SSGT Ng Wai-hung pursues lifelong learning for job, society
Most people pursue continuous studies for their job or interest, but Assistant Firearms Instructors Supervisor from Police College's Weapons Training Division, Station Sergeant (SSGT) Ng Wai-hung, after obtaining a Master Degree in Business Administration, also puts what he has learned to good use at work, and repays society by doing voluntary work in his spare time.
Having a childhood dream of becoming a police officer, SSGT Ng joined the Force in 1987 after completing Form 5. In 1994, he embarked on the path of continuous studies. Asked what motivated him to do so, he recalled the advice given by his supervisor while working in the Airport Security Unit: "If you take police work as your lifelong career, you should consider how to enhance your ability, pursue for excellence and open up a better road for yourself."
Heeding the advice, SSGT Ng enrolled for a certificate course in management with the Hong Kong Management Association. Realising he was not good enough in English and as most classroom instructions were conducted in English, he spent two years trying to brush up his English by taking university extra-curricular courses or private tuition. After building up a solid foundation, he continued to pursue other academic qualifications, including certificate in teaching skills and diploma in management.
Later, he studied a distance-learning certificate course in management at the Leicester University, UK. Very interested in management, especially that related to human resources, he studied a Master Degree Course in Business Administration at the University of Western Sydney from 2001 to 2005.
SSGT Ng has never paused on his path of continuous studies. "At the beginning, my mindset was ‘to know a bit more', but after finding out what I had learned could be applied at work, I was more interested in learning new things. While doing training work in Criminal Intelligence Bureau, I longed for some courses that would be useful for my job," he said.
Persistent in
studies
SSGT Ng is not only persistent in his continuous studies, but also not daunted by hardship. He also manages his time well. For his studies, good time management is the best solution for problems brought about by the shift work of Patrol Sub-unit and Criminal Intelligence Bureau. "Mastering time management whilst studying management is definitely a lifelong benefit. Time management can be applied not only at work and studies, but also in family life," he noted.
SSGT Ng once told his 16-year-old daughter he might not be able to spend as much time with her as he wished because of his work and studies, but his family is very supportive for his studies. Watching her father work so hard for his studies is a big motivation for SSGT Ng's daughter.
SSGT Ng stressed that, besides his family, encouragement and support by his supervisors and colleagues are very important for his further studies. He recalled that when continuous studies were not so popular in Hong Kong as nowadays, the Force was already very open towards this subject, and made arrangements in work deployment for him to attend class. He emphasised that the supervisors and colleagues in the units he had worked were always very supportive for his studies.
JPC Instructor in
rope
While pursuing more academic qualifications, SSGT Ng never forgets his pastime - rope.
He was once a net coach. Joining a Junior Police Call Volunteer Team five years ago, he taught youngsters how to take on challenges, build up confidence and set positive values for life. Since obtaining a certificate in rope rescue, he has been teaching youngsters how to descend to the ground with ropes. "Many youngsters are scared of height, but once they get to the ground safely, they will have a sense of satisfaction."
During a training course in rope, a girl who had once thought of killing herself by jumping from height told SSGT Ng she had put herself to the test with rope skills, and she no longer harboured any negative thoughts.
Repaying society as an instructor in rope skills and first-aid in the Hospital Authority has given SSGT Ng additional satisfaction.
He offers this advice to fellow officers: "I had the good luck of getting good advice. As a person who has benefited from good counselling, I would like to encourage fellow officers to make good arrangements with their time to pursue lifelong learning. This would not only enrich one's knowledge, but also enhance one's quality and competitiveness."
SSGT Ng is dedicated to his job, very absorbed in his studies and enthusiastic in volunteer services. With good time management, he has struck a good balance among his family, job and studies, living up to what the Force has been advocating for a long time.
SSGT
Ng shares with his daughter the happiness of an important milestone in
his life