Vincent’s story: The youth-driven transformation champion

In the bustling halls of the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC), transformation often happens behind the scenes.  

Vincent Loke embodies that quiet revolution, shaping change not through grand gestures, but by quietly embracing innovation, deepening his skill set, and leading with empathetic resolve. 

It all began in 2014 at the Healthcare Services Employees’ Union (HSEU)’s Quadrennial General Meeting. Loke, then a young pharmacy technician, attended simply to observe. “I started out by watching from behind the scenes,” he explains.

That curiousity planted a seed, and as time went on, he formed many friendships with the union leaders and industrial relations officers.  

Becoming a youth leader 

That invitation marked the turning point. Loke later joined Young NTUC, where he gained insights beyond healthcare into how youths across industries grappled with evolving workplaces.  

“I learnt about the challenges of different segments of healthcare, and how [we] younger workforce related to those changes,” he reflects. 

Today, Loke is the branch secretary the SNEC-HSEU committee, and serves as an observer at HSEU’s Executive Committee, the union’s highest decision-making body.  

He walks a path shaped by earnest presence: being curious, attentive, and willing to step forward when inspired. 

From administration to innovation 

Loke’s comfort zone is operational disruption management. A typical day might involve creating dynamic Excel formulas to track medication data, troubleshooting rostering spreadsheets, or stepping in to bridge staffing gaps.  

What he brings is not flashy tech; it is agility and the tenacity to solve seemingly routine pain points with precision. 

His most recent pursuit highlights that drive: between 2020 and 2024, Loke funded his own HR Management part-time degree at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

It equipped him with insights on organisational behaviour, analytics, and leadership, adding layers of strategy to his toolkit. 

He taps into this expertise when serving on SNEC’s Staff Wellness Workgroup in 2024, focusing not only on operational needs but the well-being of his peers.  

“Every generation learns and works differently,” he says. “I want to create systems that respect that diversity.” 

Empowering youth, grounding wisdom 

What makes Loke’s story resonate is his duality: youthful curiosity woven with mature empathy.

As a HSEU EXCO observer, he has a window into how union decisions ripple across the organisation, and healthcare as an industry.  

He ensures that the youth perspectives are reflected in decision making while rooting discussions in frontline realities. 

Despite navigating multiple roles - tech, training, admin, union leadership - he remains anchored by a simple maxim: “Believe in yourself in times of adversity.”  

It is a reminder that reinvention begins in attitude, not resources. 

Why Vincent’s journey matters 

Loke’s story offers a roadmap for strategic engagement. 

Authentic leadership is built through learning, adaptability, and an openness to step up when  required.

Loke’s step up from branch committee member at SNEC, to secretary, and today as an HSEU EXCO observer, shows that leadership starts with curiousity and emerges from consistent contribution. 

Youth inclusion is not a checkbox - it’s perspective work. Loke’s background in Young NTUC and Young HSEU isn’t symbolic; it compliments decision making in all meetings with real insights on how younger professionals adapt and contribute in healthcare, anchoring union strategies in lived experience. 

Transformation starts small. Whether optimising rostering or contributing to wellness policy, he demonstrates that impact can stem from meticulous effort in daily operations. 

Looking forward: HSEU’s youth-forward future 

Through his involvement in Workforce Singapore’s Volunteer Career Advisors (VCA) initiative - where experienced professionals step forward to guide others in their career journeys - Loke exemplifies the spirit of reciprocity, cross-disciplinary learning, and amplifying youth voices at the leadership table. 
 
His path reminds us that transformation is not always loud and immediate. Sometimes, it is quiet observation, growing conviction, and incremental action that ultimately guides us forward.  

As Vincent grows with HSEU and inspires others to believe in themselves amid uncertainty, one thing is clear: authentic change emerges from those who listen, learn, and lead with integrity, humility, and heart.