MAJ Jina Lim Jia Xuan

I was encouraged by a teacher back in Junior College to consider a career in the Public Service. I had always been active in leadership roles while in school but was still undecided on what to do at that point in time and could not envision myself in the public sector. However, as someone who takes most pride from being a part of something larger than myself and contributing back, it was a no-brainer to give it a shot once I thought about it. I am really grateful to the school for nominating me during the early round, because knowing that someone else thought I stood a chance gave me some confidence and helped me get over any inertia I might have had due to any doubt about my own abilities. Practically speaking, the scholarship was also the reason I even considered studying overseas, just from a financial standpoint. Looking back, my time studying overseas has become such a big part of my life and so integral to my personal development that I’m really glad I chose to apply.  

I was further convinced after my exposure to the SAF, and in particular the Navy. There I not only found work that was interesting, challenging, and what to me feels like the most direct way to serve the nation, but also people who were so much more than colleagues. The unique environment and nature of the job brought people from all walks of life together, and that I think has also helped broaden my horizons.  

My parents were a little apprehensive at the start – not about the PSC scholarship, as I think they do believe in the value of a ‘stable’ government job and of course the financial value of a scholarship, particularly one like the PSC’s, but more so about my choice to join the Uniformed Service. In the end, their belief in the choice’s alignment to my character won out!

I don’t recall there being specific instances of academic connections made through PSC programmes / with my peers, but I would say that being a scholarship holder definitely contributed to getting my foot in the door to projects and programs that I was interested in participating in over the years. My Navy experience brought me to an interesting research consulting stint with a maritime charity in the UK, which blended the psychology portion of my undergraduate degree with practical knowledge. This culminated in my acceptance to the Schwarzman Scholars Program for my post-graduate studies, where I made friends and connections with aspiring young leaders (including reuniting with a fellow PSC scholar) from all around the world who were looking to make an impact in each of their communities, as well as teachers and guest lecturers at the top of their respective fields. It was really quite an inspiring time. Finally, it also aided in my capstone research, where I chose to focus on the Shangri-La Dialogue. Through the connections of my supervisor at school and my role as an SAF scholarship holder, I was able to secure opportunities to interview key figures involved in the Dialogue such as Dr. Tim Huxley of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Ambassador Bilahari Kausikan, members of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), and so on. 

I returned to Service only recently and hence my experience has been mostly limited to training thus far. The most impactful ‘postings’ I’ve had have definitely been those onboard the ships, where I got to meet and befriend people with backgrounds and perspectives dissimilar to mine, and learnt to appreciate how the little things can make all the difference to the people working with you. It’s really something when your guys feel like they can trust you with their problems, when you can encourage them and work with them to achieve some of their goals, and when they see you not just as a superior/officer but also as a friend.  

While in school, I was privileged to have had a pretty exciting degree that was broad and allowed me to explore different academic disciplines and projects. My extra-curricular involvement in Muay Thai was a huge part of my time in the UK and also the most character-building - I did Muay Thai throughout my time there and was President of the club for 2 years. My Muay Thai experience training under a 2-time world champion coach helped me develop discipline in preparing and training for fights; courage to take on the challenge, step in the ring, and take losses as they came; and humility and a good work ethic.  

The Schwarzman Scholars Program was probably the experience that stands out as more unique, as it also brought me to China for the first time. Though it was cut short, the connections made with friends all around the world through this program have definitely been useful as I have learnt much through their sharing on happenings in their region, and the joint military exercises that we participated in together. A key experience within the program was the “Deep Dive”, where I shadowed a municipal official of a Tier 3 city for a week and was able to observe how the Chinese government worked from the inside. We managed to organize something similar here in Singapore for a few of our classmates, to show them the best of our country and our relevance in the region, as well as meet government and business leaders. The scholarship holders from other countries also organized similar trips with their own connections to help us broaden our horizons. 

I think I used to believe that anyone working in the Public Service would generally be more conformist and accepting of a system and the government that runs it. However, my peers and experiences have only shown me the opposite – that here you find people who not only desire change but are looking for ways to practically achieve them while appreciating the value of extant structures. People here care and are not just cogs in a very large machine.  

Only one word is hard! I would probably say ‘Purpose’ – everyone I’ve met here is driven by something larger than themselves and the idea of giving back/paying it forward. Not all the work is glamorous, but there is always a reason for it. 

I think for all applications/interviews in general it’s important to know yourself well – know your own narrative and what makes you, you. In that vein, particularly pre-application and even throughout school, make sure you take the chance to explore all opportunities that come up, try new things, and find out more about things and activities that pique your interest rather than just fixate on what you ‘should’ or ‘should not’ do. The best time to do all this is now!