Finding joy in learning

From overcoming the fear of failure to educating family members, employees share their stories of being re-skilled

To keep pace with a fast-changing industry, DBS is focused on helping employees sharpen their competitiveness and deepen their skillset. This will enable them to not only perform their jobs effectively, but also prepare them to take on new or enhanced roles within the bank after being re-skilled. Two employees who have gone through training share their stories.

Learning to trust in her abilities

When she first started re-training to be a Video Teller Machine (VTM) customer service officer, Nahariah Mohd Nor, 45, was so stressed she wanted to return to the branch.

“I felt my colleagues were picking up much faster because they were younger,” admits Nahariah, who had been working as a service executive for some nine years prior to this, helping customers at the bank branch with account openings, cash deposits and withdrawals.

Helping customers over a computer screen was a whole new experience. The pace was faster, and the systems were new. “In the first week of my training, I contacted HR and told them to send me back to the branch,” she admits. “But HR encouraged me to stay on for six months first.”

Six months later, having settled in her new role, Nahariah says she is “much happier”.

“There’s no more stress because I got used to the system and my confidence grew,” she says.

In addition, there are more learning opportunities, and the flexible working hours allow her to spend more time with family.

Constant reinvention

In the first decade of her career at POSB, Grace Lim’s work was centred on handling Cashier’s Orders, gift vouchers, deposits and withdrawals at the bank’s branch.

“The work was much simpler, more routine and very monotonous,” recounts the 50-year-old.

That has since changed.

Over the next 20 years, Grace attended continuous training to keep updated on the bank’s products. She learnt about fixed deposits, foreign currency, corporate accounts and general insurance, among others.

This year, the Assistant Service Manager at POSB Kampung Admiralty branch took an in-depth course on credit cards, Cashline and housing loans.

“Now our area of work is diversified, and I’m an all-rounder,” she says with satisfaction. “I hope to attend more courses, especially those related to work and soft skills.”

In fact, Grace brings home the lessons she has learnt – the mother of two helps her children with financial planning, loans, credit cards and insurance!

In the spirit of embracing change, Grace convinced her 22-year-old son, who was initially worried about security, to apply for Internet banking!

“He used to use a passbook and would keep asking me about transaction codes,” she recounts with a laugh.