THE JOURNEY to his ivory tower is quite long and winding, but after earning a diploma in Aeronautics Engineering from Singapore Polytechnic, Encik Mohammed Azman Ahmad Said, 35, found himself in a career he lacked in demand.
Raised in a modest family, Mr Azman’s father was a labourer with a primary school graduation while his mother, a housewife.
“I had a dream of becoming an astronaut scientist when I was a kid. But my GCE ‘A’ results weren’t too good and I couldn’t get into university, so I continued to undergo National Service (NS),” said Mr Azman recalling his early moments.
After completing the NS period and doing several part-time jobs, Mr. Azman, who was then 25 years old, was encouraged by his brother, a doctor, to continue his studies.
After three years, he achieved a diploma in Aeronautics Engineering as he coveted.
But his first job in that field did not keep his dream, and Encik Azman lost the motivation to work.
After six months, he sought a new branch for self-improvement and joined an apprentice program organized by his current employer, AcePLP – an architectural, engineering and construction firm.
Touching on his new challenge, Mr Azman said:
“AcePLP provides IT training in construction, and connects me to a network of contractors and consultants to hone my digital skills in the Built Environment
“I knew that I wanted to get out of the aeronautical industry and the AcePLP training program made it easier for me to transition to a new industry. That’s why I chose this field as a Digital Delivery Management (DDM) apprentice.”
Despite his challenging start for Mr. Azman, he continued to be strong and after the apprentice program and supported by his employer, AcePLP, he improved his skills by pursuing three more Diploma in Industry-related Expertise courses at the Academy of Building and Construction Authority (BCA).
“I have held the professional position of DDM for 5 years. Despite this, learning does not stop… Technology is evolving every day and there will always be new software and processes to improve construction efficiency.
“It is important for me to continue to gain knowledge in new digital innovations and lean my work experience with formal academic studies. For this reason, I am continuing my studies in the diploma ranking in Building Management and Projects.”
With a strong and unbroken determination, Mr. Azman is now a second-year part-time student at the undergraduate level at the University of Social Sciences (SUSS).
“Balancing work and studying part-time is not easy. I don’t have much free time. At work I have to manage some projects, and in the afternoon, I devote time to study and review,” he added.
The development sector agency, buildingSMART Singapore, officially issued the full Digital Delivery Management Accreditation Scheme (DDM) at the inaugural awards event for their partners from the participating Institute of Higher Education (IHL) last week, officiated by the Minister of State (Education Manpower), Ms Gan Siow Huang.
Four full stages of the DDM Accreditation Scheme are now open for application, recognizing skills and competencies in the Digital Delivery Management track based on the Skills Framework for the Built Environment.Four full stages of the DDM Accreditation Scheme are now open for application, recognizing skills and competencies in the Digital Delivery Management track based on the Skills Framework for the Built Environment.
More details can be found on the www.ddm.buildingsmartsingapore.org/http://
