Speaking on the sidelines of Youth Career Network Career Discover Mentorship Programme organised by Young NTUC on 10 January 2017, Young NTUC Executive Secretary and Labour Member of Parliament Desmond Choo addressed some of the key challenges young workers today are facing.
He observed that the slowing economy has made it tougher for youths, namely graduating students from institutes of higher learning and first-time jobseekers, to find jobs. They may be adequately qualified with university degrees, but employers are increasingly looking out for work experience on top of academic papers.
Compounding matters, the wide variety of potential career options available to these youths can be disorientating. Without actual industry knowledge or exposure, these young workers may not be able to ascertain what they really want in a career.
Support For Young Workers
As these youths are the workforce of the future, Mr Choo hoped that the Government will support organisations like Young NTUC in growing programmes such as the Youth Career Network, which connects youths with mentors who can help them navigate their fledgling careers.
“No one organisation or entity will have the answers to what a person should do or should train for. Such a community-based sourcing system will allow a youth to navigate and learn from people on the job and in the companies, what is good for them and then find the job of their choice,” said Mr Choo.
This will enable them to reach out and better support them through more partnerships with institutes of higher learning and community partners.
Likening these partnerships to networks, Mr Choo highlighted that these individual links can eventually be interconnected with the Labour Movement’s network of partners and companies, ultimately opening up new opportunities for them.
More Can Be Done
Helping youths navigating the jobs landscape is one thing, but helping them secure employment remains the key focus of the Labour Movement.
To address the increasing demand for work experience, Mr Choo said: “We hope the Government will strengthen and expand the Earn and Learn Programme and apprenticeship systems.
“A lot of companies want to do apprenticeship and internship programmes, but they lack the resources to enable them to do so, especially Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), who hire 70 per cent of our workforce. I think this is a gap which can be looked at… They lack resources and expertise, but they need people and talent.”
Mr Choo also said that while such programmes are useful, they are often restricted to in-school students. He hoped that such initiatives can be extended to working people looking to make a mid-career switch.
Youth Career Network
Consisting of career coaches and mentors – working professionals themselves with relevant experience – from across the Labour Movement network, the Youth Career Network is targeted at offering youths at career crossroads receive support and advice. As peers who have had similar experiences, they can better relate to the youths and their struggles.
Taking place over a course of four months, the support rendered can range from perspectives on how to think about a future career to industry-specific advice on how to successfully build one.
“A system like the Youth Career Network can help them to navigate the process of finding a job much better. Having a mentor can articulate, through experience, the kind of skills that are needed and how it has or has not been beneficial, and share that,” said Mr Choo.
To find out more about Young NTUC’s Youth Career Network programme, visit http://www.youngntuc.org.sg/.
