Claudia Ruth Selvakumar spent her secondary school years focused on one thing: improving her grades.<\/p>\n
When the N-level examinations ended, she had to choose what to study next. \u201cI was suddenly presented with so many choices and I had to make a decision,\u201d Claudia, now 24, recalls. \u201cIt was very difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
She enrolled in electronics engineering at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College Central in 2019 \u2013 a course she chose because of her results and the prospect of a stable income.<\/p>\n
But she had little interest in electronics engineering. \u201cI felt like I was in limbo,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
A conversation with a senior in 2020 set her on a different path. Claudia learnt that she could apply for a different course in polytechnic.<\/p>\n
Having organised community events as a student councillor in ITE, Claudia knew she enjoyed working with and helping people. She took the leap, and successfully applied to study community development at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the first time in my life I enjoyed what I studied,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Today, Claudia majors in social work and South-east Asian studies at the National University of Singapore. She also works as a senior executive in charge of projects at social mobility charity Access Singapore, where she helps disadvantaged students discover career opportunities she once knew little about herself.<\/p>\n
Claudia is not alone in having felt that way.<\/p>\n
Like her, 58 per cent of youth aged 15 to 19 polled say they want early career exposure so they can make better decisions about what to study. Yet, they often do not know how to begin.<\/p>\n More than half of youth aged 15 to 19 polled say they want early career exposure so they can make better decisions about what to study.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: GIN TAY<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The findings emerged from the National Youth Council\u2019s (NYC) engagements with over 60,000 youth aged 15 to 35 between late-2024 and early-2026.<\/p>\n Together, the responses shaped the SG Youth Plan, a five-year roadmap to help young Singaporeans become more confident<\/b>, connected<\/b>, and contributing <\/b>citizens.<\/p>\n Unveiled on July 25, the plan includes more than 20 key moves spanning areas such as career exploration, well-being, social connections and youth-led initiatives.<\/p>\n The SG Youth Plan involves over 20 new key moves to help young Singaporeans become confident, connected and contributing citizens. Among the moves is the development of the Somerset Belt, which includes *SCAPE, as a youth precinct by 2028.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Spearheaded by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and the National Youth Council (NYC), the SG Youth Plan is a five-year action plan aimed at helping young Singaporeans aged 15 to 35 to become confident, connected and contributing citizens.<\/p>\n It is based on feedback NYC gathered through engagements, such as outreach sessions and surveys, with over 60,000 youth from late-2024 to early-2026. Young people were asked for their opinions and thoughts on a wide range of topics, from career anxieties to challenges in personal relationships.<\/p>\n The over 20 new key moves outlined in the plan aims to help young people navigate uncertainty, build meaningful relationships and give back to society. More details can be found at go.gov.sg\/sgyouthplan-keymoves<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n Among the moves is the launch of Discover, a one-stop online platform to support youth through key life transitions. Through Discover, young people can receive personalised recommendations for career programmes, access mentorship opportunities and find out about interest-based events and hobby groups. Find out more at go.gov.sg\/discover-join<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n One such move is the creation of 30,000 job taster opportunities annually by 2030, starting with 10,000 in 2026. Job tasters are bite-sized career exploration opportunities that range from half a day to a few weeks, giving participants a first-hand experience of different jobs and industries.<\/p>\n Singapore-based decarbonisation platform Terrascope is among seven companies under the SG Digital Leaders network offering job tasters.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tang Siang Hou, Terrascope\u2019s senior director of product, tech and data, hopes these opportunities will help students understand what it is like to work in the tech industry.<\/p>\n \u201cTech is moving so fast now that many of today\u2019s roles didn\u2019t exist five years ago,\u201d says Tang. Students only know of job titles and entry requirements, she adds, not what the work actually entails.<\/p>\n \u201cThat gap is what drives the anxiety we hear from students: not knowing what a role really involves, not knowing if they\u2019d be good at it, and not having anyone in the field to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n Job tasters, which are bite-sized career exploration opportunities, give students a first-hand experience of different jobs and industries.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The programme will vary in scope, she explains. Some are less commitment-heavy, involving an introduction to the firm, a short shadowing stint and a chance to speak to industry professionals.\u00a0<\/p>\n More in-depth opportunities could last several weeks, with students attached to teams in the company and contributing to projects.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want students doing rather than observing \u2013 that\u2019s the point of \u2018tasting\u2019 a job instead of reading about it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n The SG Youth Plan also aims to help youth connect with trusted figures and receive guidance as they navigate educational and career pathways and adulthood.<\/p>\n For Seh Jia Jun, a final-year mechanical engineering student at ITE College East, career guidance and support came in the form of mentorship.<\/p>\n The 23-year-old joined a six-month fellowship programme in 2024, where he was paired with two other students and mentored by two industry professionals at French energy technology giant Schneider Electric. The programme was organised by Access Singapore.<\/p>\n Seh attended workshops aimed at discussing and solving problems in the industry and strengthening soft skills, like his ability to work in a team.<\/p>\n Seh Jia Jun, 23, a final-year mechanical engineering student at ITE College East, met mentors he could turn to for guidance through a six-month fellowship programme at Schneider Electric.<\/p>\n PHOTO: COURTESY OF SEH JIA JUN<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Even after the fellowship ended, he continued to keep up with his mentors over meals. The mentorship grew beyond the programme. Now, he describes them as his older and wiser friends.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the first time in my life I\u2019ve felt that I have mentors who are also my friends,\u201d Seh says. \u201cThese are very authentic people; they\u2019re not just here because of corporate social responsibility, but because they genuinely want to impart what they know to younger generations.\u201d<\/p>\n Seh\u2019s parents divorced when he was seven, and he has a strained relationship with both.<\/p>\n Having trusted adults to turn to has made the transition to adulthood feel less intimidating, he says.<\/p>\n \u201cIn times of doubt, I always reach out to them and take time to hear their thoughts,\u201d Seh adds. \u201cIt\u2019s made me feel more confident, because I know there is always someone I can reach out to.