Meet the inspiring 55-year-old VIP guide at USS who’s also a model and TikTok star

Tell us about what prompted you to first apply for a job at USS.

Credit: Susie Low

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I had been a stay-at-home mum for six years when I saw the news on TV about Universal Studios Singapore opening in 2006. It made me think about going back to workforce as I was feeling restless. My daughter was in school most of the time with tutoring and CCA activities. Before I was a stay-at-home mum, I had been working as an air stewardess and later on, a flight purser, for 18 years before I was retrenched from United Airlines due to their Asian base closures after the September 11 attacks.

I thought it would be fun to work in a theme park because my family and I had visited Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort during my flying days. We enjoyed our time there so much, I knew that I had a lot to contribute to a job at a theme park. Whenever I travelled to any country, I would make it a point to check out any theme parks I could visit.

I applied and got accepted as a part-time retail assistant in the Universal Studios Store. I thought I would stay at Universal Studios Singapore for a year, working a couple of days a week. Initially, it was a bit tough to adapt. When I was at work, I would constantly worry about my daughter travelling home by herself. But I am so blessed to have a supportive mum. She is the one who always encouraged me to go back to the workforce because she knows I still have so much to give and so many ideas to contribute. In 2011, I made the switch to become a VIP Guide because I wanted a role that allowed me to have more interaction with guests. Who would have known that more than 12 years on, I’m still here! And enjoying myself.

How would you describe your role as a VIP Guide at USS?

Credit: Resorts World Sentosa

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As a VIP Guide at Universal Studios Singapore, I take guests on a Universal Studios Singapore VIP Experience. The VIP Experience is a five-hour tour where I bring them around the theme park, introducing the attractions, shows and food with fun trivia and of course, giving them priority access to select attractions – which means they skip right to the front of the queue ahead of everyone else. When they’re on the tour, guests also get priority for photo opportunities with Universal Studios Singapore characters. Beyond that, I make sure all their needs are taken care of and that ultimately, guests have fun!

What is your favourite part of being a guide?

Credit: Resorts World Sentosa

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My favourite part about being a VIP Guide is that I get to create happy and memorable experiences for guests. I am a happy-go-lucky person by nature. Most of my guests who are children and teenagers warm up to me pretty quickly. Even elderly guests are entertained by how animated I am when sharing fun facts about the park. When guests tell me that the best part of their experience is, “You, Susie!” – that makes my day.

Would you describe your role as a VIP Guide as a calling that you’re extremely passionate about?

Credit: Resorts World Sentosa

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Being a VIP Guide started out as a casual job. But as the years went by, it turned into an unexpected career even though I’ve been doing it part-time all this while. Because of my fun-loving personality, a job in a theme park suits me well! I’m very passionate about being a VIP Guide and a trainer because it gives me the opportunity to inspire and nurture new generations of VIP Guides.

I’m very honoured to have received the Excellent Service Award (EXSA) Star Award from 2012 to 2019, and 2022. I’ve just won the Association of Singapore Attractions EXSA Superstar award for 2022, which recognises the best of the Gold category winners. Previously, I was one of the Top 3 Finalists for the Singapore Experience Awards 2015 and Singapore Tourism Awards 2016. Over the course of my work at Resorts World Sentosa, I’ve received more than 50 company service awards, including last year’s Resorts World Sentosa WOW Award for Excellent Customer Service.

I will suggest to first-time guests to get ready by downloading the Universal Studios Singapore app on their phone. When you reach the park, walk in the opposite direction of where everyone else usually goes. Most people head straight towards the New York zone because of TRANSFORMERS The Ride: The Ultimate 3D Battle and Battlestar Galactica: Human vs. Cylon roller coasters. But if you start off at the Far Far Away zone, you’ll be able to get on more rides and avoid the big crowds.

Tell us what prompted you to also take up freelance modelling and acting.

Credit: Platinum Angles Management

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When I hit the big 50, I told myself I wanted to try something new, to challenge myself every year. I have always loved acting, and during the Circuit Breaker I decided to create a TikTok account. I had a lot of fun doing a lot of TikTok skits as well as connecting with people. That led to me to take up a bilingual acting class with Zoom Academy and being signed on as their freelance talent.

The following year, I saw a casting for Platinum Angels Management, a modelling agency with a roster of models over the age of 50. I had dabbled in modelling in my teens, but I stopped after I became a flight stewardess. With the encouragement of my husband and daughter, I decided to give it a try. I went through an audition process in January last year where I had to introduce myself in a video and send photos of my face with no makeup on. To my surprise, I was selected by the founder Pat Kraal to join the agency!

Recently, I fell into a modelling gig by accident. Pat invited me to watch the Silver Generation Runway Show at Design Orchard in November 2022. 10 minutes before the show started, Daniel Boey saw me and asked me to walk with the rest of the models. I was shy and didn’t want to but Pat encouraged me by saying that I’d be alright and to go with the flow. She believed that I could catch on. So I really did walk in the show with other over-50 models in some really gorgeous clothes and accessories. It was a fun and good way to showcase that people over 50 still got it!

What does age mean to you? Do you see it as just a number?

Credit: Susie Low

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I always remind my girlfriends and people I know not let our age stop us from what we want to do. I know this saying is very common but age is really just a number.