From athlete to logistics player: an interview with Eugenia Tan, DACHSER Asia Pacific Management Trainee
Spotted for her talent, Eugenia Tan was invited to join DACHSER as a Management Trainee (MT) and soon realized that her dream no longer lied with sports but with a future in logistics.
“Before I started my career at DACHSER, I thought sports would be my future,” admits Eugenia Tan at the beginning of our interview. Eugenia was a student-athlete in Middle School and worked her way up to become a national athlete representing her country, Singapore. She did all her internships within the sports industry and got a full scholarship to study in Sports Management and Business Marketing in the United States. Last summer though, after she graduated, she decided to give her life a different turn – to join the logistics industry. So, what influenced this amazing sportswoman to change her mind? We spoke to her to find out.
1. Eugenia, you were an athlete since you were young. What made you choose logistics rather than sports for your career?
Sports was my whole life up until I graduated from University. But then I started to have doubts about it defining my future. I tried to apply for a role in the Contract Logistics department in logistics company DACHSER, but instead, Frank Stadus, Managing Director at DACHSER Singapore, recommended me to join the MT programme. Same as sports, the logistics industry is ever changing and highly competitive.
I like the programme because I am able to rotate through various departments every three months. This way, I can find out which job suits me the best and prepare me to become a future team leader. DACHSER is also very supportive when it comes to upskilling, and I also have a lot of opportunities to travel.
2. What do you like about your job now?
I am currently working in the Contract Logistics department, which is the warehousing services and facilities of DACHSER Singapore, as a Contract Logistics Specialist. My role consists of processing incoming and outgoing orders, scheduling forwarders and courier services pick-up, and attending meetings with customers.
I am totally new to logistics so this is really giving me an overview of how warehouses with in-house developed IT systems operate. I am really looking forward to my other rotations because it will just widen my views on how logistics work.
3. Would you recommend this programme to other graduates?
The program is very fulfilling and enlightening. It is best for someone who is still finding his or her way but yet wants to achieve a lot.
The job rotation allows you to get a feel for different tasks instead of committing yourself to a fixed job. You have two years to try out everything until you figure out which job is the best fit for you.
Adaptability would be a major challenge given that the work environment is changing every three months. But it does teach you how to think out of the box, develop new skills and to learn more about the company, the logistics industry and how to improve yourself.