Seeing Problems as Opportunities to Learn

With every challenge, there is an opportunity waiting to be seized. That’s the personal motto for engineer Mohamed Faisal bin Mohamed Soffe. He lets us in on what sparked his interest in problem-solving and how he learns from each opportunity.

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To Mohamed Faisal bin Mohamed Soffe, no problem is too big to be solved – as long as you have an open mindset.

This has been a guiding principle for Faisal, and it has helped him chart a path to becoming a Senior Engineer at utilities company SP Group.

Igniting the problem-solving spark

A chance visit to his father’s workplace first sparked Faisal’s interest in electrical systems. During his secondary school days, Faisal would occasionally visit his father, who works as a service facilities engineer specialising in ventilation systems. He witnessed how a team of engineers would toil for hours to solve any issue.

The experience left a strong impression on young Faisal, who found the collaborative nature of problem-solving exciting. His curiosity and thirst for knowledge soon led him to develop upon his interest. He excelled in his studies at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and Singapore Polytechnic, before going on to specialise in ‘Power Systems’ at the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Nanyang Technology University (NTU).

With his sight set on pursuing a career in the power sector, Faisal applied for the Singapore-Industry Scholarship (SgIS) in 2015. The SgIS is a multi-industry scholarship offered by over 70 sponsoring organisations from a wide range of industries. He was offered the scholarship and, with it, a stint at SP Group (SP).

His core responsibilities at SP involves laying transmission cables for power. This provided opportunities for Faisal to apply the technical skills and knowledge he learnt in school, such as cable calculation and power conversion.

Faisal conducting an inspection on cable drums onsite.

He says, “There is much to learn in school. But when you are on site, you witness how the knowledge from books come to life, and how it is applied to make things work.”

Beyond the technical expertise, Faisal also utilised his soft skills in project management that he honed while doing his Final Year Project at NTU. 

“I was ready to plan, manage and execute the projects in a timely manner, while working closely with the different stakeholders like contractors and authorities,” Faisal continues.

Making every opportunity count

Faisal readily grasped the opportunities that came his way. He applied his knack for problem solving, galvanised by his desire for self-improvement, and to help others.

One of his most memorable achievements was in 2018, when Faisal noticed how the administrative process of the daily reporting of SP PowerGrid work sites could be digitalised.

He also saw that his workplace had recently adopted a new software that staff can access on tablets.

As Faisal explored the workings of this new platform, he realised its potential to automate and digitalise certain work processes.

“I was new to my section, but I saw myself as someone who could bring fresh ideas to improve productivity or the working life of my colleagues,” Faisal says.

He put two and two together and thought about creating an application for his co-workers. However, the solution he had in mind would also require technical skillsets that he had not yet picked up. 

Not one to shy away from challenges, Faisal started learning the inner workings of creating an app through online research, YouTube tutorial videos and even studying forum comments.

It was tough at first, with Faisal having no prior experience in coding and creating a digital application. Faisal recalls, “When I was trying out the prototype’s development interface, I found it really challenging and hard to grasp. Keeping the goal in mind to help my colleagues, I pushed through with it.”

He then teamed up with an experienced app creator in SP to develop a solution using Microsoft PowerApps, a suite of app and data services. In the short span of three months, they rolled out the app to the company’s electricity and gas operations.

The app saved the company approximately 750 processing hours annually per administrative staff within the different departments of electricity and gas operations. Now, SP PowerGrid officers can perform their daily reporting duties on their tablets, even on the go.

“I received calls and emails from colleagues from different sections asking me to share the app with them. It greatly encouraged me to work with my colleagues to improve the user interface so it can be rolled out to different departments based on their needs,” Faisal added.

Staying curious and open to learning

Faisal was also actively involved in the SgIS circle as a member of the SgIS Scholars’ Network Executive Committee (EXCO) during his undergraduate days.

The SgIS Scholars’ Network EXCO regularly plans events and activities such as skills workshops and bonding sessions that encourages both current and alumni scholars to befriend and engage with one another.

Faisal (2^nd from left, front row) with his SgIS EXCO batchmates (Photo taken before 2020).

To Faisal, these created more opportunities to broaden his horizons by connecting with others from diverse sectors. “The activities and programmes have gifted me with many like-minded friends. We exchange views and knowledge from vastly different industries. I was able to learn a lot from my peers, and I hope they feel the same as well.”

Beyond the circle, Faisal had also led community involvement projects along with his EXCO members, working with Social Service Organizations to reach out to beneficiaries from all walks of life.    

It was an enriching experience for Faisal, who shared, “It definitely felt great to gather our scholars to come together and spend their day with the beneficiaries. We can give back to society in our own ways and be part of something bigger.”

Faisal’s journey thus far has been one that demonstrates a simple notion: maintaining an openness to learning, exploring, and observing. It has allowed him to develop a more conscious viewpoint of problems faced by people within the workplace and beyond.

These are crucial traits in today’s complex environment, but it is often easier said than done. For Faisal, the first step everyone can take is to “see problems as opportunities to learn, for you will grow and develop from it.”