Grandfather awarded for tech skills
He is a grandfather of seven but that did not stop the 70-year-old security officer from picking up new digital skills.
Mr Mohamed Abu Bakar, who works at KC Security & Investigation Services, retired from the Singapore Police Force in 2003.
After more than a decade looking after his grandchildren, he returned to work in 2015, but lacked IT skills.
He said: "When I was a police officer, we used the large brick-like phones."
His company sent him for courses and skills upgrading.
"At first I was scared, because it was all new to me. But I kept practising, and my grandchildren and children also helped and supported me," he said.
He now works in a command centre, using technology to monitor multiple sites across the island simultaneously.
For demonstrating his newfound capabilities in using technology effectively, Mr Mohamed was yesterday presented with the Job Redesign Award at the fifth annual Security Officers Day Awards.
Security Officers Day - July 24 or 24/7 - symbolises how security must be kept 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Mr Mohamed was among 30 security officers who received the Job Redesign Award at the Stephen Riady Auditorium in One Marina Boulevard.
Another 73 security officers received the Outstanding Officer Award, which recognises officers who demonstrate excellence on the job.
Security Association of Singapore president Raj Joshua Thomas highlighted the importance of the awards in recognising security officers and encouraging more in the industry to embrace new technologies.
He said: "Operators of security technology... are critical in the drive towards combining technology and manpower to better achieve security outcomes."
The awards were presented by Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo, who also launched the Security Industry Digital Plan at the event.
The road map for the security industry lists out what technologies security agencies should adopt at each stage of growth.
Mrs Teo said their goal must be to integrate technology, manpower and processes in terms of how security services are provided, how they are procured, and how they are delivered by security officers.
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