Meet Yvonne, the officer from the Consumer Protection Division

When you were applying for jobs, you had many options. What attracted you to apply to CCCS?

The job scope of consumer protection officers is diverse and interesting. I was particularly enticed by the roles of conducting investigations and educational outreach as these seem to be a blend of my childhood ambitions – detective and teacher. At the same time, I saw the diverse job scope as a great opportunity to learn and enhance personal development.

Fair trading is also relevant to everyone as we are all consumers. I was quite certain that the job would be meaningful as I could contribute to safeguarding the interests of consumers, especially those from disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. The exciting prospect of being able to make a positive change in a significant part of our daily lives appealed to me.

Can you share with us your experience working in CCCS as someone who joined relatively fresh out of school?

One of the more fulfilling assignments was to assist in the development of the CCCS Guidelines on Price Transparency. I am heartened by the feedback from my friends who have noticed that certain online travel booking websites now include all additional mandatory fees in the prices displayed after the Guidelines came into effect.

Although the initial learning curve was quite steep, guidance and support were available. Despite joining as a fresh graduate, I have had the opportunity to do many different types of work and contribute ideas. I have also made wonderful friends at CCCS, who are caring and supportive.

Being a young officer, work is important but it is not everything in life, how does CCCS support you to achieve work-life balance?

There are welfare schemes and benefits to support officers to achieve work-life balance. For example, officers can leave slightly earlier on Wednesdays to exercise. There is also the Flexible Benefits Allowance, which is given to officers every year to engage in activities to enhance personal development, as well as health and wellness.

If you have to give advice to a young graduate, what would it be?

There are two key pieces of advice that I found helpful when I was a fresh graduate. Firstly, make time for your loved ones and yourself. Work can get hectic, but getting enough rest and spending quality time with loved ones can help in alleviating stress and improving your mood. I still find this to be true even after I’ve worked a few years. Secondly, be open to taking a different path. You don’t necessarily have to pursue a career related to your course of study. My major was in a science discipline, but I still applied for jobs that interest me and were unrelated to my major, including my current job at CCCS.