iF13-e

00 I OK, so is teaching your first job?
03 S Mmm ... not really, er ... no, not really, it's it's definitely no (ha ha) er my first job was um
12 working as a ... what do you call that ... um engineering assistant at erm ... manufacturing company ...
20 yup, basically I was erm erm ... I I I did electronic engineering ... before that, so after that I was um ...
30 posted ah, I don't think called posted lah, but um, I signed this contract with a ... manufac- with this c-
36 manufacturing company to work there for three years ... yup ... so, erm ... this company deals with ...
43 I mean, um, manufacture ... video-cassette recorders ... yah, it's under Thomson and Toshiba, yup,
52 so, um, I was there, my main job ... was to plan and erm ... plan production lines ... yah,
60 and then erm ... erm write out write out the procedures for making erm VCR ... yup ...
69 so will will have to write out as in how to assemble the VCR to ... testing it to packing it, yah,
77 so the whole process I need to break down for the different operators ... and erm
81 within the specific time limit per station ... yup ... other than that, erm, at times, after, I mean, um
89 there will be, um, I will have to do, um ... projects like improving the line, as in er cutting down the number of ...
98 headcounts, yup, for er certain models, so as to save cost, yah, erm ... mmm ... so, this job basically
109 there will be, erm, there are times when you are very busy, and there are times when there's erm ...
114 mmm mmm ... not as busy lah, yah, so er the busy time will be when there's there are many new models, yah,
121 so you have to test them out, on the line when the production is not running so you have to work off-time,
126 to check, to test the station ... yah ... and then erm ... mmm then liaise with the erm ... the ...
134 R and D department with any problems that you encounter ... yah ... so, mmm ...
143 mmm worked there for ... six ... and a half years, I guess about there, the first three years was bonded
151 so after that, didn't wanted to ... go anywhere, so stayed on ((laugh)) with the company ... for another three years
159 yah, until, until ... it shut down ((laugh)) basically I was retrenched, but before I was retrenched
167 I actually applied for teaching already, so it's not because of I I was out of job,
172 then I applied teaching, yah ... mmm.
176 I So is this the reason why you chose the teaching profession?
179 S Mmm, not really, actually I considered before coming in, into teaching, I mean before erm signing up,
185 I actually thought of being a librarian ... and teaching is the other option ah, so erm, I actually went for interviews,
192 erm, before I got retrenched, I actually went for interviews with um, National Library Board I mean with um
199 Nanyang Pol-, oh no, Temasek Poly, yah, to work in the library, their libraries, but erm ... er
206 they actually advised me not to, because they feel that er with my qualification, having a diploma in electronic engineering,
214 you shouldn't work in the library as just a normal ... erm librarian, because they only they only consider only my ...
221 'A' Levels ... yah, one thing the pay will be very low ... another thing you'll be doing something very simple, basically
228 yah, so erm ... then erm, yah, when after that, erm, considered teaching, so ... I guess why I chose teaching ...
238 it could be because er, I I ... wanted something different, I wanted something ... more challenging,
243 it's definitely very challenging ... and er, working with people, I was thinking, erm ... you'll be,
250 you you will feel more satisfaction ... so called ah, other than working with products, you know, just ...
256 just ... trying to ... produce more VCR every day ... yah, so ... yah, that's why I chose teaching ... yah ... mmm ...
267 erm ... other than that, erm ... mmm I guess ... er, other than satisfaction ... erm
279 I Do you like children?
280 S Oh, I like children a lot, er ... OK, I guess, I won't say I will, I love them a lot, but er, I I ...
288 I do enjoy talking to them at times lah, yah, er yup but ... OK lah I guess ... er.