NTUC organises first Future Leaders Summit and month-long learning festival for professionals, managers and executives (PMEs)

• 1,538 young PMEs responded to survey conducted on learning interests and needs
• Majority of PMEs surveyed seek reliable and expert advice on climbing the career ladder and value soft skills

1. More Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) are joining the workforce, and this growing group will soon become the new rank-and-file workers of tomorrow. Given this context, what do PMEs need to ready themselves for the competitive landscape at home and in the global marketplace?

2. Recognising the demand for an established and integrated learning platform targeted at young professionals and managers, NTUC Membership will launch an inaugural month-long learning festival for over 1,000 young professionals. The event is open to members of the public, and union members will enjoy preferential rates. This will feature a two-day keynote conference, the first Future Leaders Summit – Inspiring the CEO in U, and a series of complementary workshops, (the Future Leaders Series) partnering Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group (AKLTG) and Next U between June and July 2013.

3. To find out more about the learning desires and interests of young PMEs, the Membership Department from the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) carried out an online survey in December 2012 where 1,538 PMEs aged between 20 and 35 years old responded. Tapping on the results from this survey, NTUC Membership Department will tailor relevant programmes for PMEs at their inaugural month-long learning festival and Future Leaders Summit between June and July 2013.

4. Based on the PMEs’ responses, climbing the corporate ladder was at the top of their wishlist. Of the 1,538 PMEs, getting career advancement tips received the highest number of votes followed by advice on honing entrepreneurial skills and preparation for switching careers. (Annex A)

5. Respondents also gave self-development courses the most endorsements followed by sessions on managing personal finances professional development and enhancing employability. Interestingly, 80% of the participants who aspire for career advancement also selected self-development courses as a key learning need.

6. In addition, young PMEs surveyed also want to hear and learn from personal anecdotes and success stories of speakers spanning different fields and expertise. Mr Patrick Tay, Director of NTUC’s Legal Services Department and Professionals, Managers and Executives Unit (PMEU) commended, “In this borderless and highly competitive landscape, NTUC seeks to support PMEs through this inaugural Future Leaders Summit 2013 and to propel them in their various fields and careers."

(Speakers’ quotes in Annex C)

With the theme “Inspiring the CEO in U”, the Summit will feature well-known trailblazers from various fields and prominent companies, who will guide and share their experiences with a younger generation hungry for success. The range of speakers proposed comprises entrepreneurs and trailblazers, for example, Adam Khoo, Executive Chairman from Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group (AKLTG), Steve Melhuish, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PropertyGuru, Cheo Ming Shen, Co-founder of Nuffnang, Mohamed Ismail, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PropNex Realty, etc; as well as senior leaders from multi-national companies (MNCs) such as Shell, OCBC and JCB.

7. “This Summit is an investment by the National Trades Union Congress on it’s over 160,000 PME members” says Vivek Kumar, Director of NTUC Membership. “Drawing from the results in our PME survey, we strive to bring these thought-provoking business leaders to PMEs in an affordable way. A unique aspect of this Summit are the six “Leaders' Tracks” - in areas as diverse as Leadership, Career Planning & Advancement, Entrepreneurship, Sales Management, Marketing, and Finance & Banking, making it easy for a delegate to pick-up future trends in one's own or a new area."
   
8. An exciting feature of this Summit would be a dialogue with a panel of CEOs so Summit participants could personally interact with them and hear their tips and learning points. Jacques Lee, an operations technician, says he is aware of similar conferences in the market, but “I hope to look into opportunities to work with the speakers, and hopefully the festival can result in more career opportunities for me. I will consider signing up since there are privileges for union members.”

More details will be available at www.futureleadersummit.sg after 25 February 2013

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Terms and Chinese Translations

Survey

The online survey started in end December 2012 where 1,538 PMEs from the public and private sectors, aged between 20 and 35 years old responded. Respondents are allowed to make multiple selections.

Annex A

When asked - What would you like to achieve from attending a conference with keynote speakers and workshops?

The categories below received the number of votes stated respectively.

Annex B

When asked - What topic(s) would be of interest to you in the workshops after the keynote speech? The categories below received the number of votes stated respectively.
 

1. Self-development includes softer skills that develop talents and potential, build human capital, improve self-knowledge to enhance quality of life, and contribute to the realization of dreams and aspirations for individuals.
2. Personal finance refers to the financial decisions which an individual or a family unit is required to make to obtain, budget over time, taking into account various financial risks and future life events.
3. Professional development refers to the skills, certification and knowledge an employee gains to optimize her career development and job growth.
4. Employability refers to the capability to ready for moving into and within labour markets. It also comprises techniques such as resume-writing, interview skills, career planning, etc.

Annex C

Key Speakers

Learning is lifelong and self-development is the way for a personal enrichment. In the dynamic changing world, one has to constantly be keeping pace with technology and knowledge.

Many working adults toiled the long working days or even weekends to earn their master’s degree for a better career advancement. I think self-development should be seen more for the personal enrichment and there is a need to continually invest time to sharpen one’s emotional Intelligence instead in order to stay connected especially in the service-oriented industry.

~ Mohamed Ismail, CEO of PropNex Realty

I strongly believe that self-development is not only important to our career advancement; it is a crucial element that cannot be neglected if you wish to excel in your career and personal life. And it is not just PMEs who need to constantly upgrade, it is even more important for budding business owners and entrepreneurs to do so in order to stay ahead of the game and not become obsolete.

There are so many instances of successful businesses that have failed simply by staying still and not innovating. That is why the biggest and best companies spend so much of their profits on Research and Development purposes. Always remember that if you stop growing, you start dying.

~Adam Khoo, Executive Chairman of Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group

Being your own boss is not for everyone… it can be incredibly lonely, extremely tough and a daily/weekly/monthly rollercoaster of emotions, with high pressure (personally and from family). It is high risk and in many cases can mean low income for many years. However, for me I have loved being an entrepreneur.

Continual learning and self-development is (in my mind) essential to anyone who wants to grow and improve in their life, sports or career. As the Isaac Asimov saying goes "the day you stop learning is the day you start decaying". As an entrepreneur, I continue to take risks and continue to make big and small mistakes all the time… but through this process I continue to learn.

~Steve Melhuish, CEO of PropertyGuru