SINGAPORE – More mid-career workers are switching to join the social service sector, with the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) seeing a 19 per cent increase in such switches from 2016 to 2022.

One of them is Mr Prem Muniandy, 37, who graduated with a diploma in optometry in 2010 and thought he had a clear vision of the path he was going to take. 

But after a few years in the industry, he found himself feeling uninspired and lacking motivation. He said: “I realised that I wanted to do something for more than just myself.”

He started volunteering at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 2018, and found joy and meaning in serving the community. 

That was when he considered switching career paths to become a social worker.

He said: “I knew I wanted to be in the helping profession, but I lacked certain skill sets and knowledge to do so, which was a concern for me.” 

He signed up for Workforce Singapore’s (WSG) Career Conversion Programme for Social Workers – a work-study programme that trains mid-career individuals to become qualified social workers. 

The programme is a partnership between NCSS, WSG and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

There was a 14.5 per cent increase in mid-career individuals who signed up for the career conversion course to become a social worker between 2020 and 2022, compared with the pre-Covid-19 years from 2017 to 2019, said WSG.

It was tough for Mr Prem to go back to school 10 years after his last formal education, but he persevered. 

He undertook a two-year degree course in social work as part of the programme, and is now a full-time social worker at the Singapore Indian Development Association.

There are now more than 20,000 professionals in the social service sector, up from more than 15,000 in 2019, said NCSS director of sector manpower and leadership development Bruce Liew.

Another person who made the leap is Ms Isabel Kang, 43.

She had been working in the marketing and communications industry for more than 20 years, but the thought of pursuing a career in social work had stayed with her since her schooling days.

She looked into switching careers over the years, but could never find the time to pursue the relevant studies to do so.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, she decided to make the leap into social work and signed up for WSG’s Career Conversion Programme for Social Workers.

Ms Kang, who has been volunteering with Lions Clubs Singapore since 2005, had no qualms about the job change as she knew that social work is similar to what she was already doing as a volunteer.

Going back to school after 20 years was tough for her at first, but her goal kept her going. Ms Kang is now a social worker at En Community Services Society and works with underprivileged families, youth and seniors.

She said: “You find more meaning at work in the social work industry as you know you’re doing something to help someone or the society.

“It’s very different from being in the corporate world, where you are working for only your own goals, like a good salary or climbing the corporate ladder.”