Although SIEW lasts only a week, it takes almost a year to plan. After completing the post-SIEW activities in November, she and the team are already gearing up for the following year’s event. Preparations typically begin with brainstorming and shortlisting the theme for the event.

“We will individually analyse the trends in the energy sector, delve into various research papers and attend energy conferences. Then, we come together to discuss our findings and brainstorm topics that we believe would be suitable for the event,” Felicia shared. She added that the team goes through multiple iterations during the multi-stage process to ensure they pick on a suitable theme.

Felicia also elaborated how this year’s theme “A Connected and Sustainable Energy World” was conceived. “The theme reflects the urgency to modernise power grids, enhance regional interconnectivity, enable efficient cross-border power trading and expand green financing and carbon markets. At SIEW this year, we will be addressing key topics including interconnected energy eco-systems, low-carbon technologies, green and transition finance, and innovative energy markets.

With the event theme finalised, the team will focus next on planning the finer details of the event and speaker line-up. As the officer in charge of speaker management, Felicia would look at identifying suitable speakers from both the public and private sectors for the different segments of SIEW.

While the entire process seems easier now that she is in her second year with EMA, it was no easy task for Felicia when she first joined EMA as a newcomer. With no prior experience in the energy sector and energy-related fields of study, developing new and fresh content was one of the challenges that she had to grapple with.

Fortunately, the advice and support she received from her teammates became a crucial source of encouragement for her in overcoming the initial steep learning curve.

“I really appreciate the work culture at EMA,” Felicia remarked. The support from her colleagues was evident even during her internship days. Despite being busy with their own tasks, her colleagues would guide and check in with her regularly to make sure she could handle the workload.

“My teammates and supervisors also encouraged me to participate in various energy-related events and courses to widen my knowledge of the sector.”

Additionally, she valued the opportunities where she could contribute her ideas. “I get to share how I think the team can approach a task or an issue on hand. It is not just the supervisors making the decisions on their own. This sense of inclusiveness and empowerment has in turn given her the confidence to accomplish her tasks.

Reflecting on her time at EMA, Felicia’s greatest accomplishment to date lies in the successful implementation of SIEW 2023 from the planning stage to its execution. “Seeing all the different elements that we meticulously planned coming together at the actual event was undeniably one of the key moments for me,” she said.

For anyone considering a career in the energy sector, Felicia has this to say: “If you are open-minded and possess a passion for driving positive change, EMA offers a valuable opportunity for a meaningful career where you can contribute to Singapore’s clean energy future."