“There is not a single one of us who can function in our daily lives without electricity,” Leow Hui Min, Senior Analyst at Energy Market Authority (EMA) mused. “Yet having a career in the energy sector is rarely top of mind for young people after graduation.”

In today’s competitive recruiting landscape, attracting young people is critical to rejuvenating the Public Service and ensuring future leadership.  

Like many other young people, Hui Min was drawn to the dynamic tech sector after graduating from business school in 2019. She started in an e-commerce firm, where she worked on various organisational development projects at both regional and global levels.

While she honed her skills to engage employees in the technology space, Hui Min realised she desired more purposeful work as well. In 2023, a job opportunity at EMA caught her eye. It offered not only opportunities to focus on employee engagement and development, but also to build a sustainable pipeline for the entire energy industry across various disciplines and fields.

Embracing this opportunity, she transitioned to her current role in EMA’s Workforce Planning Branch, where she is driven by a mission to spark interest among young people in this vital industry.

Reimagining Energy Careers

Traditional industries such as energy, building, or water tend to be overlooked by young people as career choices due to the misperception that they only hire engineers. These sectors are also often seen as labour-intensive and not as progressive as other industries.

At EMA, Hui Min and her colleagues strive to change the youth’s perception of not just EMA, but the whole energy sector. She explained, “We want to broaden their perspective on what it means to work in the sector and show how people from different backgrounds can find value and meaning in their work.”

To that end, Hui Min and her team takes a step beyond hiring. “We are looking at exploring new and more targeted ways to get youths more actively involved and pique their interest to join the energy sector,” Hui Min explained.

“Importantly, we want the energy sector to be at the forefront of their minds when they think of an industry to join upon graduation, or even to pivot into.”

Areas such as green energy are filled with opportunities for growth. But even traditional roles in the energy sector have evolved to allow youths to harness their creativity!

On this, Hui Min shared, “For instance, it could be about how we can leverage different technologies such as generative AI to improve productivity and work efficiency.”

Reaching Out to Youth

However, the reality is that many youths are not plugged into the energy sector, and are thus unaware of these developments. As such, Hui Min and her team have made it their mission to understand their perspectives, so that they can tailor engagements and outreach activities to cater to them.

“I enjoy speaking with young people and students,” Hui Min shared. “It’s refreshing to hear their thoughts and concerns, and to see what I can share from my experience. I remember having a lot of questions when I was their age about career choices after graduation. And getting to hear others’ advice and their learnings was very helpful during that period.”

Hui Min’s work resonates deeply with her personal values and professional aspirations. As someone who once overlooked traditional industries herself, she understands the challenges youths face in identifying meaningful career paths.

Reflecting on her own career progression, Hui Min shared, “As I thought about my career progression, I realised that I still have a strong interest to deepen my skills in Human Resources. But I also wanted to challenge myself with a role that requires more analytical thinking and offers a strategic purpose.” 

With passionate public officers like Hui Min, the energy sector is poised for a brighter, more sustainable future—powered by young talent and fresh ideas to make a difference.

This article is adapted from an article first published on EMA’s website.

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