be booked back-to-back the whole day, which means you’re on your feet for hours on end. Depending on the day, we could end up working for up to 11 hours a day, six days a week. You do not have enough time to eat— some of us only ate a banana or an apple the whole day. You barely have time to use the toilets on busy days. Yet, every spa therapist will still greet his or her guests with a smile and make them feel as comfortable and soothed as possible.
Even though after my stint at Amrita, I went back to the media industry, there are several simple tricks and treatments that I learnt during my spa training that I’ve applied to my daily life, even today. One is the simple technique of soaking two cotton pads in cold water and putting them over your eyes whenever you feel your eyes straining from too much computer use. Another is massaging your scalp (like washing your hair) and gently grabbing your hair to relieve tension if you find that you are getting a stress headache. One more for headaches: firmly slide the palms of your hands from the centre of your brow to the temples—that relieves tension. Headaches can be easily treated without Panadol; you just need to recognise what type of headache you have.
Adapting—whether in our careers or lifestyle—is a hallmark of Generation X. I think Gen Xers are privileged to have grown up and lived during a time when there was a dramatic and rapid change in the world. There were paradigm shifts, such as technology. From the time I was born till now, I’ve experienced evolving methods of communication, writing letters, faxing, using IRCs, email, text messaging, and Zoom calls. We were young enough to go with the flow when all these changes happened. If we did not adapt we would have been left in the dust.
So many things today, we could only dream about a mere 20 years ago. When my dad was 50, looking at someone overseas and talking to them on a computer was only something you saw in a sci-fi movie. Today, movies don’t even need to be enjoyed in a cinema.
It’s possible that the generations that come after us do not comprehend the need for such basic skills like cooking, for example, because they can get Grab food delivery. They do not know the thrill of tearing open a letter after waiting weeks for a reply, because now, they just need to click to read the reply in their email inbox. To them, if the person doesn’t reply within the day, they’re being ghosted.
“LEARNING AND EDUCATION ARE ESSENTIAL FOR GROWTH AND CHANGE”
DEBORAH CHEW, 45, BUSINESS CONSULTANT
Six years ago, I signed up for the UCLA-NUS EMBA (Executive MBA). It’s an 18-month part-time intensive Executive MBA programme comprising six 2-week intensive sessions held across the globe. Through the programme, I had the opportunity to visit companies and study in Singapore, India, China and the United States. Besides the opportunity to travel and acquaint myself with classmates from all over the world, I also graduated with two degrees – one from NUS, and one from UCLA.
What led to this journey back to school? The company that I had set up with a group of friends was acquired by Emergenetics Asia in 2012. When that happened, I was tasked to oversee the operations of the business, including its finances. As the business grew—with more stakeholders in the business that I had to be answerable to—I felt a need to be formally trained in business. I felt that I could no longer use my “gut feel” to run the business. It was too risky!
My bachelor degree was in Arts and Social Sciences from NUS—I majored in English and Sociology. When I explored MBA programmes, I realised I was too old to join one, plus I already had much work experience. So I started exploring EMBA programmes.
As I had to keep working as I was studying, I decided on the UCLA-NUS one it had the intensive rigour of a full-time programme, yet allowed me to continue working. Best of all, I could immediately apply my learning each time a study segment ended.
The biggest hurdle for me was the cost. Thankfully, there was the Productivity & Innovation Credit (PIC) scheme at that time, which covered 70 percent of the my fees. The remaining was covered by the company, while I personally paid for my airfare and accommodation for the segments that required me to travel.
The course was 18 months long, comprising six intensive two-week full-time segments (yes, weekends included!) every three months. Three modules were covered in each segment, and there were exams for every module.
Prior to the segment, we would be given readings and assignments to plough through on our own or with group mates. We were expected to go into class prepared and with the knowledge learnt through these readings because once class starts, it’s all application of knowledge, project presentations and exams. So you can imagine the pressure!
I graduated with a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and a Master of Business Administration from the National University of Singapore. I was also placed on the Honor Society in UCLA for being in the top 15 percent of the class.
I recall putting into practice almost all that I had learnt immediately. As a former teacher, I knew that the best way to internalise one’s learning is to put it into practice. And so I did!
One example: learning the basics of Managerial Accounting was painful for the entire class (except those trained at it). We were made to do journal entries and construct a Profit & Loss Statement and Balance Sheet manually based on case scenarios. Learning these basics made me fully understand the whys and hows of accounting. At the end of the year, when I spoke to the auditors about our accounts using accounting terms, it made my job (and theirs) so much easier! I then began to use the data from the company’s accounts to help me recommend business decisions and pivot to a business model that was sustainable in the long run.
The most memorable learning for me was perhaps on leadership. I had, prior to the programme, never really thought of myself as a leader. I felt that I just was placed in a position of leadership, and for that matter, had to lead. The programme enlightened me about leadership in its different forms, and why certain circumstances called for different kinds of leadership. But what stuck with me most was the learning that leadership isn’t about always staying at the top; and that the mark of an effective leader is that when you leave, the people that you have led can continue to run the ship like before, because this means that you have trained them well, and fully prepared them.
After I learnt that, I began to provide opportunities for my team to learn in every possible way. I tell them that I will not be around one day (in a morbid way, I’d say “Deb will die one day” and then they will go “choy! choy! choy!”), and so my role was to answer all their questions and guide them to a level of expertise that they can be proud of.
I think I’ve fulfilled that leadership role since I have since stepped down as COO of Emergenetics and have formed a new leadership team to take over the reins of the company.
Gen Xers work very hard, okay? I think the difference between Gen Xers and the Boomers and the millennials is that we were brought up very differently. When I was growing up, I didn’t have many options to learn. The educational pathways were more or less pre-determined. Also, the pedagogy used in school then took a top-down approach. You copied notes from the board and if don’t know how to answer any question, you’d ask your friends. Not everyone could afford tuition classes so you learnt to rely on your networks (classmates, siblings) and resources (ie the library or assessment books because there were no Google or apps then!) to do your homework or study for exams. I guess that has made us more self-reliant and resourceful.
So when we see the opportunities to learn these days, it feels almost like a benefit. With the government providing SkillsFuture credits, and subsidised courses, learning becomes so much more exciting and affordable. And with an increasing number of courses going online these, geography is no longer a barrier to learning. How exciting is that?!
In contrast, my parents’ generation might have felt that such learning may no longer be relevant to them in their lives, or that the hurdle for them to learn new skills is too high. The millennials view learning differently from us because they had vast opportunities growing up.
For me, I’ve always believed that learning and education is essential for growth and change. Change is good because it keeps you on your toes, it prevents you from being complacent, it forces you to grow, and it keeps you humble. Each time I learn, I realise how much I do not know and how much more I can learn from others. It puts me in a space of wonderment, and opens my mind to possibilities. Learning for me has never been about career advancement or to get a better pay.
In fact, I am currently taking up short courses in areas that I’m interested in, my most recent being in Design Thinking and an Advanced Certificate in Sustainability & Sustainable Businesses. I’ve also recently taken a course on Greenhouse Carbon Management because I want to learn how our daily actions affect our climate. In my next job I want to make a social impact, whether to the community or the environment.”
