Not the Lawyer She Planned to Be—But the Marketer Singapore Needed

Jowei Ling, 30, carries this philosophy with her every day. She has learned that often, the alternative door leads to bigger opportunities in life.

She dreamt of becoming a lawyer, inspired by the suited characters in court she had seen in Hong Kong dramas—voices of conviction turning black into white and white into black.

But when her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) results came out in 2013, it was clear that the path to her dream was nearly impossible.

Confused and lost, yet still hopeful, she decided to enter Form 6. After a semester, she was advised to consider other options because she had failed the pre-examination.

“If I had continued with Form 6, you don’t have to guess what would have happened next. So, Form 6 was not for me,” she said.

Jowei was a pure science student. She requested to switch to the Arts stream in Form 6, believing she would perform better there.

In fact, this was where her true interest lay, especially with her dream of becoming a lawyer.

Unfortunately, her request was not approved. There was also no news about her application to public universities.

With those doors closed, her mother looked into programmes at Methodist Pilley Institute (MPI) to see if there was anything that might interest her.

At first, nothing seemed to align with Jowei’s dream—or what she thought she wanted—because she was still unsure of her path.

It was either go nowhere or find a new direction. Choosing the latter, she took an aptitude test, and the results showed that business management suited her.

She decided to give it a try and enrolled in the Diploma in Business Management in July 2013.

“It turned out to be quite suitable for me. I enjoyed every class. For a while, I felt a bit disappointed, but later, I thought business management isn’t a bad programme after all.

“Life is like that—it’s never 100 per cent what you want, but everyone is capable of doing something and becoming somebody,” she said.

She did well in her studies and completed the diploma on time in 2015. She then continued with the Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Marketing the following year.

The Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Marketing is a programme offered in collaboration with UCSI University—one of the most popular programmes there.

Through this partnership, students like Jowei could study the same syllabus and earn the same qualification as UCSI students, but at a much more affordable cost at MPI.

With exemptions granted from certain papers, Jowei immediately entered the second year of the degree programme.

There are many career paths for graduates with a degree in Marketing—marketer, salesperson, entrepreneur, banker.

While none of these roles immediately appealed to Jowei, she knew she would eventually find a job she loved. A degree was her ticket not just into the working world, but to broaden her horizons and understand the world better.

Thus, even while still pursuing her diploma, she found her direction—and she knew it wouldn’t end there.

As a student, she focused on her studies and actively participated in club and campus activities.

Her friends, vibrant campus life, and supportive environment helped shape her character—qualities that later helped her in her career.

By her final year, she was already preparing to enter the workforce. She secured a full-time position as a tertiary education consultant in Sibu.

As both a full-time student and employee, she learned to manage her time effectively.

It was hard work, but nothing great is ever achieved without hard work. She graduated with her degree in 2018.

With that, she began the next chapter of her life—building her career beyond Malaysia. She had her eyes set on Singapore.

Would a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Marketing from MPI be enough to secure her a job in Singapore? The answer was yes.

After two years working as a tertiary education consultant, she resigned and left for Singapore with two friends to search for jobs.

It was a bold move, some might say crazy—going jobless to a highly competitive market.

But her determination held strong. She sent out hundreds of resumes—to positions ranging from operations manager to human resources to marketing, and even accounting.

“Yes, I even applied for accounting roles even though I don’t come from an accounting background. But I know basic bookkeeping, as we learned in the programme.

“As long as the job was related to what I had studied, I applied. I eventually landed my first job in Singapore in the food and beverage industry as a restaurant management trainee,” she said.

However, six months later, she quit. Then came the pandemic and lockdown—meaning reduced hiring and very few job openings.

The most sensible thing to do would have been to return to Sibu—but not for her. Staying true to her belief that “if one door closes, another opens,” she stayed. She just needed to find it.

Her determination paid off. She found a job as an administration executive in a construction company, working with foreign workers and learning manpower laws in Singapore.

After two years of experience, she moved to a larger company within the construction industry as a human resource executive.

Then, she transitioned to her current role as a recruitment consultant. At first, making 150 cold calls a day was part of the job, but over time, she grew and shifted her focus towards customer service.

So why did she choose Singapore? For financial goals.

“It’s a busy life. Basically, you wake up, work, go home, sleep, and repeat. But being busy is good. Most importantly, I’m doing something for myself and earning a good living,” she said.

But Jowei wasn’t always this determined. She could be hesitant, even negative at times.

Everything changed when MPI opened its door to her—giving her the guidance and support to pursue a different yet equally ambitious dream after the door to law school closed.

To her, MPI is the place where she “grew up”—a place that helped her find clarity, purpose, and direction.

“Every time I come back to this place, I think, wow—12 years ago, I knew nothing. I came here, and now I’m already out in society. So coming back feels like coming home.

“I come home to where I started dreaming; to a big dream that I can achieve. As I’ve said, if one door closes, there’s always another one to open,” she reflected.

She understood that dreams without education can be naïve. Anyone looking to build a career and achieve financial goals—especially in listed companies—must have at least a higher qualification.

In Singapore, she explained, there are three types of work permits: the Work Permit for unskilled workers, the S Pass for mid-skilled foreign employees, and the Employment Pass (EP) for foreign professionals, managers, and executives—the white-collar workers.

Jowei is employed under the EP. The entry requirement? A degree.

“Education exposes you to the world and broadens your horizons—it gives you the right to choose. Not that you can make any choice you want, but you certainly have more choices—and that means more freedom.

“I’m a recruiter now. If you don’t have a diploma, unless you are exceptional, your options are limited.

“If you want to work in a listed company, they require people with a strong educational background. If you want a better career path, you need higher qualifications, she explained.

According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), in 2019, about 72.1 per cent of Malaysians did not further their studies after SPM.

This is a worrying trend, as education is the lifeblood of a nation’s future—and higher education is a crucial part of it.

Higher education provides essential skills to address real-world challenges and is often a prerequisite for high-paying, prestigious careers.

Those with higher education degrees earn more over their lifetimes and enjoy better economic stability.

Thus, she urged current MPI students and those still unsure about continuing their education after SPM to study hard and persevere.

At times, studying can be difficult, but it is an important struggle for a better future.

Meanwhile, as Methodist Pilley Institute (MPI) approaches its 35th anniversary next year, the institute will celebrate this remarkable milestone with a series of activities highlighting 35 years of excellence, growth, and impact in education.

Stay tuned for an exciting line-up of events and programmes as MPI continues to inspire, nurture, and shape future generations.