Jobs in Singapore: “How I balance a career in manufacturing — and life as a mother of four”

Anisah Sazman is a Quality Engineer at Fong’s Engineering & Manufacturing, a Singapore precision engineering firm that is a contract manufacturer for MedTech MNCs in Singapore. Its automated factory is implementing Industry 4.0 upgrades and recently expanded its production capacity to take on larger, more complex projects.
 

1. Can you tell us more about what you do at Fong’s Engineering & Manufacturing?

As a Quality Engineer, I’m responsible for ensuring that the medical devices we manufacture meet strict quality and regulatory standards. My work focuses on the end-to-end quality management of disposable pressure transducers, which are medical devices used to monitor a patient’s blood pressure in real time during surgeries or critical care.

This involves inspecting incoming materials, analysing production yields and reviewing customer feedback. I also work closely with the production team to analyse manufacturing data and ensure our manufacturing processes remain stable and within control limits. As our products are used in medical settings, maintaining consistent quality is extremely important.
 

2. What has your career path looked like, and how did you end up at Fong’s?

I started my career in MedTech manufacturing, where I was first exposed to how engineering directly supports healthcare and patient outcomes. Along the way, I pursued a Master’s in Sustainability but found myself drawn back to MedTech manufacturing, as it’s a sector where you can see the real-world impact of your work.

What stood out to me about the role at Fong’s was how the company has evolved — from a precision engineering firm to a specialised MedTech manufacturer with advanced capabilities. Its investment in automation allows us to deliver consistent quality, while continuously improving our processes. It is actually one of the first SMEs in Singapore to have a fully-automated manufacturing line.
 

3. What are some misconceptions people have about jobs in manufacturing?

That it’s still very manual, where workers sit in long assembly lines putting things together. In reality, Singapore’s manufacturing sector is highly advanced and technology-driven. At Fong’s, we operate one of the first fully automated production lines in Singapore SMEs, with robotics and advanced machinery supporting the manufacturing process.

I’m a Quality Engineer and this role is actually a high-tech, high-value role that requires both technical skills and knowledge, especially when working with robotics and advanced equipment. Despite the use of technology, human judgement remains essential in ensuring we make the right decisions. When issues arise, I still need to inspect the device manually, analyse what went wrong and determine how best to resolve these problems on the production line.

The other misconception we often hear is that you can find only shift work in the manufacturing sector. That is not always true — for instance, I work regular office hours during the week, which allows me to spend time with my children after work. As a mother of four, having a good work-life balance is really important to me. On weekends, I spend time with my family doing outdoor activities like cycling, exploring nature parks or taking part in beach clean-ups.

4. What do you enjoy most about your job and why do you find it meaningful?

One of the things I enjoy most is the problem-solving aspect of my role. A big part of my work involves analysing production data — this includes equipment downtime, output, yield and defect trends — to understand how our processes are performing. As a Quality Engineer, you always have to stay alert, as quality challenges can occur at any stage of the manufacturing process, from incoming materials to final output.

At the same time, MedTech manufacturing is a very meaningful field because the products we make directly support healthcare and patient care. Knowing that the work we do contributes to devices used in surgeries and critical care makes the role even more rewarding.
 

5. Why should Singaporeans consider a career in the MedTech sector?

Singapore has built a strong reputation as a hub for MedTech manufacturing, and companies here work closely with global partners to produce high-quality medical devices. For anyone interested in engineering or manufacturing, it’s a field where you can develop technical skills while contributing to products that have a real impact on people’s lives.