So the 2018 GCE O-Level (Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level) examination results has just been released. You might find yourself asking, “what’s next for me?”.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in your shoes (I was once 16). I’ve been in (at) a blur. I had my ‘O’ Level results in my hands and didn’t know what to do. I didn’t have any role model that I aspired to be — I was utterly clueless on what I wanted to do. I’ve even thought of taking a gap year to ‘discover’ my calling. I’ve been there, and I’m telling you – it’s perfectly normal. Saying that, let me try to help you out.
M = Me (Marissa)
T = Timberly
J = Jingyi
M: Why At-Sunrice?
T: I looked at various culinary schools’ websites online. However, most school sites didn’t really appeal to me. The decision was between At-Sunrice and a local culinary school. I scrolled through At-Sunrice’s website and found myself really drawn to the photos, videos, and digital promotions that was on the home page. I eventually decided to sign up because of that!
J: After realising the culinary course in poly wasn’t exactly what I wanted, I had to search for other options. What attracted me the most to At-Sunrice was the duration of the course. 18 months was just nice for me and everything was straightforward with more hands-on opportunities, compared to other schools. Plus, I get to immerse myself into the industry before the end of the course.
M: It must have been tough on you. But sometimes not everyone understands your dreams, am I right? So is there anything or anyone who inspires you?
T: Because I love food, I used to spend a lot of time on YouTube watching food videos & stuff. Sounds lame & cliché, I know!
M: So before we conclude this interview, is there any advice that you would like to give to a fresh O’ Level graduate?
J: My biggest advice to someone who is considering F&B would be to first get some work experience in the industry. You don’t have to be part of the kitchen staff, even being a service crew would give you some valuable insight. There are people who think that this industry is just about having fun so they just step into it. In the end, they might get a culture shock. So having some mental preparation would be good.
Don’t pick a school just for the sake of it because in the end you might find yourself taking the longer route.