Wah, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) just announced that they are going to launch a pilot scheme for young people to try out jobs with guidance from mentors in the second half of the year. Called the Career Starter Lab, it’s like a work trial for graduates from Institute of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics and universities, including those who just completed national service (NS), to help them transition to work life. They will be matched with companies and undergo on-the-job training with a mentor for three months. Slay.
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said the aim is to help the youth coming into the workforce with less anxiety as they move from school or post-NS into the workplace.
The scheme hopes to sign up 100 companies, including Singapore Airlines, Uniqlo, Rolls-Royce, Singtel and Copthorne King’s Hotel, among others, and young people will be paid between $1,800 and $4,200 depending on the work for the three-month job trial.
According to Chee Meng Ge-Ge:
“What we want to do is to help the youth coming into the workforce… with in-company mentors, with supervision and with structure, so that they have less anxiety as they move from the schoolhouse or post-NS into the workplace.”
Why are they doing this?
In case you have been living under a rock, you would know that the NTUC launched the Youth Taskforce last year – and since then, about 10,000 youth have been engaged.
The aim of this exercise is to understand the challenges and aspirations of youth when it comes to work.
Through the Youth Taskforce engagements, Young NTUC executive secretary Wendy Tan said many of them expressed anxiety about going from school and NS to the world of work.
The youth cited quality internships and mentorship, so the pilot scheme is a response to this feedback, she added.
How will this be done?
NTUC and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) will provide training for the workplace mentors, and there will be a retention incentive for those young workers if they are hired by the company after the trial and retained for at least three months.
Young jobseekers from ITE, polytechnics and universities who graduated or just completed NS in 2023 can apply when the scheme launches. The youth will be able to try a job in these companies for three months, with salaries ranging between $1,800 to $4,200 – depending on the type fo work.
SNEF president Robert Yap in his May Day message called on employers to train their employees, and workers should also embrace lifelong learning to stay relevant and employable.
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To check out more updates about the Career Starter Lab, follow Young NTUC on their social media channels.
