Dan's Profile
Why did you choose SCU over any other company?
I decided to join SembCorp Utilities for a number of reasons. Based on the size of the company and my interviews with the staff, I knew that working for SembCorp would offer plenty of different challenges and opportunities to gain experience and advance my career. The salary and bonus package was, and continues to be, very competitive for the I.T. sector and region.
Describe your current position.
My current role is an “I.T. system analyst programmer”. What that basically means is I look at how things are currently done and try to improve them through the use of I.T. systems. I am responsible for designing and implementing a range of I.T. solutions.
What skills has the scheme helped you develop?
During the 18 months the focus for the training was on the technical I.T. skills, some training was focused on the tertiary skills such as communication, time management, customer service and team work. During the third and fourth year I have now moved onto more management based training. I have recently started an 18 month training program to develop my first line management skills.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced since joining the scheme?
One of the biggest challenges I faced was shortly after starting my role with the company I had to learn a completely new programming language so that I could work on developing the SembCorp system. It was challenge, but I enjoyed it!
Have you achieved anything you’re particularly proud of since working here?
I worked on a project to design and implement a Risk Management system which is now being used by the SCU UK business. The system has received good feedback from the users and external auditors have been impressed. The system is now being adopted by our parent company SCI.
Describe your working environment.
I work in a large open plan office which is divided into pods of four people, the room is light and airy, spacious and a comfortable place to work.
Briefly describe the culture at SCU?
Safety is the number one priority, it took me some time to get used to the amount of attention and focus which is put on safety, but now it is second nature to me. The company is also very people focused, it spends a lot of time and effort making sure that everyone has the necessary skills and knowledge to get the job done to the highest standards.
How has the training on the scheme helped you?
The training on the scheme has helped continue my learning since leaving university, quite a lot of it has focused on the technical side of things and this has helped me learn how to use some new technologies and keep my skills up-to-date. It has also helped me improve my time management, people skills, and become a more effective member of the I.T. team.
Has SCU met with your expectations?
Overall yes, the training has been consistently excellent. The projects that I have worked on and the opportunities that I have been given have allowed me to grow my skills and gain valuable experience for my career, looking forward I am working my way towards a first line management qualification.