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Meet Sathish Kumar, a dynamic 24-year-old whose journey spans aerospace technology, information systems, marketing and even podcasting. This modern-day Renaissance GXSer may be young, but he’s collecting experiences as they come so we caught up with him to discuss the perks of dabbling and the joys of solving problems.
How do the joys of code compare with your dreams of conquering the skies?
After I got my GCE O-Level results, I had two options - take the junior college route or the polytechnic route. I was lucky that my dad was supportive of my decision to go down the polytechnic route and so we were able to work on convincing my mom together! Her one condition? That I had to take the course that was hardest to get into. That’s how I ended up with a diploma in aerospace technology.
My childhood dream was to be a pilot and I liked physics so it felt like a good fit. But while I was there, I realised that the course is more theoretical than I expected and you need to get quite a few licences even after you get a degree before you can touch an aircraft. At the same time, I was in school during the height of Covid-19 so I saw first hand how the whole industry was shut down. It all felt like a sign to explore other fields.
In my last year of polytechnic, I started trying different things. One of the things I tried were coding modules. I loved that you could build things and solve problems even while studying. I also had a lot of conversations with relatives and friends which highlighted tech’s flexibility and how the core skills you pick up can be applied in any industry. That’s how I ended up choosing information systems at Singapore Management University.
Today I’m a back-end engineer and part of the payments team at GXS Bank, helping with whatever payments features we’re developing at the bank. And yes, my mum - both my parents in fact - are quite happy for me. They might not know exactly what I’m doing on a day-to-day basis but they are definitely proud of the fact that I’m enjoying my job and coming to work and that I’m finally adulting!
What are some fun things your curiosity has gotten you into?
I’ve tried a whole lot of different things. While in poly, I took up a marketing internship at Level3, a coworking and events space by Unilever Foundry and Padang & Co. After my internship I was offered a part-time B2B sales role with Padang & Co.
This exposure to tech companies and startup culture, along with listening to people like Gary Vaynerchuk otherwise known as Gary Vee about hustle culture and startups, inspired my friends and I to start a podcast. Curiosity drove me to pursue many different interests, even if they weren’t related to my diploma or degree. I just wanted to try out different things and see what happens.
These experiences taught me a lot of valuable lessons. My internship led to a business-to-business role, which boosted my confidence and communication skills. I was super introverted in poly and talking with decision-makers in big companies was nerve-wracking. With my mentor’s guidance, I improved and became more extroverted.
This confidence changed my life trajectory. It helped me in interviews and networking, opening more doors. So if you’re interested in something, whether it’s short-term or long-term, just do it and see what happens.
Do you have any advice for fellow Gen Zs who are just joining the workforce?
- Learn to learn: School provides us with all the materials we need and teaches us to memorise and regurgitate information. In the working world, it’s about breaking things down, identifying your strengths and weaknesses, finding the resources you need and learning on the go. You might have a mentor but there’s a limit to how much you can approach them for. So be curious and learn to learn.
- Talk to people: Conversations with experienced colleagues can be incredibly valuable. Everyone comes with their own sets of experiences and many are willing to share if asked. A director or head of the department may seem very daunting but more often than not, they are actually very nice and open to sharing their knowledge.
- Don't be too hard on yourself: When I first got my full-time badge, everything felt more magnified and complex. I keep going back to how different things are in the working world versus my school projects. So don't be too hard on yourself. Take your time to understand, ask questions, and don’t expect to be perfect right away.
These three tips have helped me and continue to guide me on this journey.
