Ever doubted your degree was enough to land the right HR role? Song Peng Ong took two AIHR courses and transformed his career, fast-tracking into a consultant role.
Written by:Simona Iancu
Quick facts
Name: Song Peng Ong
Role: People & Change in Advisory Manager at KPMG Malaysia
Certificate program: AIHR’s HR Analytics Leader course and HR Data Analyst course
Key result: Moved from Management Associate into an HR Consultant & Change Specialist role, applying people analytics thinking to advisory work
In today’s competitive job market, constant personal development is crucial for advancing your career — even for recent graduates. An academic degree isn’t enough to stand out from the crowd. Song Peng Ong was able to quickly develop from a Management Associate to an HR Consultant & Change Specialist with the help of AIHR’s People Analytics courses.
The struggle to stand out
After graduating with a degree in Psychology from the National University of Malaysia, Song Peng Ong started his career in HR as a Management Associate at Great Eastern Life. However, like many millennials, he soon noticed that his degree alone wasn’t enough for him to reach his goals.
“Nowadays, it’s difficult to make a move in your career without having a certification in the topic in question,” explains Song Peng. “We millennials often have the dilemma of employers wanting us to have a lot of proven qualifications and experience when we’ve only just entered the workforce.”
Capitalizing on the HR skills gap
Song realized that more and more companies were starting to explore HR Analytics, and soon developed an interest in data-driven research in HR. However, he didn’t have enough subject matter expertise to pursue his interest professionally.
He decided to enroll in a number of AIHR People Analytics courses to steer his career into his chosen direction.
While still working as a Management Associate, Song Peng started following the HR Leader course, and followed it up with the HR Data Analyst.
“I was very positively surprised that the courses were so practical. I have taken courses in this field before and found a lot of the content to be too general.”
“I was very positively surprised that the courses were so practical,” says Song. “I have taken courses in this field before and found a lot of the content to be too general.” The practical nature of the AIHR courses meant he was immediately able to capitalize on his new expertise — and the HR skills gap. He soon secured a job as an HR Consultant & Change Specialist at KPMG.
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Two courses and a dedication to personal development: that was all it took for Song Peng to make the move to HR analytics.
“The HR Analytics Leader course helped me understand the connection between HR and strategic business developments. Even though I’m not a team or department leader (yet), it was eye-opening to learn more about the things that managers need to deal with. The course has helped me understand the bigger picture of the whole HR function and the rest of the business. I think it has made me a better employee.”
Qualified and ready
“I wanted to be in the forefront of this HR analytics movement, and AIHR provided just the right platform for me to do so,” says Song Peng. And it isn’t just a matter of equipping him with the right knowledge.
“This experience has affirmed my ambitions, as well as given me concrete evidence that I am able to do data analysis and use data visualization tools. I know the roadblocks of setting up a people analytics project. I can identify the most relevant metrics. And I now know that I can work in my current field of Learning & Development and implement a lot of the lessons I’ve learned from the two AIHR courses.”
With his new expertise, Song Peng is looking to the future with confidence.
“I believe that HR analytics is the future of HR, and I want to be qualified and ready when the right opportunity within the field pops up.”
– Song People & Change in Advisory Manager at KPMG Malaysia
Ready to make your move?
The skill gap in HR isn’t going anywhere soon. If you want to capitalize on this like Song Peng by developing your digital HR skills, AIHR has a wide array of courses diving into everything from Digital HR Strategy to HR Data Analysis. Enroll and start future-proofing your career today!
Why did Song Peng choose AIHR’s people analytics courses?
AIHR’s courses focus on practical, execution-ready application rather than high-level theory. Song had previously taken other analytics programs and found them too generic. AIHR People Analytics certificate program stood out because it focused on concrete technical skills, data visualization tools, and solving the real-world roadblocks that come with launching analytics projects inside an organization.
Do AIHR’s HR Analytics courses only apply to HR analytics job titles?
No. Data fluency has become an essential competency across generalist, business partnering, and advisory functions. AIHR’s People Analytics curriculum helped Song understand the direct link between HR data and overarching corporate strategy, enabling him to operate with a commercial, data-driven mindset and transition into an HR Advisory & Change Specialist role.
Can AIHR certifications help early-career professionals stand out in competitive job markets?
Yes. Entry-level professionals often face a tough hiring dilemma: employers want proven qualifications and specialized capabilities, but recent graduates haven’t had the years to build them.
Starting out as a Management Associate, Song used AIHR to capitalize on the industry-wide HR analytics skills gap. Earning verifiable certifications gave him the concrete credibility, data visualization proficiency, and strategic perspective needed to bypass the entry-level bottleneck and secure an advisory manager track.
Written by
Simona Iancu
Simona's passion for learning has made her an expert in translating complex information into easily digestible learning content. Together with her team of talented Marketers at the Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR), Simona helps thousands of HR professionals to find the online certifications they need to stay relevant and learn modern & in-demand HR skills.
