To boost job prospects for fresh graduates and young
professionals, managers and executives (PMEs), a mentorship
programme has been launched to help them gain tips to navigate the
job market.
Called Todo Todo, this is part of a joint initiative by
the People’s Association (PA) and the National Trades Union
Congress (NTUC).
Young Singaporeans aged between 18 and 35 who sign up
online (www.todotodo.sg) will be matched with a volunteer
career guide from their preferred industry over a four month
period.
Recruited from the NTUC’s and PA’s community network,
these career guides comprise young PMEs with at least five years of
working experience.
It is hoped that the guides, being able to empathise
with the concerns and aspirations of young job seekers, can help
the youths tap their industry expertise to be better equipped with
the skills and knowledge needed as they embark on their
careers.
About 100 guides have come on board so far, in sectors
such as information technology, banking and finance and
education.
Youths can also get connected to a network of industry
professionals and businesses, join workshops and talks and source
for volunteer projects using Todo Todo.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday (April 30) on the
sidelines of the launch at Our Tampines Hub, NTUC Youth Development
Unit director Desmond Choo, said the scheme would give youths more
learning opportunities, networking and targeted help in their
career advancement plans.
“With the career guides (working) in the industry, our
youths will have up-to-date information on where the (growing)
industries are, how to prepare themselves in advance and, quite
importantly, for those who don’t have a network of business
contacts, we bring in a ready-made network,” he said.
He added that the initiative can complement the efforts
of schools and create a “broader network” for youths looking to
gain access to people beyond school alumni.
He hopes to reach out to 10,000 youths and scale the
initiative to nine more Group Representation Constituencies over
the next few years.
Among the career advisers is Mr Alvin Yeo, 32, a Bedok
View Secondary School teacher who is enthusiastic about sharing his
skills in the education field and in events management.
He has mentored youths under his charge as a young
grassroots leader and said the scheme will provide a more formal
platform to promote a “culture of sharing” and help them discover
their aspirations.
Institute of Technical Education facility management
lecturer Azri Zulfarhan Kamsin, 30, also wants to put his varied
job experiences to good use, having previously worked in the marine
sector and in engineering.
Recalling his own uncertainty when starting his career,
he said this would give him a chance to share about his journey and
guide youths, for example by reminding them to keep an open
mind.
“It’s about what experiences they learn on the job, be
it practical or people skills,” he said.
One of the youth participants, Temasek Polytechnic Year
3 student Liu Tze Hui, 19, who is studying logistics and operations
management, found the industry knowledge from her mentor
useful.
“Procedures are set out for us to follow, but (I)
learnt that we have to be flexible to change to make (processes)
more efficient,” she said.
Fellow Year 3 student Rayen Tan, 20, who is doing a
diploma in pharmaceutical science, also felt the scheme would give
him more exposure and help him branch into various areas in the
healthcare sector, like research and manufacturing.
He said this was better than being “spoon-fed” by his
polytechnic for internships and career guidance: “We should also
use our own initiative ... (in looking out) for new job
experiences, and gain more connections and understanding of what
different companies (require).”
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