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| Admire the Home Team's real heroes and wanted to be updated with their real stories? Come and follow Home Team News on Twitter - @hometeamnews. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng |
Many of us in the newsroom were on duty on 9 and 10 March to cover the Home Team Career Fair 2012 at Ngee Ann City's Civic Plaza.
There were some sighs initially as the IT fair was also held on the same weekend.
Any moanings we might have had disappeared as soon as we set foot at the Home Team Career Fair site.
Without looking at the main stage banner, one would have thought the Home Team had staged a carnival.
There were many captivating exhibitions on display and interesting activities for visitors to participate in.
In fact, the Home Team had prepared something for everyone and not just for career seekers.
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) fans had a field day at the Singapore Police Force and Central Narcotics Bureau's booths, trying various forensic equipment.
The Singapore Prisons Service and Singapore Civil Defence Force's supersized command vehicles were the hottest exhibits among the children and adult petrolheads.
Visitors could also see if they were sharp enough to spot illegal goods hiding in nooks and cranies of vehicles at the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority booth.
As if these exhibitions and activities wasn't enticing enough, officers from various Home Team Departments put up a number of live demonstrations and performances practically every hour!
Those two days I was on duty really did not feel like I was working at all.
It felt more like attending a carnival with friends.
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| Home Team News also had a little publicity campaign going on at the side of the Home Team Career Fair 2012. To raise public awareness of Home Team News' social media pages, we designed some placards printed with the addresses of the social media pages for members of public to take photos with. Home Team News' Charissa Tan (left) and Sidwyn Koh (right) posing with the Home Team News' social media placards. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng |
To keep everyone updated amids the hustle and bustle, we gave hourly updates of the happenings on our Facebook page.
We were most encouraged when some of Home Team News' Facebook followers decided to drop by and show their support after reading our shout-outs on the Facebook page.
For these visitors, we arranged a special photo-opportunity.
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| The Singapore Police Force K-9 Unit officers with Home Team News Facebook's followers Tan Yu Ren, Tan Yu Feng and Yip Xuan Yu. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng |
I hope they were pleased with our arrangement. :)
At the Home Awards and Degree Sponsorship ceremony which was held at the fair on 10 March 2012, Second Minister of Home Affairs, Mr S Iswaran said “Life in the Home Team is never dull. You will learn new skills, face new situations, get out of your comfort zone and work with other Home Team officers and the community – in order to fulfill our important mission to keep Singapore safe and secure.”
Indeed eight years and counting with the Ministry, my work life has never been dull.
There is always something new to see and learn every day.
It reminded me of an advice from my boss when I first started working in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
“You don’t just have a job with the Home Team. Instead, you have a career,” she said.
Many years have passed since then but her words still resonate with me.
Check out more photos of the buzz at the Home Team Career Fair.
- Police Commissioner, Mr Ng Joo Hee (right) showing an exhibit to Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mr S Iswaran (left) at the Singapore Police Force’s booth as Supt Elizabeth Wong looks on. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Second Minister Iswaran tried out the forensic equipment on display at the Central Narcotics Bureau’s booth as DSP Richard Soh (centre) and SSgt Muhamad Nizam bin Abudol Ramin look on . PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Second Minister Iswaran (middle) was amused when he realised that there were various hiding places within a motorcycle as ICA Commissioner Mr Clarence Yeo (left) and CPL Mohamad Hairil Bin Salim (right) look on. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Second Minister Iswaran (right) shared a light hearted moment with SGT Goh Yan Xiu (left) and Deputy Director of Singapore Prison Service, Mr Desmond Chin (middle). PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Singapore Civil Defence Force Commissioner, Mr Eric Yap (second from left) gave Second Minister Iswaran (left) a tour around the SCDF exhibition area. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Home Team officers that were stationed around the career fair were always ready to explain their work experiences to interested career seekers. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Supersized command vehicles like the SCDF’s Red Rhino (above) were the hottest exhibits among the children and adult petrolheads. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) fans had a field day literately at the Singapore Police Force's booth. They got a chance to hone their analytical skills through specially formulated forensic games. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Officers from various Home Team Departments like the Singapore Police, Women Police Pipes and Drums put up a number of live demonstrations and performances practically every hour! PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Officers from the Singapore Prison Service demonstrate the Closed Quartered Restrained Technique (CQRT) which they use to restrain a violent inmate. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- The SCDF's Music and Performing Arts Club (MPAC) showcased their musical talents at the Home Team Career Fair. Cpl Syarifullah and Cpl Clarence Liew charmed the crowds with their mellifluous voices. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Apart from career seekers, the Home Team Career Fair also attracted a large number of people including tourists. These visitors pick up useful tips from SCDF’s paramedics on how to do proper Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Suddenly gun shots and explosions were heard and some members of the public were "held hostage"! Fret not, it’s just a demonstration by the Singapore Police Force’s anti-swarming team. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Within minutes, the elite officers of SPF's anti-swarming team subdued the terrorists with their swift counter-terrorism skills in a demonstration at the Career Fair. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Woof! Here comes the Police K-9 Unit’s general guard dog! With its strong and persistent bite, it subdued the “violent criminal” within seconds. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Mediacrop artists, Ben Yeo and Jeanette Aw made an appearance at the Home Team Career Fair on Saturday 10 March 2012. They dressed up as the characters in the Channel 8’s hit drama “995”. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- CPR is a lifelong skill. Ben Yeo and Jeanette Aw demonstrated that they still remember how to save a life with this skill when performing the “Musical CPR” with SCDF officers. PHOTO: Loh Jin Feng
- Bailey, the SCDF’s search and rescue dog, “follows” Home Team News' Twitter page to get daily updates of real heroes' stories. Are you following us yet? PHOTO: Sidwyn Koh
