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Singapore union boosts early career support for youths amid AI shifts
🇸🇬 Singapore /Economy & Trade

Singapore union boosts early career support for youths amid AI shifts

From CNA · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Singapore's National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is enhancing career support for graduating youths amid AI-driven industry changes.
  • The NTUC Starter Awards scholarship intake will increase by 50%, and Nanyang Technological University will join as a partner institution.
  • Efforts include personalized career coaching, AI career tools, and job fairs to connect youths with employers, addressing concerns about job displacement by technology.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is intensifying its support for graduating youths, focusing on job matching and career development as artificial intelligence transforms industries and the skills employers demand. Ng Chee Meng, NTUC's secretary-general, stated on Wednesday that while AI creates new opportunities, it also introduces uncertainty for young people entering the workforce.

"We want our youths to be prepared not just for their first job, but for a future of continuous learning, adaptation and growth," Ng said. To bolster these efforts, NTUC Youth will increase the number of bond-free NTUC Starter Awards scholarships by 50%, bringing the total to 150 scholars in the next cycle. This program, launched in 2024, has already supported 135 students with leadership development, industry mentorship, and overseas learning opportunities.

For graduating youths, this can make the transition from school to work more uncertain. That is why NTUC is stepping up support early, even before they graduate, to help them build the skills, confidence, and networks to seize the right opportunities, and importantly, to connect with employers.

— Ng Chee MengNg Chee Meng, NTUC Secretary-General, explained the rationale behind the increased support for graduating youths navigating a workforce increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

Nanyang Technological University is the latest institution to partner with the NTUC Starter Awards, joining eight other institutes of higher learning. These include three Institute of Technical Education colleges, Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, and the Singapore Institute of Technology. The NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) is also providing personalized career coaching and guidance, including an AI-powered career coach, to help youths prepare for the job market.

Ng highlighted that recent International Labour Organization findings show youth unemployment rising sharply in higher-income countries, with young people fearing job replacement by technology. However, he expressed optimism that Singapore's well-educated youth are well-positioned to seize new possibilities and industries emerging from AI advancements. NTUC has organized several youth-focused events, connecting over 50 employers offering around 300 entry-level roles and over 900 vacancies across various sectors, with more than 800 on-site interviews conducted.

We want our youths to be prepared not just for their first job, but for a future of continuous learning, adaptation and growth.

— Ng Chee MengNg Chee Meng emphasized NTUC's long-term vision for youth development in response to evolving industry demands.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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