Mentors to guide ITE students to pursue work-study diplomas

JumpStart is ITE's first such scheme for its Work-Study Diploma programme

- Elisha Tushara

Students at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) will now be able to receive guidance from mentors, in efforts to encourage more Higher Nitec students to pursue a Work-Study Diploma (WSDip) after graduation.

JumpStart, ITE's first mentoring initiative for its WSDip programme, will be funded by non-profit organisation Quantedge Foundation Singapore for five years. The programme will be run in collaboration with youth organisation The Astronauts Collective.

Calling the timing of this partnership significant, Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary said that career mentoring comes at a crucial time in an uncertain economic climate.

"Rising trade tensions and technological shifts are reshaping jobs, industries and the nature of work," he said.

He was speaking to 300 ITE students at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between ITE and the two partner organisations at the WorldX event — an annual career exploration festival for ITE students — at ITE College East on Aug 12.

Dr Janil, who is also Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, said the increasing challenge of securing jobs that meet students' expectations may cause anxiety, but the Education Ministry is "closely monitoring the employment situation".

Students can enter the six-month mentorship programme at three points — during their internship in the final year of their Higher Nitec course; the application period for the WSDip programme; or the first year of their WSDip course.