Suzanne Chia is currently a Management Trainee at Pacific Logistics Group (PLG) and shares her experience in this article by Lianhe Zaobao.
International flights were grounded due to the pandemic last year and Suzanne, who was a stewardess at that time, was placed on standby for six months. After which, she felt that she could not let herself stay idle and decided that a career switch was necessary for self-growth. Currently, as a Management Trainee at Pacific Logistics Group (PLG), she will spend one year rotating across various departments to gain a deeper understanding of the company’s operations. Upon completion of this rotation, she will have the opportunity to travel to other parts of Southeast Asia to manage PLG’s regional operations.
The independence of flight attendants was a key factor in the hiring decision as PLG hired 4 former Singapore Airlines flight attendants, including 27-year-old Suzanne, to groom them for future overseas dispatch. Suzanne mentioned that as former flight attendants, they were also professionally trained in areas such as customer service, interpersonal communication and emotional management, allowing them to respond quickly when interacting with customers. Along with their fast overseas adaptability, the company does not have to worry about them during their stints abroad. Although Suzanne was not laid off by the airline, she was never recalled to fly in the six months she was on standby.
“At that time I felt very stagnant, especially in terms of self-growth. I feel that I should explore and learn as much as I can while I am still young.” Now that she is in the logistics industry, Suzanne is eager to learn about the operations of this industry, especially in the areas of storage management and oversize cargo.
She likes travelling and experiencing different cultures, and believes that PLG offers her the chance to see the world. “Although the company is currently focusing its efforts on Southeast Asia, PLG has set its sights to expand to all parts of the world,” said Suzanne.