Alan Liang is undeniably one of a kind. Trained as an engineer and armed with a much-coveted MBA degree, he now works as a project manager for ACLA, a leader in landscape architecture, regional planning and urban design.
Liang doesn't think his engineering background has gone to waste just because he is in a different field. Professional training is, of course, important, but the 40-year-old has proven that following one's heart when setting a goal is equally important.
He specialises in co-ordinating design-stage tasks and managing subsequent tender and construction phase activities. He has more than 10 years' experience in contract administration and budget control for public and private projects.
At ACLA, his work focuses on liaising with consultants, government departments, major developers and contractors, and taking care of design co-ordination, administration, claims issues, and monitoring programmes and quality control on site.
Can you tell us a bit about your career path?
I studied for my MBA while I was with Dah Chong Hong. I think the field of landscape architecture sort of picked me rather than the other way around. After working with Dah Chong Hong for several years, I wanted to do something different. Then I saw a newspaper advertisement that ACLA was looking for a project manager. My impression was that not many people knew a lot about landscape architecture at that time. I knew I was not trained for the job, but I was confident that I could learn on the job. I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity by the company.
