By JANICE HENG MADAM Aishah Akil began helping job seekers while work- ing for the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) a dec- ade ago, at a time when many were being retrenched. The aim then was simply to get them into jobs, even if they were not an ideal fit. “Jobs came in, clients came in, and we just sent them for job interviews,” she said, admit- ting that the success rate was low. “A lot of the time, there were skills gaps.” Now 48, she is a senior em- ployability coach at the Employ- ment and Employability Insti- tute (e2i), where she still match- es people with jobs, but goes much further. The institute takes into account not just hard skills, but also passions and personalities. This in-depth approach is espe- cially important as e2i is seeing more job seekers who are pro- fessionals, managers and execu- tives (PMEs) or young gradu- ates. “We have become more re- fined in our approach,” said e2i chief executive Gilbert Tan. “Besides assessing skills, it’s a conversation about what their passions are.” NTUC’s job-matching ser- vices moved to e2i when it was set up in 2008. There are now 20 coaches, up from three a de- cade ago. The job has become more complex, involving skills such as personality profiling. Said senior employability coach Foo May Ling, 47: “We look at personality traits to match them with jobs they’re suited for.” For instance, a worker who prefers structure and detail could do well in ac- countancy. This approach suits the new generation of workers, said Mr Erman Tan, president of the Singapore Human Resources In- stitute: “They are better educat- ed so they have higher aspira- tions.” A few years ago, PMEs made up only one in five job seekers approaching e2i. Now, the ratio is one in two. There are also more young workers. “Three or four years ago, you didn’t see fresh graduates,” said senior employability coach Noel Choh, 39. Now, workers under the age of 30 form about a quar- ter of e2i’s walk-in cases. They appreciate it when coaches factor in their inte- rests, said Ms Foo: “Younger ones want jobs that can fulfil their passions.” Coaches have adopted a simi- lar approach at Mendaki Social Enterprise Network Singapore, the Malay-Muslim self-help group’s training arm. “(They) go the extra mile to first appreciate the situation of clients,” said social pro- grammes and services head Lily Sulastri Mohamed Yahya. For instance, for those need- ing financial help, coaches will advise them on training subsi- dies and “help them overcome or reduce the financial barrier”. The e2i employability coaches will be at Career and Education 2015 to give career guidance to job seekers, and help them apply for jobs on the national Jobs Bank online por- tal. The event will be on at Suntec Singapore from Thurs- day to Saturday. [email protected] Today’s younger workers want jobs that can fulfil their passions, says e2i senior employability coach Foo May Ling (left), with fellow coaches Ezenn Tan (centre) and Aishah Akil. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN Job coaches check out aspirants’ passions to secure the right fit Help for job seekers THE e2i employability coaches will be at Career and Education 2015 to give guidance to job seekers, and help them apply for jobs on the National Jobs Bank portal. To be held at Suntec Singapore from Thursday to Saturday, the event, which runs from 11am to 8pm, also features educational institutions and skills training, among others. There will also be a forum with a range of talks and career-profiling sessions to help young graduates find the best job. 4
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By JANICE HENG
TANGLIN Halt flats marked forredevelopment are fetchingpremiums in the resale market,as buyers look forward to newreplacement flats in nearbyDawson estate, also in Queens-town.
At least 41 units have beensold since the estate was an-nounced for the Selective Enbloc Redevelopment Scheme(Sers) last June. The estate com-prises 3,480 units in 31 blocksin Tanglin Halt Road and Com-monwealth Drive.
When Housing Board flatsare due to be demolished underSers, owners are compensatedand offered replacement unitsat subsidised prices.
“It’s a chance to get a newflat in a very good central loca-tion,” said Century21 chief ex-ecutive officer Ku Swee Yong.
A few of the flats resoldsince June are two-room units.These are mainly 46 sq m andhave gone for $280,000 to$323,000, according to SRXProperty figures.
Such prices are comparableto the HDB’s estimated com-pensation of $283,000 to$309,000 for units of 43 to 46sq m.
In contrast, three-roomersfetched premiums of $10,000to more than $30,000.
The majority are 56 sq mand sold for $350,000 to$440,000.
HDB’s estimated compensa-
tion is $340,000 to $406,000for 56 to 66 sq m units.
Experts noted that premi-ums were lower than in previ-ous Sers exercises as the mar-ket is cooler now, with resaleprices having fallen for six con-secutive quarters.
