The NTUC-PME Unit is collaborating with GioCareers, a local social enterprise to launch the Career Activation Programme (CAP), a community-based peer-to-peer support programme aimed to deepen the assistance rendered to mature professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) beyond the age of 40.
Various NTUC-PME Unit’s engagements suggested that PMEs who are aged 40 and above tend to take a longer time to find work if they become unemployed. During their job search, they could become disillusioned or discouraged. CAP seeks to encourage and support these mature PMEs, and help them with the difficulties in their careers. In this programme, a group of volunteer PMEs – Career Activists trained by GioCareers – will render their support to help mature PMEs build the necessary emotional and resilience that will empower them to overcome the unique challenges in managing and developing their careers.
Mature PMEs Experience Difficulties in Re-entering Workforce
Across the board, there are more PMEs who continue to remain in unemployment and are finding it difficult to re-enter the workforce, as data from the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Labour Force Survey (June 2014) suggests.
The NTUC U PME Centre also observed that majority of those who approached the centre for assistance, are above the age of 40.
Providing Support for Mature PMEs
While working closely with these PMEs in terms of job placements and other areas, NTUC-PME Unit gleaned valuable insight on the kind of stress that mature PMEs face owing to the sense of social isolation, as well as the need for a community-scale support network.
The CAP thus seeks to address such challenges by bringing together a group of Career Activists from GioCareers who are also mature PMEs to provide support for discouraged mature PMEs. These volunteers have gone through career ups and downs, and can better empathise, share and understand the needs and concerns of fellow mature PMEs. By forming a closely-knitted community where PMEs band together to help one another, there is opportunity for them to network and make connections that aid their job search or other endeavours such as volunteering or starting a business.
"Our mature PMEs are corporate warriors with a wealth of experience, knowledge and perspectives. Together with the NTUC-PME Unit, we designed and developed the Career Activation Programme according to their unique needs and characteristics, so that our mature PMEs feel comfortable, engaged and respected. As the programme name suggests, we aim to activate PMEs by instilling positivity, drive and confidence in them during difficult periods of their career journey," said Mr Hector Lin, Chief Executive Officer of GioCareers.
“Mature PMEs, especially those who are unemployed for various reasons, face particularly unique work-related challenges. We realised that it takes more than just career advice to help them overcome their difficulties. With strong peer-support, encouragement, motivation and inspiration from Career Activists who are fellow PMEs who have gone through career challenges, mature PMEs will stand to benefit from this holistic network of support across volunteerism, career coaching, counselling and social service that the Career Activation Programme offers,” added Mr Patrick Tay, Director of NTUC-PME Unit.
Pilot Runs of CAP
NTUC-PME Unit has conducted two pilot sessions of the programme, in which 19 currently unemployed mature PMEs were able to voice out their specific difficulties and challenges in gaining employment. Feedback from these sessions have been encouraging, with the PMEs highlighting the valuable opportunity to hear and seek advice and motivation from fellow PMEs, as well as to widen their network.
Mdm Lena Nai, 48 years old, has had difficulties finding a full-time job for the past one year and become unemployed recently. Having participated in the one of the pilot sessions, she said “The session was very insightful because after listening to the sharing by the Career Activist on his life journey, and all the challenges that he went through, it got me thinking about why I was grumbling about my life and what I should be doing to improve myself. I am definitely keen to continue with this programme.”
Going Forward
The Career Activation Programme will be organised on a monthly basis. This initiative will run, in synergy with NTUC-PME Unit's career coaching services and support. Working with the Career Activists, NTUC-PME Unit will be able to follow up with participants on necessary career coaching services more effectively.
Going forward, NTUC-PME Unit will continue to explore partnership with relevant tripartite partners or organisations to deepen their outreach to PMEs especially the young and mature, to help them stay future-ready and future-proof.
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