Career Path Of A Career And College Specialist At Martinez Unified School District
Kee's career began with a diploma in marketing in Singapore, leading to exciting work in fashion advertising, before hitting a "glass ceiling" that motivated further education abroad in Perth, Australia. Post-graduation, Kee's path involved brand management in Ohio, a return to sales and marketing in Singapore, followed by a career break to raise children before a technology role at a school eventually led to a newly created Career and College Specialist position that offered a unique challenge and community involvement.
International Education, Marketing, Brand Management, Career Change, Work-Life Balance
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kee Siang Quek-Collins
Career and College Specialist
Martinez Unified School District
Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia
Master Certificate in Internet Marketing with USF and Certificate in College Admissions and Career Planning with UCBerkeley
Advertising, Public Relations, Marketing
Education
Education
Video Highlights
1. Early Career in Marketing: Started in fashion marketing and advertising in Singapore after earning a diploma, highlighting the excitement and appeal of the field, but also facing limitations without a bachelor's degree.
2. International Education and Career Shift: Pursued a college degree in Perth, Australia, and later worked in brand management in Ohio before returning to Singapore, showcasing adaptability and a willingness to explore different opportunities.
3. Transition to Education and Career Counseling: After taking a break to raise children, transitioned into the education sector, initially in technology, then seizing the opportunity to create the Career and College Specialist role, emphasizing the desire for a challenge and community involvement.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college?
Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
I was educated in Singapore, going from primary school and secondary school to polytechnic, where I earned a diploma. Some students go to junior college, but I decided to go to polytechnic. Truthfully, I didn't really like schooling and was hoping to get my diploma and go to work.
That's exactly what I did. I worked in the marketing field, specifically in fashion marketing and advertising. I truly loved what I was doing; it was very exciting. I looked forward to going to work every day. I had great coworkers and enjoyed working with the models; it was all very glamorous.
Then, I hit a glass ceiling, so to speak. With my diploma, my boss told me I didn't have a bachelor's degree, and that was my limit. Even though I was taking on more work and managing tasks, I couldn't be promoted to a manager.
Knowing this, I decided to look elsewhere. At that point, I was about 21 or 22 years old. I found Perth, which is close to Singapore, about a four-hour flight away. It's close, but also a whole different world. I thought, "Why not?"
With my parents' blessing, they were very generous and gave me money to go. They sent me on my way to a foreign land where I didn't know anyone. Somehow, I found an agency that found me from school and lodging. I finished my college in Perth, which was a two-year program because I already had a diploma.
Afterwards, I found work in Ohio. I wasn't happy there and was doing brand management. I eventually came back to Singapore and worked in sales and marketing. I worked for a cafe, creating merchandise to sell at the stores.
Fast forward three years, and I was working in brand management at a fabric company. Then I met my husband, who is American. We had a baby, and I decided to take a break to raise our children. I have two, and I was constantly at their school.
An opportunity came about when there was a position in the technology department. I took that after subbing here and there for a few months. I knew I didn't want to be a teacher; it's a lot of work. Technology worked out for two years.
This Korean College specialist position was newly created. We had just come back from Covid, and they asked if I wanted to try and create this job from scratch. I always want a challenge, and I get to work at a school in my community without a long commute. So, I took it up and embraced the challenge. I created the website and the space, literally building one thing after another. And here we are, four years into the job.