As a small country, Singapore requires a strong and efficient Foreign Service to thrive in an increasingly globalised world. To that end, MFA is instrumental in ensuring that Singapore plays a constructive role in global affairs and continuing to build and maintain ties in the international arena.
A cadre of dedicated and well-trained MFA officers play a crucial role in safeguarding Singapore’s interests and providing consular assistance to their fellow Singaporeans abroad. As officers on the Foreign Service and Administration Specialist (FSAS) scheme, Rachel Kee and Alvin Tay both enjoy unique opportunities to serve in Singapore’s overseas missions as part of Singapore’s diplomatic corps.
A Global Career
Rachel, 27, is in her first year of posting as an Attaché (Admin & Consular) at the Permanent Mission of Singapore in Geneva, Switzerland, a rare opportunity for someone her age.
Rachel started her career in the MFA Diplomatic Academy, where she worked for two-and-a-half years before her overseas posting to Geneva. She recalls, “At the academy, I was involved in organising courses and seminars for our officers and participants from other ministries. These programmes covered a wide range of topics, from global affairs to soft skills like leadership and interpersonal relations.”
Alvin Tay Han Wee
Attaché (Admin & Consular)
Consulate-General of Singapore,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Diploma in Business Information Technology,
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
“Every country has its own unique work culture. When we are working overseas, it’s imperative to first understand the culture, people and operating style in order to bridge the gap with our foreign counterparts.”
Rachel started her career in the MFA Diplomatic Academy, where she worked for two-and-a-half years before her overseas posting to Geneva. She recalls, “At the academy, I was involved in organising courses and seminars for our officers and participants from other ministries. These programmes covered a wide range of topics, from global affairs to soft skills like leadership and interpersonal relations.”
Her current responsibilities as an Attaché is vastly different from her work at the MFA Diplomatic Academy. She explains, “My key role is to provide consular assistance to Singaporeans in distress. I am also involved in the coordination of official visits or events, and ensuring that the day-to-day operations of the Mission run smoothly.”
For Alvin, he has always yearned for a challenging and enriching career that would allow him to do his part for Singapore. He shares, “I started my career in the Corporate Affairs Directorate, where I was involved in procurement. I also helped to review the procurement processes of our overseas missions and organised outgoing staff visits.”
Like Rachel, Alvin appreciates the opportunity to serve overseas. He enthuses, “Now that I’ve been posted to Ho Chi Minh City, life is quite different. I handle heavier responsibilities and a much wider job scope. Other than handling consular cases, my portfolio also includes representational duties at official functions and managing the day-to-day operations at the Mission. I also organise activities for the local Singaporean community such as the National Day Reception where we brought in different kinds of Singapore food like Nasi Lemak and Kacang Puteh.”
A Global Career
While many of us aspire to live and work overseas, few of us actually get to do so. FSAS officers like Rachel and Alvin feel privileged that they could serve Singapore overseas and cherish every moment of it as they are constantly exposed to new experiences.
Rachel recalls, “In the course of my work, I often encounter situations that can be difficult to handle, such as complex consular cases which do not have straightforward solutions. It’s only through hands-on experience that I’ve learnt how to be more flexible when handling individual cases. At Geneva, I work alongside experienced colleagues and I couldn’t have asked for a better training ground.”
Rachel Kee Wan Ting
Attaché (Admin & Consular)
Permanent Mission of Singapore,
Geneva, Switzerland
Diploma in Media and Communication,
Singapore Polytechnic
“At Geneva, I work alongside experienced colleagues and I couldn’t have asked for a better training ground.”
As a Singaporean living away from home, Rachel is also heartened by the sense of camaraderie that Singaporeans share overseas. This was made especially apparent by the passing of Singapore’s founding father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, earlier this year. She recalls, “It was a period of sadness and solemnity for everyone, but it was also truly gratifying to see Singaporeans from all over Switzerland travelling to Geneva Mission to pay their last respects to Mr Lee.”
Working overseas can also provide a different perspective of Singapore. Alvin is quick to point out that Singapore is something of an anomaly, albeit a good one. He recounts with pride how he represented the country at an official luncheon commemorating ASEAN Day. There were many ASEAN representatives present and the Vietnamese host had specially proposed a toast to Singapore’s Golden Jubilee.
Alvin adds, “We take for granted how efficient our system is and we tend to demand the same from our overseas counterparts. One of the foreign diplomats was even astonished when told of MFA’s service standards and the distance we would go to help fellow Singaporeans.
“Every country has its own unique work culture. When we are working overseas, it’s imperative to first understand the culture, people and operating style in order to bridge the gap with our foreign counterparts.”
A Nurturing Path
MFA is committed to grooming and nurturing its officers to reach their potential. Rachel says earnestly, “The MFA Diplomatic Academy trains our officers through milestone programmes and courses. The Human Resource Directorate also ensures that we receive adequate training and support throughout our career.”
The FSAS career is also a dynamic one. Officers are constantly challenged to take on new roles and learn new things. “The opportunity for job rotations in MFA means that we are always interacting with different supervisors and peers, which allows us to observe different working styles and gain useful skills along the way,” Rachel explains.
The work in MFA is intense, fast-paced, and even fun. “We have very tight deadlines and high expectations to meet, but we’re all a very fun bunch! While it may be stressful at times, there’s always laughter in the office. We work hard, play hard, and celebrate each other’s successes. Ultimately, we are not doing it for personal gain but to deliver a public service to fellow Singaporeans,” Alvin says with conviction.
