When Mohd Malaysia was retrenched in 1999, he was not caught off-guard like his colleagues were. He had been attending night classes to upgrade his skills since 1983, attaining a diploma in industrial engineering in the process.

In fact, when news of the retrenchment broke, he was already in the final year of a degree course in business and management studies. He was soon offered a position as an engineer but left after four months as the 12-hour shift left him little time to concentrate on his studies.

The father of five said: “Learning is an investment. We should upgrade our skills to add value to ourselves and our companies.” His continuous learning journey has also enhanced his relationship with his children, as it has helped him understand their difficulties as students better.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Mohd Malaysia is currently pursuing an electrical engineering diploma at the Ngee Ann Polytechnic.