PUCDC Career Talk Series: Career journey in humanitarian analysis

How do you find the right career path when your first choice no longer feels right?

On March 19, 2026, the Parami University Career Development Center hosted an event for the career development of data enthusiastic students and participants from Parami Community in the Humanitarian Field. During the sixth session of the Career Talk Series, titled “Career Journey at Humanitarian Analysis,” the speaker, Sayar Moe Win Aung, shared his prior experience of diving into the career path of the humanitarian field as a data analyst since 2007. He is also a researcher, managing data projects on social, political, and human rights issues. He specializes in dataset development, open-source investigations, and the production of visual analytical outputs. His prior work has centered on conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and humanitarian analysis, employing rigorous data methodologies to generate evidence-based insights and inform decision-making.

“We cannot wait for the opportunities to come.” With this message, Sayar Moe Win Aung opened a candid discussion on finding purpose, navigating uncertainty, and building a career in humanitarian analysis. 

He started realizing that his initial degree in accounting, his first step, was not his true passion; his real career interest was in data, not numbers. He even considered starting a betel shop because his aunt was earning money from it and had an income of 20 lakhs MMK per month. 

Amid pressure and losing track of his life, he decided to complete his master's degree and try to get an entry-level job at a market research company. Although he was an introvert, he conducted many research interviews with women clients, facing various challenges during field surveys. While considering a job change, many international organizations arrived in Myanmar following the Nargis Cyclone in 2008. Then he applied for a data associate position at the UN and got it, which marked a turning point in his life. 

He went beyond sharing his career journey by highlighting the importance of workplace communication. He emphasized three key areas: effective communication with coworkers, proactive communication with supervisors, and self-awareness—understanding what you truly want in your career.

As part of this talk series' exclusive session, the speaker offered one-on-one consultations during the final Q&A. Most of the students are still uncertain about their career paths, and so, he encouraged them to find their passion, as it is not too late to start now. He gave some advice on how to choose the right career step by step for early professionals.

The PUCDC team is grateful to Sayar Moe Win Aung for the career guidance and consultation for each student, following a sharing of the inspirational career journey as a data analyst in Myanmar's humanitarian field.