Singapore Expats

Anybody here working for Keppel FELS or that TUAS area? I have an interview scheduled with them for an IT role. Their work timings are 7:30AM to 4:30PM and saturday is a half working day 7:30AM to 11:30AM

Although it is 5.5 day week which is a turn off, but I guess, its a factory kind of environment so people leave work at sharp 4:30?

Another big turn off is the fact that I live in the opposite end of Singapore, i.e. Tampines so distance wise it couldnt have got worse than that. But I guess I can manage that by relocating to Boon Lay area as my current rental contract is about to end.

Biggest thing about this job is the role is kind of perfect match and salarywise it appears they can match my expectations.

Any ideas how it is like working there? I guess it can't get more local local culture than that

Went for the interview and it went quite well. I will be called for 2nd round(or so they told).

The journey took 2 hours for me one way and the most striking thing, it was the 1st time ever in my 4years in Singapore I boarded a non air conditioned bus. I didn't even know they existed in SG

Although my work area will be a proper office building, all around the office is the shipyard and workers in uniforms walking up and down the street. This is exactly opposite to my current work atmosphere in changi business parks with lots of expats executives in formals walking across the Street.

But I guess I will go in the direction where the money flows. Banking is certainly not the place to be in that regard.

Wd40 wrote:Anybody here working for Keppel FELS or that TUAS area? I have an interview scheduled with them for an IT role. Their work timings are 7:30AM to 4:30PM and saturday is a half working day 7:30AM to 11:30AM

Although it is 5.5 day week which is a turn off, but I guess, its a factory kind of environment so people leave work at sharp 4:30?

Another big turn off is the fact that I live in the opposite end of Singapore, i.e. Tampines so distance wise it couldnt have got worse than that. But I guess I can manage that by relocating to Boon Lay area as my current rental contract is about to end.

Biggest thing about this job is the role is kind of perfect match and salarywise it appears they can match my expectations.

Any ideas how it is like working there? I guess it can't get more local local culture than that

I work at Tuas if that helps.

1. Living there (Jurong West) is cheaper than Tampines IMHO. Partly because Tampines has established itself as the mini CBD so the prices of items are significantly higher, both rental and living cost.

2. Travelling to Tuas is a PITA. And I think your area is close to Tuas Basin, which is pretty far in. Because public transport system is very sparse and lacking in Tuas, most companies provide shuttle buses for their employees from various pick-up points. It would be much, much better to move to Jurong West for this job.

3. Lunch will be your headache. I hope that company has in-house cafeteria. Or you can always use your motorcycle to travel out to other food establishments.

4. You're right. Industrial environment does make it more common to have very good working hours. Working overtime is usually not encouraged in individual companies because of the location and the scarcity of public transport access. Most companies would rather you bring your work home than to stay behind.

It also tends to make the food cheaper at the various hawker stalls around as they are used to the lower salaried workers dining there so it's a boon for those on better salaries. My daughter works at KepFels for 3+ years building a pair of double derrick semi-submersibles for Maerk Drilling. We lived in Serangoon North so she knows the pain of travel time. Now her journey is even longer, from Singapore to Angola, Africa every other month as Maersk made her an offer she couldn't refuse after the completion of the 2nd rig.

sundaymorningstaple wrote: made her an offer she couldn't refuse.

Mafia bosses also make offers people can't refuse. You need adverbs; just sayin.'

Better my way. That way, less competition for the position.

the lynx wrote: I work at Tuas if that helps.

1. Living there (Jurong West) is cheaper than Tampines IMHO. Partly because Tampines has established itself as the mini CBD so the prices of items are significantly higher, both rental and living cost.

2. Travelling to Tuas is a PITA. And I think your area is close to Tuas Basin, which is pretty far in. Because public transport system is very sparse and lacking in Tuas, most companies provide shuttle buses for their employees from various pick-up points. It would be much, much better to move to Jurong West for this job.

3. Lunch will be your headache. I hope that company has in-house cafeteria. Or you can always use your motorcycle to travel out to other food establishments.

4. You're right. Industrial environment does make it more common to have very good working hours. Working overtime is usually not encouraged in individual companies because of the location and the scarcity of public transport access. Most companies would rather you bring your work home than to stay behind.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:It also tends to make the food cheaper at the various hawker stalls around as they are used to the lower salaried workers dining there so it's a boon for those on better salaries. My daughter works at KepFels for 3+ years building a pair of double derrick semi-submersibles for Maerk Drilling. We lived in Serangoon North so she knows the pain of travel time. Now her journey is even longer, from Singapore to Angola, Africa every other month as Maersk made her an offer she couldn't refuse after the completion of the 2nd rig.

Thanks a lot Lynx and SMS. I have more or less made up mind to move to Jurong west if I take up the offer. So that should help reduce the travelling distance.

In my current company I come home for lunch as my home is just 5 kms from office. I doubt if I will have that privilege when I move there, but thats OK. Its the work and career that are more critical. So lets see how it goes. I will keep updating

All the best for your future discussions with this company. Hope it works out for you. It would be interesting to know your experience after you start working there.

Good that you decided to not pursue the Ops role

sundaymorningstaple wrote: Now her journey is even longer, from Singapore to Angola, Africa every other month as Maersk made her an offer she couldn't refuse after the completion of the 2nd rig.

Woaaah, how big are her balls!

I once planned a trip around Namibia, which for various reasons never came about. But Angola, that's a pretty intense place*!?

Damn I'd love to sit down and have a couple of beers with this lass and hear what she has to say about it. I expect it would be fascinating.



* Fielding's - The World's Most Dangerous Places ['the global mercenary's and stealth-tourists travel guide'], gives it a 4* rating (i.e. that's 4/5 on the global bad-ass scale).

I used to read travel guides as others read novels - just for fun. But this one is a different thing... it's mad, crazy, informative yet er... eye-opening... Example (I recall when looking into visiting El Salvador back in the 90s): 'You are highly likely to be robbed at gunpoint, but if you comply and quietly give up all your belongings it is probable that you will not be shot dead'....


[Unsurprisingly the plan changed and we travelled around Nicaragua instead! (An uncle of mine, a real-life version of 'Our Man in Havana', suggested I follow it up by visiting Somalia... but as I said to him, I think I'll leave that one on the To-Do list for now!)]

http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Peltons-Wo ... ous+places

She's been with Mersk in Africa for almost two years now. I believe she's worked in Namibia (first place she worked after riding the rig from Thailand down and around the cape and up the east coast. She's also worked in Liberia, Nigeria & Ghana. She's a trooper. All 1.5 m of her! Like a little package of C4. I'm sure you have seen her pics. The guys on the rigs just love her, but all also know her husband as well!

Wooo-hooo-ha: Good for her!


p.s. If she hasn't got a copy of that book, why not buy her one? With that sphere/character she is bound to enjoy it!

Tks, JR8, I might just do that, but like me, she is an avid reader (most rig dwellers are) so I'd better check as it's a good possibility that she's already got it. Will have to have a look see.

I remember when it first came out (90s?) it caused quite a stir, and since then I don't recall hearing anything about it.

So if you ask her if she's read 'Dangerous Places', that's the short-hand, i.e. if she has she'll know precisely what you mean...