When Hazirah Ismail joined the Skills Ignition SG Traineeship programme in November 2023, she was eager to further her career in marketing. Today, she’s thriving in a permanent role at WPP Media, working on PlayStation campaigns and championing AI in her team.
Hazirah’s journey began with a Diploma in Mass Media Management at Nanyang Polytechnic, where her love for media took root. After graduation, she joined Shopee in a regional marketing role - her first taste of international stakeholder management. Coming from a family of engineers, pursuing marketing felt like “breaking stereotypes ” but when her mother spotted the Skills Ignition SG Traineeship, she encouraged Hazirah to apply, even though it would mean leaving her existing role - she ultimately knew that the chance to have a hands-on training at Google was too good to pass by.
Starting out, Hazirah was the youngest in her batch, but she quickly built confidence through communication workshops, refined her networking skills, and found a supportive community of peers. She credits the feedback and shared learning during this time as a turning point in her career journey, helping her sharpen her skills and cultivate her persona as a professional.
During her on-the-job training, Hazirah worked in the growth marketing team for YouTube, collaborating across time zones and adapting to diverse markets. Her early exposure to Google’s AI tools sparked a passion that led her to found the AI Enthusiast Community within her team—and her AI skills continue to be an important part of her career.
Job hunting after the programme wasn’t easy due to market conditions being soft for job hunters at that time. Fortunately, the Skills Ignition SG traineeship offered strong support, including CV clinics, interview practice, and its Outplacement Programme. Through a job opportunity on the Outplacement Hub, Hazirah landed her current role at WPP Media. “Without the traineeship, I’d still be naive. It gave me confidence and direction,” she says.
Her advice to aspiring trainees? “Go for it. It’s not just being at Google, the teammates, career workshops, mentors, and community prepare you for so much more."
