Driven to a meaningful career

With determination to achieve his goals, this year’s SPF Overseas Scholarship holder Jonathan Lim shares about why he chose a career with the force.
by Tan Yi Wen, Home Team News reporter
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Photo from Home Team Career Centre
Singapore Police Force Overseas Scholarship holder Jonathan Lim (Right) hopes to join the Criminal Investigation Department or specialised tactical units of the Police Force after he graduates. He received his scholarship from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng (Left).
======================================================================

To improve his performance in time for a 400-metre track race, Mr Jonathan Lim went on a strict, self-imposed routine of training six times a week and ensuring that he had eight hours of sleep daily.

This was on top of juggling his academic work and prefectorial board duties.

The former track and field vice-captain achieved his goal.

Describing himself as a very driven person who will do anything to achieve his goal, Mr Lim said that he managed to cope with these multiple responsibilities because they were meaningful to him.

“You won't be able to juggle all these things unless you have a genuine interest for the things that you do,” said the 19-year-old former arts stream student at Raffles Institution.

Mr. Lim is one of two individuals who received the Singapore Police Force Overseas Scholarship (SPFOS) this year.

The prestigious award is given to students with outstanding academic performance, strong leadership skills and a passion to serve the community through police work.

“Jonathan is very self-driven and sees others as an inspiring source to work hard for his goals. From a young age, he has always been keen on learning new things and possesses much enthusiasm in carrying out whatever task that is given to him,” said Mr. Lim’s mother Mrs. Joyce Lim.

Asked why he wanted to join the SPF, Mr. Lim said: “When deciding what I wanted to become in the next 30 to 40 years of my career, I realised that at the heart of it I just wanted to be a very useful citizen who will serve the community and felt that it was a very meaningful channel to do so through the Police Force.”

Mr. Lim will read political philosophy, policy and law, at the University of Virginia in the United States.

“The course will allow me to understand society as a whole and I think that being close to society and helping to watch and guard over its safety and order is something that really appeals a lot to me,” said the son of a senior sales manager father and housewife mother. Mr. Lim also has a younger 15-year-old brother.

It was during his second year in junior college that Mr. Lim went for various Home Affairs Ministry attachments, including the Home Affairs Uniformed Services Associates Programme (HAP), where he visited various police departments and spoke to police officers.The experience made him realize that police work was very meaningful.

“I think it is very empowering and motivating to be in such an environment where everyone is working towards a common good,” said Mr. Lim, who is now a Probationary Inspector.He believes that given his keen interest in policing, he will be driven to better safeguard the peace and security of Singapore.

“You must have a heart for the community and be in it for the people,” he said.