Since the wake of COVID-19, food and beverage businesses had been forced to adapt to change at a quicker pace than before and Glife is no different.

From their launch in 2017, the company had grown exponentially. From serving over 900 customers to expanding beyond Singapore to Indonesia and Malaysia, Glife had achieved success in just a few short years despite fierce competition from all sides.

With a mission to feed Southeast Asia sustainably through empowerment of farmers and businesses with technology, the company knows they have what it takes. However, the challenges faced relate to human resources.

Rachel Lee, HR Director of Glife, understood that as the company grows, the need to keep up with the everchanging trends was inevitable. Believing that this goes beyond just skills and experiences, they opened their horizons to candidates who applied from different industries. This was why Glife decided to partner NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) on the Career Conversion Program (CCP).

In helping companies to address manpower shortages, CCP also supports individuals looking to make a career change. As the first three months of a career change typically require job seekers to overcome a steep learning curve, the necessary funding from CCP eases individuals’ transition into industries with opportunities for growth and progression.

e2i’s support and development of the CCP with Glife had been instrumental in helping the company address skill gaps of job seekers from different industries. Besides cutting down costs of hiring, new hires were given the opportunity to undergo training programs, where they learnt and understood the demands and challenges of the F&B industry, as well as the company’s mission and values.

Chin Han, who joined Glife 6 months ago as an Accountant, transitioned from the Finance Auditing industry. His interest in the F&B industry started off with his passion for street food, travelling to eat the latest craze. This passion slowly grew into curiosity for the raw ingredients that were used to prepare those dishes that he so loved, finally leading him to his new role.

The job of an Accountant is to ensure that the company practices lawful, efficient and compliant business practices. However, the role of an Accountant in an F&B start-up industry was a new one for Chin Han. In his new role, gone was the familiar office attire to more casual wear. His typical day at work: checking emails; making calls; assisting with budget preparation and quarterly forecast; submission of reports; and reviewing the company’s group entities while supervising accounts executives in the team.

For his new position, Chin Han had to adjust, by speaking with people from various departments, having to handle each stakeholder differently. One moment, he could be speaking with staff from the Operations department, while other times, he would be sitting at meetings with the Finance department or other stakeholders. Often, he would be liaising and working closely with both internal and external stakeholders including: operations, sales, management and external auditors, operators, valuers, and tax agents.

There was travelling involved, but unlike his previous role where he travelled to perform audits, Chin Han presently travelled between various subsidiaries and offices at different locations, from the West office located at Buroh Lane to the East at Tai Seng. Occasionally he had to leave the office environment to visit the Glife warehouses as well.

Efficient communication and the acquisition of new skills were some of Chin Han’s chief motivations, and Glife was able to provide him the opportunity but also the environment and support needed to hone these strengths by undergoing the training program. The working experience with Glife boosted his positive attitude, built on his communication skills and enabled him to work as a close collaborator with both internal and external parties.

The learning journey was not an easy one, but Chin Han was never alone from the start; his team members at the finance department had been enabling him each step of the way as he adapted to his new role.

Chin Han’s journey was just the beginning of his professional growth; the partnership between Glife and e2i will continue to lend a helping hand to mid-career job seekers looking to enter the F&B industry.