When Colonel Hock Lin Sng, a senior Singaporean military leader, enrolled in Griffith University’s Master of Training and Development, he wasn’t just adding another qualification to his CV. He was stepping onto a different kind of training ground – one that would transform his approach to leadership under the guidance of Professor Sarojni Choy.
“I was already leading organisational and curriculum transformation in the Army Logistics Training Institute, but I realised I needed deeper knowledge in adult learning and vocational education,” says Hock Lin. The program, offered with Singapore’s Institute of Adult Learning, gave him exactly that. “It offered a fresh perspective and deep expertise. I thought, this could really add value, not just to my work, but to how I see learning across industries,” he says.
Choy made an immediate impression on him. “My first impression was she’s very professional, very strict and very motherly,” he says with a smile. “When we submitted our first assignment, she told us, ‘You must do the citations properly. This is about academic rigour’. That grounding helped me so much later when I started my PhD.”
He came to value her care beyond academia. “She’d remind me to take care of my health, knowing I often started my study before work at 5am,” he says. “She wasn’t just a teacher, she became a mentor, a friend, a lifelong guide.”
A meeting of minds
Choy traces her ethos back to her beginnings. “I grew up in a remote village in Fiji with no resources, no hope. Wonderful people opened doors for me, and I wanted to do the same for others,” she says. Hock Lin stood out from the start, she adds. “He was one of the most outstanding mobilisers I’ve ever met. He had this art of engaging and bringing people up with him. Even in class discussions, he led with humility.”
Their relationship, she says, was – and still is – a partnership grounded in respect. “I’m not there to give answers,” she says. “But to guide students to critically engage, analyse and ask the right questions.”
And Hock Lin made the most of the opportunity to test himself. A capstone project is key to the program: students apply what they have learned to make changes in their workplace. Choy visits them, examines the context and supports them through the process. Hock Lin chose a rather unexpected path: workplace learning for hairstylists.
“I partnered with a friend who ran a salon chain and did a consultancy project, identifying strategies to upskill hairstylists!” he says. “I loved it. It was like stepping into another world.” And Choy was impressed. “It showed he could transfer his learning across industries. I’d seen him transform the curriculum in the army, but this proved he could apply it anywhere.”
Since completing his Griffith degree, Hock Lin has moved on to yet another sector. He now leads Singapore’s Silver Generation Office (SGO), where he advocates for older adults and champions ageing issues, alongside his PhD studies in gerontology.
SGO plays a vital role in Singapore’s rapidly ageing society, where one in four Singaporean citizens will be aged 65 and over in 2030, with more of them living alone. Its 7,000 Silver Generation Ambassadors engage with older adults, understanding their needs and empowering them to lead fulfilling lives. In the decade since SGO was set up, they have completed more than 2.7 million engagements with seniors in the community.
Lifelong connections
The two still WhatsApp each other regularly. “Sometimes it’s to bounce ideas, sometimes it’s just to share good news,” says Hock Lin. He even made a pilgrimage to Brisbane, spending a day in her office discussing ideas. “I have deep respect for Professor Choy, not just as a teacher, but as a person,” he says. “Her story, coming from a humble background, persevering and building an incredible career, is inspiring.”
Last year, she nominated Hock Lin for Griffith’s Outstanding Alumni Award. “He’s not just focused on economics, but on bettering society. He’s flying Griffith’s flag everywhere he goes.” For Hock Lin, the nomination alone is meaningful. “I feel very humbled and honoured,” he says. “Being affirmed by my teacher means more than the award itself.”
And Choy emphasises that every student is special. “How far we go depends on how much they reach out, but I’m open to help anyone. It’s about having a common goal to make a difference,” she says. “Every festive season, I send updates to my graduates. Every time I visit Singapore, I catch up with small groups. They email me for references and advice on promotions or study.”
For both teacher and student, their journey is proof that education can ripple far beyond the classroom. “In Chinese, we say ‘yin shui si yuan’ – when you drink water, remember the source,” Hock Lin reflects. “And another phrase, ‘yi ri wei shi, zhong sheng wei fu’ – one day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father or mother."
Image captions (top to bottom):
- Colonel Sng Hock Lin and Prof. Sarojni Choy brainstorming project concept and methodology during his visit to Brisbane South (Mt Gravatt) campus.
- Dr Sng Hock Lin with Silver Generation Ofiice staff, Singapore.
- Colonel Sng Hock Lin recipient of the 2019 Public Sector Transformation Award in Singapore.
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