FUTURE Leaders Internship Program (FLIP) organised an interactive panel discussion which explored ways to develop career-ready students and examined ways and means to empower these youngsters that they make informed career choices.
The half-day session was hosted by IBM Malaysia and involved a panel of distinguished individuals including partner at Lee Hishamuddin Allen & Gledhill Advocates & Solicitors Datuk Thavalingam; Education Performance and Delivery Unit (PADU)’s executive director (Teachers & School Leaders) Dr. Ruhaya Hassan; ELC International School principal Sheela Raghu; IBM Malaysia human resource director Jazmine Abdullah; independent speaker Datin Rubaiha M Nor; and FLIP founder and director Alpa Shah.
The discussion was moderated by BFM’s Freda Liu. It brought to light many critical issues and achieved its purpose in creating awareness on matters pertaining employer-employee disconnect, examining what’s missing, ideas to future-proof the next generation and the future of hiring.
One of the topics that raised alarm bells was on the disconnect and mismatch between demand and supply of skills among graduates, to which the Google Economic Intelligence Report 2015 reported, is attributed to the lack of career coaching for students.
Said Alpa, “This lack of career direction potentially affects 3.1 million youths ... At FLIP, we realise the need to develop career mindedness in students from the grass root level; these activities need to be coherent and carefully planned, integrated into a programme of careers and employability with clear learning outcomes.” She asked some thought be given to Singapore’s national programme which focuses on holistic development and the country’s culture that fosters and supports lifelong learning.
Concurrently, Ruhaya shared that the Ministry is looking into creating greater collaborations between parents, teachers, policy-makers and the corporate sector. “In the Education Blueprint itself, we have incorporated and begun implementation to enrich students with skills to make them more ‘employable’.”
For more information on the “FLIP Career Ready Program”, visit http://www.fliplacement.com/about-us