“According to agents, (Sers)premiums could vary fromaround $40,000 to $100,000during 2011 and 2012,” said Or-angeTee manager of researchand consultancy Wong XianYang.
Mr Ku said the premiumswere reasonable, given thatbuyers will have to live in theageing flats until the new flatsare ready in 2019 and 2020.
Experts added that someelderly owners might have ac-cepted a modest sum as theywanted to cash out either tomove in with their children ordowngrade.
But many others are content
to wait for the new flats.Retiree Ng Soh Bee, 64, has
lived in the estate for morethan 40 years and will not sellher three-roomer.
“Where would I live if I soldit? I’d rather get a newthree-room flat nearby,” shesaid in Mandarin.
By JANICE HENG
MADAM Aishah Akil beganhelping job seekers while work-ing for the National TradesUnion Congress (NTUC) a dec-ade ago, at a time when manywere being retrenched.
The aim then was simply toget them into jobs, even if theywere not an ideal fit.
“Jobs came in, clients camein, and we just sent them forjob interviews,” she said, admit-ting that the success rate waslow. “A lot of the time, therewere skills gaps.”
Now 48, she is a senior em-ployability coach at the Employ-ment and Employability Insti-tute (e2i), where she still match-es people with jobs, but goesmuch further.
The institute takes intoaccount not just hard skills, butalso passions and personalities.This in-depth approach is espe-cially important as e2i is seeingmore job seekers who are pro-fessionals, managers and execu-tives (PMEs) or young gradu-ates.
“We have become more re-fined in our approach,” said e2ichief executive Gilbert Tan.“Besides assessing skills, it’s aconversation about what theirpassions are.”
NTUC’s job-matching ser-vices moved to e2i when it wasset up in 2008. There are now20 coaches, up from three a de-cade ago. The job has becomemore complex, involving skillssuch as personality profiling.
Said senior employabilitycoach Foo May Ling, 47: “Welook at personality traits tomatch them with jobs they’resuited for.” For instance, aworker who prefers structureand detail could do well in ac-countancy.
This approach suits the newgeneration of workers, said MrErman Tan, president of theSingapore Human Resources In-stitute: “They are better educat-ed so they have higher aspira-tions.”
A few years ago, PMEs madeup only one in five job seekersapproaching e2i. Now, the ratiois one in two. There are alsomore young workers. “Three orfour years ago, you didn’t seefresh graduates,” said senioremployability coach NoelChoh, 39. Now, workers underthe age of 30 form about a quar-ter of e2i’s walk-in cases.
They appreciate it whencoaches factor in their inte-rests, said Ms Foo: “Youngerones want jobs that can fulfiltheir passions.”
Coaches have adopted a simi-lar approach at Mendaki SocialEnterprise Network Singapore,the Malay-Muslim self-help
group’s training arm.“(They) go the extra mile to
first appreciate the situation ofclients,” said social pro-
grammes and services head LilySulastri Mohamed Yahya.
For instance, for those need-ing financial help, coaches willadvise them on training subsi-dies and “help them overcomeor reduce the financial barrier”.
The e2i employabilitycoaches will be at Career andEducation 2015 to give careerguidance to job seekers, andhelp them apply for jobs on thenational Jobs Bank online por-tal.
The event will be on atSuntec Singapore from Thurs-day to Saturday.
Today’s younger workers want jobs that can fulfil their passions, says e2i senior employability coach Foo May Ling(left), with fellow coaches Ezenn Tan (centre) and Aishah Akil. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
Three-room units go for up to $30kand more above likely compensation
Buyers paying premiumfor Tanglin Halt Sers flats
Job coaches check out aspirants’passions to secure the right fit
Help for job seekers
THE e2i employability coaches will be at Career andEducation 2015 to give guidance to job seekers, and helpthem apply for jobs on the National Jobs Bank portal.
To be held at Suntec Singapore from Thursday toSaturday, the event, which runs from 11am to 8pm, alsofeatures educational institutions and skills training,among others. There will also be a forum with a range oftalks and career-profiling sessions to help young graduatesfind the best job.
GOOD OPPORTUNITY
“It’s a chance to get a newflat in a very good centrallocation.”
– Century21 chief executiveofficer Ku Swee Yong
NOT SELLING
“Where would I live if I soldit? I’d rather get a newthree-room flat nearby.”
– Retiree Ng Soh Bee, 64, whohas lived in the estate for morethan 40 years
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