His skill set in IT was easily transferable to new career

Last year, Mr Paul Chua, 48, left his information technology job at a data analytics start-up and joined a medical technology firm as a product security officer.
Last year, Mr Paul Chua, 48, left his information technology job at a data analytics start-up and joined a medical technology firm as a product security officer. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

After spending more than two decades in the information technology (IT) and telecommunications industry, Mr Paul Chua, 48, last year decided to try something new.

The funding for the data analytics start-up he was working for had dried up, and in a leap of faith, he joined American medical technology firm Becton Dickinson as a product security officer.

But when he came across the job description on Web portal LinkedIn, he was hesitant at first.

"It's not a traditional career path for someone with no background in biomedical science and I wondered how they would value me," he told The Straits Times.

He soon discovered that as more sectors digitalise, his skill set in IT and data security was easily transferable. "Most of the biomedical equipment today has some form of software in it. Software is bound to have vulnerabilities and cyber security incidences. So that's where I can come in and contribute."

There were also many opportunities to learn on the job, he added.

He said that while he had entered the biomedical sector by chance, the recently announced professional conversion programme could convince others to give it a shot.

The Professional Conversion Programme for Advanced Biopharmaceuticals Manufacturing Professionals and Executives is an 18-month programme announced yesterday for those in professional, manager, executive and technician (PMET) roles to prepare them for jobs such as biotechnologists, production engineers and process development engineers.

Some 300 PMETs are expected to benefit over the next year from the programme, an initiative of Workforce Singapore and Economic Development Board. Applicants must be Singaporeans or permanent residents.

Mr Chua said: "Most importantly, the programme has to emphasise there are universal transferable skills, so you don't need to have studied mechanical engineering or biomedical engineering just to get into the sector. There's always another path to learn."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 27, 2020, with the headline His skill set in IT was easily transferable to new career. Subscribe