Latest news with #techworker
Bloomberg
18-07-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
What Scientists Learned Scanning the Bodies of 100,000 Brits
By and Ashleigh Furlong Save One day last summer, Alison slipped off her jewelry, stepped into a hospital gown and lay down inside a full-body MRI scanner. As the machine issued calming instructions — breathe in, hold, breathe out — it captured thousands of images, from her head to her toes. A tech worker and mother of two in her 50s, Alison (whose full name can't be shared under participant privacy rules) had joined a nationwide health study after spotting a flyer in her local library. Her mother died young of cancer, and women like her — of Caribbean background — were underrepresented in research and often overlooked. Signing up, she says, was a way to be counted, 'so that there's data from people like me.'
Independent Singapore
09-07-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Civil service jobs seen as ‘dumping ground'? Tech worker frustrated by Gen z peers' harsh take on public sector work
SINGAPORE: A tech worker in the public sector took to Reddit to share his frustration after a university peer dismissed his civil service job as something only 'unambitious' fresh grads would take. In a post on Reddit's r/SingaporeRaw forum, the 20-something shared that during a recent meetup, his former classmate told him he was 'selling himself short' by joining what he described as a 'retirement home' agency. 'While I do get his point, I was shocked and taken aback by his newfound ego,' the worker wrote. 'As such, I didn't talk to him much after that meetup.' He added that this wasn't the first time he had heard such views. In his Gen Z circle, many seem to view civil service roles as a 'dumping ground' for fresh grads who failed to land positions in reputable or glamorous multinational corporations. 'It's not just him, though; many of my peers who have graduated and are jobless in a bad economy straight up said that they refuse to apply for government roles, ' he said. 'Reasons cited include bureaucracy, poor pay progression (if non-scholar), and the fact that such roles are not marketable to private sector companies. I can understand the first two, but the last one—is the reputation of the public sector really that bad?' The worker said that he tries to take pride in what he does, but hearing people around him talk like that has made him 'feel worse' about his career choices. 'I am considering job hopping soon, mainly because of my contract period terms, but I won't lie that such sentiments are giving me concerns,' he said. 'Do I have a biased social circle, or are my career prospects actually cooked? Does Singapore have a low opinion of public/civil servants?' 'All jobs should be held with regard and not looked down upon.' The post drew a flood of responses from Reddit users, many of whom defended public sector work and criticised the arrogance of those who look down on it. 'Find a way to better curate your circle of friends,' one user said. 'I have many friends working in public service as teachers and social workers, and honestly, while I can't say they live a very comfortable life with high pay and an expensive home or car, they have so much passion in what they do. And that is something I haven't found and am definitely envious of!' Another commented, 'All jobs should be held with regard and not looked down upon. You've got bad friends who like to look down on people, it seems. 'It's not easy to get into the gov sector, by the way. So I'm not sure why anyone would think lowly of it, where the pay is pretty decent; it depends on your speciality. Sometimes the pay is higher than in private.' A third user who's a millennial added, 'Everyone around me thinks that being a public servant is respectable and noble because you are working for the citizens. So at least your job is meaningful. Add in the stability and benefits. It's a good position to be in.' In other news, a 32-year-old woman shared on Reddit that she is thinking of quitting her job just six months after joining because the work arrangement turned out to be very different from what was promised during the interview. In her post, she explained that when she was applying for the role, she was told it would be a hybrid position. According to the hiring manager, she would only need to be in the office three days a week, while the other two days' work could be done from home. That flexibility was a major reason why she took the job. Read more: 'I work in the office most days': Woman wants to quit 6 months into job after promised hybrid arrangement falls through Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)
France 24
06-07-2025
- France 24
China's abandoned buildings draw urban explorers despite risks
Long popular in the West, urban exploration, or "urbex" for short, sees city-dwelling thrill-seekers explore dilapidated, closed-off buildings and areas -- often skirting the law in the process. And it is growing in popularity in China, where a years-long property sector crisis has left many cities dotted with empty buildings. Xu, a 29-year-old tech worker from the eastern city of Qingdao, has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers for his photos of rundown schools and vacant cinemas. "When people see these images, they find them incredibly fresh and fascinating," he told AFP. "The realisation that so many abandoned buildings exist -- and that they can photograph so beautifully -- naturally captures attention." AFP joined Xu and his comrades at a deserted hotel in the outskirts of Shanghai for a unique photoshoot. From the outside, the hotel looked like a prefabricated medieval castle. Once inside, it was clear the property had been abandoned for years. Searching through the rooms for good spots for striking photos, Xu and his friends came across remnants of the hotel's past -- a mahjong table, laundry sheets and piles of dinner plates. Props from past photoshoots were scattered on the floor and on one ballroom wall, "Long Live Chairman Mao" was written in spray paint. China's recent property market downturn has left many abandoned large-scale projects ready ground for urban explorers. "I don't think you would find sites like this in Europe," long-time explorer Brin Connal told AFP as he walked around an empty, abandoned building. "In China, there's a lot of these places which are unfinished." 