The Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) has launched a multi-faceted job support framework to help the Singaporean Indian community navigate the challenging job climate amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
With a focus on targeted job placements and deeper career-coaching initiatives to individuals, the initiative is part of broad efforts by SINDA to support the Singaporean Indian community on employment matters.
In a press statement, SINDA said, "Employment support is one key strategy for SINDA, which has set aside SGD7 million in financial assistance and support till the end of the year to support the Singaporean Indian community."
The new job support framework commenced with a job support fair on Saturday, October 10, at the SINDA headquarters. Organised in collaboration with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), this fair offered more than 500 job placement opportunities. There were also workshops run by SkillsFuture Advice @ Northwest and SkillsFuture Singapore.
These workshops saw personalised advice regarding training and upskilling resources to help those facing challenges in securing jobs to better understand skills gaps and improve their career-related capabilities.
“Through this job support framework, we hope to offer unemployed individuals increased job placement opportunities, so that they can be gainfully employed and provide adequately for their families," said Anbarasu Rajendran, Chief Executive Officer, SINDA, adding that the association's aim is to continue doing more to ensure that members of the Singaporean Indian community have easy access to employment support and are aware of avenue of assistance.
Held with strict safe-distancing measures in place, the fair included five booths run by participating companies and SINDA’s corporate partners, such as the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (LISHA). It provided placement opportunities in a wide variety of fields, across operational, technical and executive levels in the retail, food & beverage, logistics, education and administration industries.
Said Rajakumar Chandra, Chairman, LISHA, “There can be no better time for these concerted efforts to host this job fair. The current oblivious directions for the young and unforeseen adult retrenchments need every strength and unity in this tumultuous Covid-19 circumstances. LISHA will continue to support this initiative in the best way possible, to support our national agenda to provide jobs during these trying times.”
SINDA is also working closely with e2i to train 15 volunteers to become SINDA Community Jobs Ambassadors to lend peer support and identify individuals in need of jobs. These ambassadors will channel individuals to appropriate support avenues and encourage them to apply for jobs and trainings that would provide immediate job relief.
