I used to drink one cup of tea in the morning and endure till I go home for dinner… Today I can proudly say that I draw a high monthly salary… and it means a world of difference to me and my family.

With swift and experienced movements, the smartly dressed auxiliary police officer assembled and equipped his revolver, T-Baton and handcuffs. He then proceeded to the briefing room where a team of fully armed officers was waiting to be deployed for operational duties. His confident voice rang out:

“Good morning, guys. Let’s start the briefing.”

This scene would have been an unthinkable dream for Corporal Mansur seven years ago.

Today, he manages over 100 officers as assistant team leader at the Jurong Island Checkpoint and also safeguards the premises by conducting patrol duty and checking of vehicles entering and leaving the checkpoint.

Aimless Job-Hopping

“After graduating from ITE (Yishun) with Nitec in Automotive Technology (Heavy Vehicles) and army thereafter, I job-hopped for 2 years - working as a mechanic, storekeeper and even pest control at a prison facility,” shared Mansur.

“Stepping into the world of work is very different from schooling days. I had seniors who were not willing to share their knowledge with juniors like me and I had to find my own way around.”

Supporting His Family

When he was 10 years old, Mansur’s parents divorced and he had to share the burden of supporting the family with his 3 other siblings – two elder sisters and one younger brother.

“I started working part-time when I was 14 years old… at McDonalds, Shell Station…,” said Mansur. “Even after I graduated and took on a full-time job, the salary that I got was never enough. My take-home salary was $900 but I only used $300 to survive every month… most of my pay would go to my mum.”

There were many times when Mansur had to go hungry and take on multiple jobs to get by.

“I used to drink one cup of tea in the morning and endure till I go home for dinner… To have a good breakfast, I always tried to earn a little more by taking on part-time jobs at night. It was normal for me to have just two to three hours of sleep in those days.”

Taking the Right Career Step

During his stint as a pest control contractor, Mansur secretly observed some AETOS Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs) who were deployed at the same prison facility. Impressed by their professionalism, Mansur wanted to become a police officer like them.

“I am glad that I made the right step to join AETOS in 2008. We APOs play a key role in safeguarding our national borders and key events like the Chingay Parade. My mum is very supportive of my career choice because she can see that I truly love what I do.”

A World of Difference

After joining AETOS, Mansur finally managed to buy over the house from his mum and take his Class-3 driving license.

“I have very good mentors who take the time to guide me. I was even promoted to the rank of Corporal last year… and this was all thanks to my seniors who gave me the opportunity.”

“Today, I can proudly say that I draw a high monthly salary of over $3,000, and this amount truly means a world of difference to me and my family. I can definitely see myself working here for a very long time and I hope to lead my own division one day.”