Switching My Airforce Boots for Corporate Shoes

Hi I'm Afeeqa, a Junior Solutions Engineer from Siemens Malaysia. While most university students spent their free time café hopping, binge-watching dramas, or hanging out with friends, mine was spent at training camps, drills, and tactical courses with the Reserve Officer Training Unit (ROTU) under the Malaysia Air Force.

For three years, I balanced university life with military training. ROTU taught me discipline, resilience, and how to stay composed under pressure. After going through such a demanding environment, I honestly thought I was prepared for anything the working world could throw at me.

Adjusting to a Different Environment

When I started my first corporate role at Siemens Malaysia as a Junior Solution Engineer, I expected the transition to be tough in the “long hours and pressure” kind of way. Instead, the hardest part was learning how to navigate ambiguity and unfamiliarity.

In my Airforce training, things were structured. There were clear instructions, defined responsibilities, and straightforward chains of command. You knew what needed to be done and how to execute it.

Corporate life is very different.

At Siemens, the environment was much more open, collaborative, and fast-moving. I was encouraged to think independently, ask questions, and take initiative early on. While that was exciting, it was also intimidating at first. There were days I went home feeling like I had collected more question marks than answers.

As someone who came from such a structured environment, stepping into a large international company with different business units, functions, and ways of working felt like a lot to unpack. I remember constantly wondering things like: “Am I asking too many questions?”, “Do I actually know what I’m doing?”, “Is everyone else adjusting faster than me?”. As a fresh graduate, you quietly expect yourself to have everything under control once you finally land the job. But the reality is, nobody really talks about how uncomfortable the transition can feel in the beginning.

There were moments I felt behind, especially when surrounded by experienced and senior colleagues. But instead of being made to feel inadequate, I was met with patience, guidance, and encouragement from the people around me.

Being the Pilot of My Growth

The more I asked questions, sought feedback, and stayed open to learning, the more things slowly started making sense. My colleagues were incredibly supportive, and having people willing to guide me made a huge difference. Special shoutout to my project manager, Sin Choy, for being so patient, encouraging, and always being accommodating.

I also learned to stop being so hard on myself. Not every win has to be big or dramatic. Sometimes growth looks like understanding something faster than you did last month. Sometimes it’s contributing more confidently in meetings. Sometimes it’s simply realizing you’re no longer as lost as you were on Day One. It’s the small wins that make a huge difference in the long term accumulatively.

Looking back, I realized that confidence and familiarity are not prerequisites for starting something new. They’re built through experience, patience, and showing up even when you don’t feel fully ready yet.