Photos from Workforce Singapore
Professionals in the burgeoning ICT sector and jobseekers planning to enter the industry can look forward to fresh new opportunities to build better careers as demand for jobs in the sector continues to grow.
A Tripartite Effort
To help this group of Singaporeans, tripartite partners NTUC, NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), Singapore Computer Society (SCS, an NTUC U Associate), the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) announced two new industry initiatives on 21 October 2016.
The first initiative, the TechSkills Accelerator Integrated Career Services (TeSA ICS), is focused on offering sector-specific in-depth support by way of placement, training and skills development.
Complementing that, a second initiative, the SkillsFuture Career Advisors Programme, will offer in-depth career support by way of mentorship. This will leverage the domain expertise, experience and deep knowledge from industry leaders and professionals to help jobseekers and workers in the sector find jobs and better develop themselves.
For a start, the two initiatives are expected to benefit at least 1,200 PMEs (professionals, managers and executives). The ICT sector currently employs 170,000 people with some 20,000 vacancies.
Career Assistance
TeSA ICS is similar to existing career support services offered by WSG, NTUC’s e2i and U PME Centres but with a sector-specific focus on ICT.
“The TeSA ICS is a support network to help update ICT professionals and jobseekers on the availability of jobs and careers, and the types of training and knowledge needed to stay relevant in the industry,” said Minister for Manpower Lim Swee Say at the launch.
Specialised Support
As industries like ICT continue to evolve at an accelerated pace with greater degrees of specialisation, Minister Lim said that the SkillsFuture Career Advisors Programme is the first of subsequent industry-specific career advisory initiatives. The initiative for the ICT sector, dubbed Career Compass, will be
administered by SCS.
“Career Compass will tap on the knowledge and expertise of industry veterans with rich work experience and in-depth occupational insights,” shared Minister Lim.
These career advisors will be able to help jobseekers and mid-career PMEs better understand the skills and jobs in demand and make more informed career decisions.
To date, more than 100 IT career advisors from fields as diverse as analytics, cyber security and software development, have volunteered their time.
These programmes will complement ongoing activities aimed at enhancing employment opportunities for PMEs in the ICT sector. Some of the current activities include regular physical and virtual career fairs such as visume (visual resume) workshops and ICT-specific symposiums and seminars.
Quotes:
“The Labour Movement is glad to work with the Government and our U Associate partner SCS, to provide career support to ICT professionals and facilitate employment in the ICT sector. The digital economy offers many opportunities for both ICT and non-ICT Singaporeans. It is a key pillar of the next chapter in our economic growth and tripartite partners need to work together to provide whole-of-career support to our working people: to train, to network and eventually to get ICT jobs.” - NTUC Progressive Wage Model Director Desmond Choo
“This tripartite partnership in the ICT sector offering coordinated career services is a commendable example of (the) industry coming forward to take the lead to build the talent pipeline for the sector, with the Government responding to integrate industry-led mentoring services into existing networks to enhance career support for individuals. This pioneering effort sets the stage for other sectors, and we hope to see more industry associations and leaders come forward with similar ground-breaking initiatives”. - Workforce Singapore Chief Executive Tan Choon Shian
“With the introduction of the SCS Career Compass, SCS is the first industry association to appoint over 100 ICT industry mentors under the SkillsFuture Career Advisors Programme. In support of TeSA Integrated Career Services, SCS will continue to work closely with partners, WSG, IMDA, NTUC and e2i, to build a collaborative community to support members and ICT professionals to discover their true North in their career pathways, to stay relevant and resilient in the turbulent today and unknown tomorrow." - Singapore Computer Society President Howie Lau
