The time has come

The time is coming sooner rather than later to leave CAE. I have no regret joing CAE 2 years ago from ITE.

It was an opportunity to rejoin the industry because I know it is difficult to go outside once you are in ITE for awhile. From a rookie in simulation and train domain, I have learnt and adapted well. I dare say noone in my company knows the train domain in terms of knowledge and technically better than me.

Looking back, when I first join CAE, I was told by friends how bad Adrian was, how little increment or bonus he will give, how he will ask you to sign unfair bonds and how he will squeeze me till I dry. That certainly scare the soul out of me. When I was presented with a 18mths bond, I was complemtating whether to quit. At the end, I decided to give it a try. I was planning to make the exit after 18mths when I gained enough exposure. I was roped for a R&D project with Temasek Lab but that never materialise when the lead for the SMRT project left. I was immediately placed there. I heard the guy that left refuse to sign any bonds for being asked to go the Kiel, Germany and Adrian threaten to sue him. The first 3 mths at Kiel, Germany was lonely, but looking back it was quite fun. I miss my family alot in Germany but I endure. I was determine to keep mum about the 14 days leave and my house in TK a secret as not to arouse any jealousy among the ranks in the company. I disciplines my mouth not to gossip about Adrian or Brian even during tea breaks, which I tried to skip. For the first 1 year, I didn't get any bonus or increment but after I quarrelled with Kien Lip, Adrian gave me a 3000 incentive instead of sacking me. I was told that they value my opinion and have high regards of me.
Not to disappoint them, I completed RNS almost singlehandedly. It was tough, especially I was still working during the CNY period.

After RNS is commissioned, I was immediately drafted to NMSC. It was a completely different project but I architected the UIs, networks, Software architecture & database. It was a tough 2-3 months in Brunei, where I can't see my Valencia often. It was fun and satisfacting to see the software (Server/Client SOA, remoting), Networking (Mulitple VLANs, Subinterfaces, Cascading), Client Client + Dialog integration works successfully. I even architect the AV server to have 5 subnets and 2 sound cards to cater for broadcast successfully. After this project, I was given 2000 incentive and a 8% increment. I even asked for a bonus with David when everyone in the company just keep mum. The one thing I can't work with is this guy called Joshua. Boot licking and stubbornness typifies this guy. He would only listen to people above him, refusing to take advise or instructions from others. A few times, I would argue with him on his approach.

2011 indeed was a successfully year to end. Completed 2 projects; Getting bonus and high increment caps it.

With PC7 in the pipeline, the company looks on the right track. Suddenly, things took a turn. Brian is forced out possibly by the emergence of Jason; Adrian is being forced out by Kevin Speed. All is not well, I dare say the company will not do well without Brian & Adrian. What is left of the company is dreams. The marketing management scraps PC7 and project a quite impossible sales target.

With no project in sight after 6 mths when NMSC is commissioned, I was worried also. Even with project, with due respect to Steven and his team, there is somehow lack of technical know-how to execute them. I remember proir to Jason's departure, he advised me to look elsewhere if there are still no project coming in the first quarter of this year. They have just signed a MOU between CAE Montreal and Brunei Mindef for MPTC but realistically the real contract will only be signed in 2014 and how much slice of the cake is Montreal going to give Singapore? The only high chance projects are RTT & Cab Sim upgrades. Sad to say, the only 2 persons with the adequate domain knowledge is Brian & me. I don't think the likes of Yeow Heng is up to the mark.