'Really special' One such unfinished megaproject in Shanghai, the Pentagon Mall, has become such a hotspot that explorers leave messages for each other on the walls of its top floor. "I think this is something really special about Chinese urban exploration," said Sean, a Shanghai resident who did not want to give his real name. "There's a very strong sense of community and it's very, very welcoming." Situated in Shanghai's Pudong district, the project came close to completion in 2009 but investment fell through. The giant concrete building now sits mostly in disrepair -- broken tiles litter the ground and a large faded map of the uncompleted mall is barely visible under a thick layer of dust. Some rooms still have signs of life, with mattresses from squatters, discarded takeout and cigarette boxes and even laundry hanging outside. "In places like Shanghai, people always find a way to make use of these buildings, even if they're not completely built and completely usable," said Sean's exploration partner Nov, who also asked to go by a pseudonym. 'Way too dangerous' Chinese social media companies are less enthusiastic. Looking up abandoned buildings on Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, users are met with a message warning "there are risks in this area, please pay attention to safety and comply with local policies and regulations". Connal, originally from Britain, told AFP he understood the restrictions. "Some of them are way too dangerous, and some of these abandoned locations were getting overwhelmed with people," he said. The hobby also takes place in a legal grey area. Many urban explorers go by a simple mantra -- taking nothing from the places they visit and leaving nothing behind. But the act of trespassing can come with fines in China, just as it does in the West. Xu also acknowledged the risks that come with urban exploration -- from angry security guards to errant circuitry. "Firstly, you might face the risk of trespassing illegally. Secondly, private properties may have security guards or be completely sealed off," he told AFP. "These locations often involve hazards like no electricity or lighting, structural damage, and injuries from construction materials like exposed nails." But model Mao Yi said the hobby offered a respite from the drudgery of big city living. "Living in these sprawling metropolises of steel and concrete, we've grown familiar with the routines of daily life," she told AFP.
Japan Times
06-07-2025
- Japan Times
China's abandoned buildings draw urban explorers despite risks
Xu Pengcheng looks over his shoulder and, after confirming the coast is clear, helps his crew of urban adventurers climb through the broken window of an abandoned building. Long popular in the West, urban exploration, or "urbex" for short, sees city-dwelling thrill-seekers explore dilapidated, closed-off buildings and areas — often skirting the law in the process. And it is growing in popularity in China, where a years-long property sector crisis has left many cities dotted with empty buildings. Xu, a 29-year-old tech worker from the eastern city of Qingdao, has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers for his photos of rundown schools and vacant cinemas. "When people see these images, they find them incredibly fresh and fascinating," he said. "The realization that so many abandoned buildings exist — and that they can photograph so beautifully — naturally captures attention." AFP joined Xu and his comrades at a deserted hotel in the outskirts of Shanghai for a unique photoshoot. From the outside, the hotel looked like a prefabricated medieval castle. Once inside, it was clear the property had been abandoned for years. Searching through the rooms for good spots for striking photos, Xu and his friends came across remnants of the hotel's past — a mahjong table, laundry sheets and piles of dinner plates. Props from past photoshoots were scattered on the floor and on one ballroom wall, "Long Live Chairman Mao" was written in spray paint. China's recent property market downturn has left many abandoned large-scale projects ready ground for urban explorers. "I don't think you would find sites like this in Europe," long-time explorer Brin Connal said as he walked around an empty, abandoned building. "In China, there's a lot of these places which are unfinished." One such unfinished megaproject in Shanghai, the Pentagon Mall, has become such a hotspot that explorers leave messages for each other on the walls of its top floor. "I think this is something really special about Chinese urban exploration," said Sean, a Shanghai resident who did not want to give his real name. "There's a very strong sense of community and it's very, very welcoming." Situated in Shanghai's Pudong district, the project came close to completion in 2009 but investment fell through. The giant concrete building now sits mostly in disrepair — broken tiles litter the ground and a large faded map of the uncompleted mall is barely visible under a thick layer of dust. Some rooms still have signs of life, with mattresses from squatters, discarded takeout and cigarette boxes and even laundry hanging outside. "In places like Shanghai, people always find a way to make use of these buildings, even if they're not completely built and completely usable," said Sean's exploration partner Nov, who also asked to go by a pseudonym. Chinese social media companies are less enthusiastic. Looking up abandoned buildings on Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, users are met with a message warning "there are risks in this area, please pay attention to safety and comply with local policies and regulations." Connal, originally from Britain, said he understood the restrictions. "Some of them are way too dangerous, and some of these abandoned locations were getting overwhelmed with people," he said. The hobby also takes place in a legal grey area. Many urban explorers go by a simple mantra — taking nothing from the places they visit and leaving nothing behind. But the act of trespassing can come with fines in China, just as it does in the West. Xu also acknowledged the risks that come with urban exploration — from angry security guards to errant circuitry. "Firstly, you might face the risk of trespassing illegally. Secondly, private properties may have security guards or be completely sealed off," he said. "These locations often involve hazards like no electricity or lighting, structural damage, and injuries from construction materials like exposed nails." But model Mao Yi said the hobby offered a respite from the drudgery of big city living. "Living in these sprawling metropolises of steel and concrete, we've grown familiar with the routines of daily life," she said.
