Julian Wee
"How I overcame cerebral palsy to have a successful career"

Julian, how did you cope with cerebral palsy when you were growing up?

Well, to begin with, the medical definition of cerebral palsy is spastic quadriplegia, which means that I have great difficulty in moving my
lower limbs. Therefore I need crutches to help me walk, so I usually use a
wheelchair as it’s easier to move around.

My childhood consisted of lots of therapy, and going to primary school was challenging as my mother had to quit her day job to accompany me to classes, so that she could help me with my daily needs, like going to the washroom.

Nevertheless, I really liked going to school and studying. I was also blessed with classmates, teachers and a principal who were all supportive and understanding too.

What motivated you to become an economist?

At junior college, I studied economics and developed a liking for it, so I decided to pursue a degree in economics at the National University of Singapore. I like economics because it’s about more than just market demand and supply, it’s also about public policy, government, and how a society is run.

 I’m now working as a senior economist with IDEAglobal, an independent global research organization with headquarters in Singapore, and subsidiaries in New York and London. 

Although I must also share that it wasn’t easy to establish my career in the beginning. I graduated in 1998 – the year of the Asian Financial Crisis and the Tech Bubble burst, so job opportunities were hard to come by.

To get by, I did quite a bit of freelance writing for several months, contributing articles to various types of magazines – men’s and women’s lifestyle, health, sports, before finally landing a full time job with my current company, whom I’ve been with for 7 years now.  

Do you have any advice for young people who are graduating in this time of recession?

Of course it’s much better to graduate in times of boom rather than bust, but you just have to play the hand that you are dealt, I guess. Still, it can be a good time for fresh grads to keep their options open, and if finances aren’t really an issue, they can take the time to explore, experiment and find out what they are really interested in.  Just go for it and see if it works for them.

As the world still values virtuosity at some level, it’s important to find something that you really enjoy doing because there is a higher chance that you will excel in it. If you are good at something, you can definitely make money.

Do you think it’s a good idea to go for further studies during a recession?

Yes, it can be a good idea to upgrade now, but just make sure that it is something that you enjoy. Don’t do it if you didn’t like studying the course at uni as it’s better to cut your losses and switch to something else.

What are your goals for the future?

I would like to specialise further in economics, and also contribute to society by working to help Singapore policymakers develop better programs to increase social awareness and benefits for the disabled.