Article from The Straits Times (http://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/right-skills-key-to-successful-job-switch)
This new series brought to you by the Ministry of Manpower showcases employment support programmes for workers affected by restructuring. These programmes consider the needs and aspirations of the workforce when matching staff to employers. Training, wage and placement support aims to minimise job mismatches, while both on-site and virtual career fairs organised by Workforce Singapore help connect workers to employers quickly.
Xin Yun
In the fast-paced information and communications technology (ICT) sector, where things move at a blistering pace, you risk falling behind if you stay still.
Pre-sales consultant Francis Leo, however, is one man who is determined to catch up.
Mr Leo, 49, ran operations at a firm in the fast-moving consumer goods sector for several years until it closed in 2012. He took a break and did part-time work before looking for a full-time role in 2015.
“I soon realised it was a bit tough to find a job, and the market had changed. I didn’t get responses for many openings. I’d say my age was a factor, but there are other reasons too, like your previous position,” said Mr Leo, who has a degree in mechanical engineering.
Armed with sales and marketing skills, he decided to move into a different sector, and discovered the ICT Professional Conversion Programme (PCP), which offers a Place-and-Train route.