Jobseekers’ Diaries: No luck making a career switch from music to teaching, but I will keep going
Mr Vicknes Vinayak Veerappan, 46, worked for 24 years in the music industry before pursuing a degree and is now looking for a full-time teaching job.
As jobs are a top concern for Singaporeans in the Covid-19 crisis, TODAY’s Voices section is publishing first-hand accounts from jobseekers in which they reflect on their experiences and what keeps them going.
In this instalment of Jobseekers’ Diaries, Mr Vicknes Vinayak Veerappan, 46, shares how and why he is pursuing his lifelong dream to be an educator after a long career as a musician.
“Pandemic or no pandemic, I’m not allowing anyone or anything to take away my hard work!”
That was my vow to myself after receiving an email from Lasalle College of the Arts, where I was pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Music, stating that my graduation recital had been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was a huge blow, not only because I had spent two years composing, writing and planning for it, but also as the recital was supposed to commemorate my successful return to school after working 24 years in the music industry.
To make matters worse, I received a notice that the full-time job I was scheduled to start in April was retracted due to the pandemic.
The string of bad news hit me hard. It made me wonder — would I ever be able to achieve my lifelong dream of being a full-time teacher.
There were nights when I laid in bed alone in my dark room, filled with a million thoughts as I asked myself if this pandemic is going to take away everything that I have worked for over the past couple of years.
However, being the optimist, I decided that it was counterproductive to worry about the bleak economic outlook.
I then started looking for alternative sources of income, while continuing my search for a full-time job.
I decided to upgrade my home music studio so I could take on home-based projects. In addition, my friends in the arts industry roped me in for some projects, and that helped me to stay afloat during the circuit breaker period.
To help in my search for another full-time job, I also upgraded myself. I applied for courses that would equip me with skills in delivering impactful training to youth, reading body language, presentation skills and writing proposals.
To overcome my job search hurdles, I reached out to my Member of Parliament for help. I was referred to Workforce Singapore and assigned career coach Sherlyn Soh.
Under her guidance, I learnt how to improve my resume and brushed up my interview skills through mock interview rehearsal.
One may wonder if I regret making a career switch in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
To be honest, it was difficult to leave my career as a musician and songwriter behind as it gave me opportunities to work for various international musicals and world-renowned musical artistes such as JJ Lin and David Tao.
However, I believe that I had made the right decision as ultimately, my passion lies in educating youths.
This stems from my earlier days when I had to work with many young and talented musicians and it was inspiring to see them improve and grow over time.
I hope to remain confident and resilient as I continue my job search and I look forward to fulfilling my lifelong dream of being a full-time music and English teacher.
ABOUT THE WRITER:
Mr Vicknes Vinayak Veerappan, 46, has been a freelance musician and songwriter since 1994. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the Lasalle College of the Arts in April. He has applied for a dozen of jobs including music teacher and drum tutor roles but is currently still looking for a full-time job.
If you are a jobseeker with a compelling story or know someone who wishes to contribute to this series, write to voices [at] mediacorp.com.sg with your full name, address and phone number.
