Commentary: I finally used my SkillsFuture credits – and it had nothing to do with work

JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD

Okay hold up. This DJ course would in no way help my career. I’m a 50-plus mid-to-late career journeyman who has overindulged in the multi-job path. 

Learning to DJ, or rather “to professionally sound mix”, would neither increase my career prospects in fintech nor up my salary cache in any shape or form.

As I began to slowly scroll away from the allure of the digital ads – my wife, in her infinite wisdom, simply said, “Just do it.”

And with that it was a done deal. I signed up and almost immediately was met with a cheerful rep via WhatsApp, who guided me through a registration process that was in the most seamless, no-fuss way a government-subsidised programme could ever be.

Jokingly, I mentioned to the Hustle rep that I was probably going to be the oldest uncle in the two-day weekend course, to which her reply was, “Don’t worry, you won’t be.”

I LEARNT TO DROP THE BEAT

She was right. The class was a true rojak of Singaporeans from all walks of life. From the 20-something crowd looking to learn to mix Deep House to classically trained musicians and even older, ex-permed hair uncles looking to revive the best of canto-pop music, this cohort of DJ wannabes was as diverse as our national pledge makes us out to be.

The instructor, Dzul, was a fireball of energy. He was clearly doing this out of love for the craft – he had been in the local music scene for years, dedicating himself to the culture of sound across a multitude of capacities and genres.

His expert instruction brought us from complete noobs to semi-competent mixers (I wouldn’t call myself a DJ yet) by day two – via a nerve-wrecking exam performance that had to be staged in front of the whole class.