Here’s an excerpt from the conversation:
Steven Chia: Carol, you are working now, but was it difficult for you to get a job?
DG Carole Ann: I’m quite lucky … people whom I’ve worked with know that this had happened to me and started reaching out. One particular boss offered me an olive branch and sent me a JD (job description), because he knows what I can do.
“We know you don’t have the limbs, but we want to tap on your brains”, (he said). I was a manager so (I) know vision, KPIs, how to drive stuff in that sense. So they actually gave me an opportunity to give me a computer, set it up at home, and said, “You can work from home, we’re not going to pressure you. We’ll take it this year and see how much you can do.” But at the same time, I own my disability, so I know what I need.
Crispina Robert: How did you manage to type? Did they have to have special equipment for you, or you had to source it yourself?
Carole: I knew I needed a keyboard specific (to my needs) … not so much the numbers at the side, but more up, down, right, left and then the numbers on top would be fine. And I needed a keyboard with bigger keys, not small, because I’m going to use my stumps to type. SG Enable linked me up with (non-governmental organisation) Engineering Good at that time and a few other representatives. And I said, “I need to get back on the computer. This is what I want.”
(So) they customised the mouse for me … it’s a trackball mouse … I can’t use the mouse like everybody on the right side. I need it in the front. Over the years, (I managed to) improve. So six months in, I started to do my first training.
