Although Ms Yvonne Eng was spared from receiving a pink slip when her previous company announced a retrenchment exercise in March, it was still a wake-up call for the former human resources (HR) officer.

"I thought to myself that I could not continue being stagnant," said Ms Eng, 45, who has been working in HR for more than 20 years.

"I had to start learning something new to upgrade myself because who knows what would happen in the future," she added.

So, she turned in her resignation that same month and applied for a role as a project executive at In-Expat Consultant, a design and build consultancy. She had heard about the job opportunity from a friend.

She joined the company in June and is now undergoing a six-month Professional Conversion Programme for Designers (Furniture and Lifestyle) to help her ease into her new role.

The programme, which is supported by Workforce Singapore, comprises both classroom and on-the-job training.

It helps professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) such as Ms Eng to make a career switch to design-related occupations in the furniture and lifestyle industry.

Through the course, Ms Eng is picking up skills in design prototyping, the professional practice of design, materials and furniture-making technology, and learning to use Pytha, a 3-D drawing software.

While these are completely new to her, Ms Eng, who is married with a 10-year-old son, said she does not feel daunted.

Instead, she is excited and is appreciative of her new employer for giving her a chance to take on a new challenge.

"If I don't learn now, the younger ones will catch up.

"At least there is now a chance for me to try something new, so I will do my best," she added.