NTUC launches task force to look into work-life aspirations of young people

SINGAPORE: A task force was launched by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) on Saturday (Jul 23) to better understand the work-life aspirations of youths and support them in their careers.

The NTUC Youth Taskforce will engage 10,000 youths in a year-long exercise to find out more about their goals and concerns.

This comes after findings from a series of surveys and focus group discussions conducted this year with more than 2,000 youths aged between 18 and 35 showed that more than one in five faced challenges in career opportunities. They also stated that they would like support in career guidance and planning.

One such study, done in partnership with Singapore University of Technology and Design, revealed that the top three challenges young people faced were in the areas of career opportunities and prospects, finances and mental health. 

For this exercise, the task force will engage with youths between 18 and 25 years old. NTUC said that it is targeting this specific age group as they are at “a life-stage where they start planning how they want their careers to kick off and how that will fit in to their overall work-life aspirations”.

It will partner with government agencies, Institutes of Higher Learning, self-help groups, youth-targeted organisations and youth groups, among others.

Young Singaporeans who pursue non-traditional tracks like sports, arts and entrepreneurship as well as those who struggled in their earlier years and are in need of second chances will not be left out.

One key component of the task force is the Youth Hub, a roving exhibition which was also launched at LIT DISCOvery 2022 – Young NTUC’s annual signature symposium for graduating students and young working adults.

Through this hub, the task force seeks to engage youths through a series of activities where they can share their aspirations and concerns. They can also take a career profiling test and learn tips on starting their new job or internship.

With plans to partner Institutes of Higher Learning, this Youth Hub will visit various schools as well as spaces intended for youths. They can also participate through surveys, focus group discussions and other activities.

“At the end of this year-long engagement, the NTUC Youth Taskforce will share insights and put forth recommendations on how to better support these youths in their work-life aspirations, as they transition from being students to working adults,” said NTUC.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong, guest-of-honour for LIT DISCOvery 2022, officiated the launch on Saturday.

He was joined by NTUC president Mary Liew, secretary-general Ng Chee Meng, assistant secretary-general Desmond Choo and Young NTUC executive secretary Wendy Tan at the event.