Soaring ahead in the cloud, with encouragement from a Republic Polytechnic mentor
Mr Mohamed Zamir Bin Mohamed Hamzah discovered his passion for cloud computing after a stint working in a desktop support role at a healthcare institution. Photo: Mohamed Zamir Bin Mohamed Hamzah
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Enrolling in a Work-Study Post-Diploma allowed Mr Mohamed Zamir Bin Mohamed Hamzah to take his career to new heights in the information technology field.
After spending slightly over a year working in a desktop support role at a healthcare institution, Mr Mohamed Zamir Bin Mohamed Hamzah knew that he wanted to realign his career to focus on one of technology’s most exciting developments: Cloud computing, which is the delivery of computing services like storage, software and databases over the Internet.
“Cloud computing is one of the best things I’ve come across,” he said. “It’s relatively new but will be around for a very long time. Cloud computing is what companies opt for when they plan for future server-related upgrades or initial deployment, be they hybrid servers, on-premises servers or public subscription based servers."
Mr Mohamed decided to try his luck and attended an interview at a networking company. The experience left him feeling that he was inadequately prepared to enter the cloud computing industry, as he had no formal qualifications in the field. Realising he needed relevant qualifications, Mr Mohamed, who held a Diploma in Information Technology from Republic Polytechnic (RP), approached his mentor from his student days, Dr Ng Tek Ming.
Dr Ng introduced him to the Work-Study Post-Diploma Programme (WSPostDip) at RP, where polytechnic graduates who are within three years of their graduation date or Operationally Ready Date for full-time National Servicemen can attain an industry-recognised post-diploma qualification, while also receiving mentorship and training in a job related to their field of study.
With Dr Ng’s guidance, he submitted his resume to companies partnered with the WSPostDip programme and received calls from three of them. Eventually, Mr Mohamed joined NetOne Asia as an associate consultant, where he gained proficiency and confidence in dealing with software-defined data centre solutions.
WORKING TO UPGRADE HIS CAREER
As part of the WSPostDip, Mr Mohamed enrolled in RP’s Specialist Diploma in Cloud Architecting and Management in June 2019. The course, structured around public cloud computing and architecture design, offers hands-on experience and knowledge of Amazon Web Services (AWS), one of the most popular cloud computing platforms. This helped ensure that Mr Mohamed would be able to apply his learning immediately at his workplace.
Today, he continues to work at NetOne Asia as an associate consultant, handling projects that range from network migration to the deployment of cloud computing solutions like AWS, Azure and digital workspaces like Citrix & VMware.
“I have the opportunity to apply what I have studied in the WSPostDip course in several cloud-related projects,” said Mr Mohamed. “It feels as if the grass is greener in this company, as projects have different levels of planning and implementation criteria to consider. Thus far, it does not feel like I have a knowledge ceiling – I am constantly improving and learning new technology.”
While work can be challenging, Mr Mohamed is thankful for his RP education: “My job requires me to constantly research to understand a product, and filter what is necessary and what is not. My coursework at RP taught me how to differentiate essential information and stay efficient when project deadlines are approaching.”
THE DIFFERENCE SOFT SKILLS MAKE
For Mr Mohamed, RP’s problem-based learning – where students are given real-life scenarios to research solutions for – has benefited him not just at work but also in other aspects of his life.
“It helped me to make better career choices,” he said. “I have gained confidence through problem-based learning.”
He added that while job hunting, he truly appreciated his education at the institution: “RP has equipped me with many important soft skills, technical knowledge and strong presentation capabilities."
ALWAYS A MENTOR
Another powerful source of support was his mentor Dr Ng. When Mr Mohamed began studying for his Diploma in Information Technology, he was on the verge of dropping out of school due to financial and personal issues.
“Dr Ng convinced me that the problems I had were temporary and advised me to push through to the last semester,” recalled Mr Mohamed, adding that Dr Ng gave him pointers on starting a LinkedIn profile and planning out his career path. “Until today, I remember and am appreciative of the talks we had. I often wonder how different my career would be if I had decided to drop out.”
Having graduated from the WSPostDip last June, Mr Mohamed plans to continue developing a career specialising in the deployment of cloud infrastructure.
He said: “I’m excited for what’s to come. With this Specialist Diploma on my resume, it feels like I have the edge over other professionals. I want to focus on cloud architecture and networking in the years to come, to challenge myself and apply what I have learnt.”
Find out more about a rewarding education at Republic Polytechnic. Gain a head start in your career and sign up for RP ACE’s SkillsFuture Work-Sudy Programme. Discover more at the Course Preview Webinar (June Intake) on March 6.
