Melanie Wu

Canadian-born Melanie Wu was a visual arts teacher at a local public secondary school when she first came to Singapore in 2012. There, she increased the passing rate of graduating students in visual arts through individualised lesson plans and teaching time management.

After four years with the Ministry of Education, Melanie, who holds degrees in arts management and education, joined General Assembly in 2017 as an education programmes producer, mainly managing the Singapore outpost’s full-time immersive courses and part-time classes, and making sure they are delivered with an industry-relevant curriculum and by the best-in-field instructors.

A pioneer in skills-based training and career transformation, New York-based General Assembly bridges the gap between a formal education and the demands of today’s working world with bootcamp-type courses that translate to more professional opportunities. Established in 2011, it has since helped hundreds of thousands of students build and grow their careers in a rapidly evolving digital economy. It also boasts a like-minded global community of 35,000 graduates.

In her five-and-a-half years with the global education institution, Melanie has successfully launched over 200 courses and works closely with General Assembly’s government partners to grow tech talents in Singapore. Now, as head of learning, Melanie oversees its programmes in both Singapore and Australia, with a focus on strategy and market growth.

On why a career in education is meaningful for her, she says: “Nothing beats knowing that I am able to help someone achieve their goals. I got to where I am today because someone trusted me and empowered me to break out of my comfort zone. So, it’s important for me to be able to do the same for someone else.”

Melanie wears the Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium White 42mm

Photography: Bryan Foong/BF Studio; Art Direction: Audrey Chan; Hair: Leong, using Keune; Makeup: Wee Ming, using Dior Beauty