 In 1947, at the age of 21 he completed his Senior Cambridge examinations at the Institution., and sought employment with a French oil palm plantation company called Socfin, as a laboratory assistant.In 1950, Namasivayam headed south to Singapore in search of greener pastures, and enrolled himself at the Teachers' Training College, where they sent him as a trainee teacher to Tanjong Rhu Primary School.In 1954, he successfully passed out with National Training Certificate Diploma, and proceeded to teach at various schools as a primary school teacher.