“Knowledge gives freedom to all” a saying that is deeply etched in my mind. Knowledge is perhaps the one thing ( pending that all our mental faculties are in tact) that cannot be taken away and has the capacity to grow and grow.

A popular estimate highlighted that 65% of children primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist. Today, some pre-schoolers are already attending coding class and able to write basic programming as published in The Straits Times on 25 February 2019. Unthinkable in the past but a reality of today.

We are at the threshold of Industrial 4.0 and the development of artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology, 3D printing and biotechnology are disrupting more and more industries. As entire industries undergo transformation, some jobs are threatened by redundancy. Workers need to embrace change and embark on a continuous learning journey to weather the disruptions ahead.

The Singapore Continuing Education & Training (CET) Masterplan, launched in 2008, has been refreshed in 2014 to better ensure a career resilient and competitive workforce. Whilst employees are encouraged to garner new knowledge and gain new skills competencies, employers focus on building capabilities & skills.

The Human Resource function no longer plays an administrative role but one that is involved in strategies focusing on people and talent management, building capabilities and growing capacity to meet the changes in the market place. Today, Human Resource plays a critical role in driving a culture of innovation, providing a robust Learning & Development Roadmap in line with the country’s respective industrial skills framework .

I truly appreciate the value of the three HR Managers whom I had the privilege to work with at Procter & Gamble. They were of different nationalities and possessed different styles but we all share the same passion for our people, their individual learning & development opportunities and well being. Through Learning & Development we engage, energize, enable and empower our people!

Singapore Chinese Girls’ School Careers Education Day

This is the second year the SCGS Alumni Exco is assisting the school with its Career Education Day. The overwhelming response from alums in support of our alma mater has indeed been heartwarming. It is evident that in today’s Volatile, Uncertain, Complex & Ambiguous world driven by disruptive technology, we see new jobs emerging which were non existent say 10 years ago. With digitalization being the future, young children as early as 5 years are already attending Coding classes. Exhibits by lower secondary school students using coding to create Carnival games and the sharing of concepts using Robotics in Logistics are part of today’s enrichment curriculum.

The Media, Communications and Public Relations careers involved new skills set as in social media marketing, data analytics, programmatic advertising etc. These skills set require constant upgrading as technological advancements take on a crazy rate of change. Even writers and authors are moving into eBooks. The playing field has changed drastically.

The SCGS Secondary School Students were also enriched with the sharing of speakers from the Healthcare, Legal, Banking, Finance, Accounting, Management Consultancy, Public Service & Education,Engineering, Architecture & Urban Planning and the Creatives (Art & Design, Theatre) Sectors.

As Millennials are said to prefer working in start-ups,drawn to the Start-up Culture, so Entrepreneurs and Tech Startups Speakers were also given centre stage.

Fellow alumni members who are involved in careers with Community & Social Impact also shared their jobs at NGOs tracking in remote Farmland in Asia & Africa, analysing data, evaluating proposals as Grant-Makers. Super cool!

Students also listened keenly to opportunities in the Singapore Space Technology Industry involving research and other space related activities.

Making a career choice is even tougher than before. Our panel speakers wisely advise the students to be brave and that it is ok to make career changes. They encourage the students to leverage on internships to learn more about the nature of jobs & work environments. Having the right attitude with the eagerness to learn is the key to success.

Looking forward to SCGS Careers Education Day 2019 in celebration of SCGS 120th Anniversary! Calling out to old SCGS girls – give back with your time, join us next year!