As a teenager growing up in Singapore in the early 1990s, Wilson was very conscious about his age. Starting Secondary 1 at 15 years old when all his peers were 13 was awkward. It was a disadvantage that did not discourage him. He worked diligently and planned harder. Prudent decisions needed to be made to compensate for lost time. Today, Captain Wilson Djie Kwang Liong, 47, had more than caught up.  

With candour, he related, “I began weighing my options after the ‘O’s. Should I go to JC? I knew I wasn’t academically inclined, and it would be a constant struggle with no good results in the end. I would have lost two years. That left me with the polytechnic route. I wanted a job with good pay and prospects. A few of the maritime courses could open doors to a seafaring career, which fits the bill. Hence, I decided to do a Diploma in Nautical Studies.”

The distinctions he obtained in two ‘O’-level math subjects were an advantage. He also got through with self-discipline, enthusiasm, and some risk-taking. He accepted a sea assignment and completed it just in time before National Service (NS). “Phew, the sign-off date and the enlistment date were so close to each other; I almost did not make it!” he reflected with relief. That accomplishment earned him the double award—Diploma in Nautical Studies and COC3—ahead of everyone else.