\u201d<\/p>\n More than five in 10 <\/b>youth surveyed as part of the SG Youth Plan engagements worry about staying relevant in a fast-evolving job landscape, even as they aspire to lead meaningful careers and lives.<\/p>\n PHOTO: NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n How the SG Youth Plan helps:<\/b><\/p>\n Create 30,000 job taster opportunities<\/b> each year by 2030, starting with 10,000 in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Nearly four in five (78 per cent) of youth surveyed as part of engagements for the SG Youth Plan say that short-term work exposure is important for their career journeys, but only 41 per cent feel that they have sufficient opportunities to explore such career options.<\/p>\n Job tasters \u2013 bite-sized career exploration programmes that last from half a day to a few weeks \u2013 introduce young people to different jobs and industries.<\/p>\n Participants can expect networking sessions and fireside chats with industry professionals, job-shadowing opportunities and learning journeys.<\/p>\n Help youth build \u201cAI bilingualism\u201d <\/b>\u2013 the ability to combine human strengths and knowledge with the effective use of AI across different fields \u2013 <\/b>through partnerships with corporations. A Vibe Coding Festival will also be launched in 2027, where up to 500 youth will learn how to create AI-powered prototypes to tackle real-world challenges.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Expand overseas exposure<\/b> by providing 17,000 short-term opportunities and 3,000 internships in Asean, China, and India annually by 2030.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Roll out more Adulting 101 programmes <\/b>on topics like financial management and career development to help institutes of higher learning students navigate adulthood with confidence.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Launch mental well-being and resilience programmes <\/b>with community partners to support youth through key life transitions, such as entering the workforce, marriage and parenthood.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n More than one in two <\/b>youth polled want deeper, more genuine friendships and stronger family ties.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n How the SG Youth Plan helps:<\/b><\/p>\n Develop 12 \u201cthird spaces\u201d <\/b>across Singapore where youth can hang out, pursue interests, make friends, and build community.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n About three in five youth who took part in SG Youth Plan engagements believe that having dedicated spaces for young people will enable them to meet others from different backgrounds.<\/p>\n A third space is an open and inclusive social place outside of home and work or school, where people can gather, relax and connect freely.<\/p>\n The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and National Youth Council (NYC) are working with partners to establish 12 such spaces across Singapore by end-2026, where youth can participate in interest-based activities and hobby groups to grow meaningful relationships.<\/p>\n Partner private operators to offer flexible accommodation<\/b> units across selected co-living properties for youth to experience living independently.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Develop Somerset Belt \u2013 the stretch along Somerset Road with *SCAPE, Youth Park, and Skate Park \u2013 as a youth precinct<\/b> by 2028.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Provide 20,000 opportunities annually for youth to connect through hobbies, social and interest-based activities<\/b> by 2030.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Introduce Curiosity Credits<\/b> with self-help groups to support youth in discovering new interests and hobbies. Youth aged 13 to 17 will receive $500 credits to develop skills in areas that interest them, starting with arts, sports, technology, culinary and sustainability.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Expand the MOE-OBS Challenge Programme<\/b>, which aims to build life skills, confidence and resilience, as a shared experience to the entire Secondary 3 cohort by 2030.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Partner with social and youth sector organisations to develop youth-centric programmes focused on family relationships<\/b> for up to 50,000 youth annually by 2030. These programmes aim to empower young people with knowledge and skills to strengthen their relationships with their family at different life stages.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Over four in five<\/b> youth surveyed say they desire to contribute. They want more opportunities to be heard, and to help shape Singapore.<\/p>\n Over four in five youth surveyed as part of a youth sentiments study by NYC on ground-up projects in 2023 said they are keen to join youth-led projects.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Commit $20 million to support up to 3,000 youth-led projects <\/b>over the next five years through a new micro grant and a Youth Action Marketplace. Such projects include <\/b>innovations to solve community problems, artistic productions and volunteering initiatives.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Over four in five youth surveyed as part of a youth sentiments study by NYC on ground-up projects in 2023 said they are keen to join youth-led projects, but just over one in 10 are actively doing so.<\/p>\n NYC aims to make it easier to start ground-up youth projects by shifting from fixed, time-bound programmes to a year-round ecosystem where capability-building workshops, mentorship, networks, and resource support are always available.<\/p>\n Create 16,000 volunteering opportunities<\/b> and 2,000 youth leadership development opportunities<\/b> annually by 2030 through Youth Corps Singapore, the volunteering arm of NYC.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Set up an SG Youth Policy Network<\/b> to bring together youth from institutes of higher learning and civic groups, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to contribute constructively to policy discussions and study issues they care about.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n Launch the next run of Youth Panels <\/b>in 2026, a platform where youth can co-create policy recommendations with government agencies, with the focus on building a youth-friendly city. Youth Panels are organised by NYC and MCCY.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n In partnership with the National Youth Council<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Claudia Ruth Selvakumar spent her secondary school years focused on one thing: improving her grades. When the N-level examinations ended, she had to choose what…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":71699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=71698"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71698\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/71699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=71698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=71698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=71698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/picture><\/div>
What is the SG Youth Plan?<\/h2>\n
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Exploring what\u2019s next<\/h2>\n
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More than careers<\/h2>\n
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They want to feel confident<\/h2>\n
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They want to feel connected<\/h2>\n
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They want to contribute<\/h2>\n
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