In Singapore, mother of two seeks work after earning degree — Channel NewsAsia
In Singapore, Gillian Lim earned a bachelor’s degree in business marketing at the age of 36, combining her studies with work and raising two young children. Five months after completing her studies, she is still looking for a job and says that her new education has not yet improved her employment prospects.
Lim spoke about her experience to Channel NewsAsia. Before enrolling, she had worked for 16 years, including in radio broadcasting, and decided to return to education amid a possible layoff at her previous job. Her father argued that a diploma could increase her chances of finding work.
Studying after a 14-year break
Lim chose an intensive programme with evening classes four to five times a week, which she completed in 18 months. At the start of her studies, her younger daughter was about one year old and her older daughter was four. Later, Lim also took a new job with working hours from 9:00 to 18:30.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
According to her, the workload affected her family relationships and well-being: she was often irritated with her children, felt exhausted and argued with her husband. Her husband took on part of the household duties — putting their daughters to bed, helping the older one with her studies and looking after them on weekends.
A degree without a quick result
Lim expected that the combination of work experience and a degree would make her a more attractive candidate. However, while looking for work, she encountered the fact that her new degree sometimes placed her in the category of recent graduates, despite her many years of professional experience.
At the same time, she considers her studies a personal achievement. Lim said that she completed the programme with academic distinction, and that returning to study after a 14-year break, while also balancing a new job and childcare, gave her confidence in her own discipline. It is also important to her that her daughters saw her complete something difficult for her.
