How Telepathic Pte Ltd Bridged the Skills Gap with Career Conversion Programmes
In today’s volatile job market, companies may face a manpower crunch or find it difficult to hire the staff with the right skills.
Fortunately, under the Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs), companies and professionals can overcome the skills gap with the support of NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i).
CCPs are targeted at mid-career switchers who will undergo skills conversion and move into new occupations or sectors that have good prospects and opportunities for progression.
For example, with structured on-the-job training to transit into new job roles, mid-career professionals like 35-year-old Wade Huang have managed to find new horizons and growth in a totally new job environment.
Taking a leap of faith from Fashion to F&B
Wade used to work as a Regional Facilities Manager working in the Fashion Industry. He recently took the plunge to step out of his comfort zone and enter the F&B industry under the CCP, where he received comprehensive and structured on-the-job training to transit into his new job role as a General Manager at Telepathic Pte Ltd.
Telepathic is home to the brand Matchaya, a progressive tea bar serving Japanese tea and matcha-related products. Known for innovating tea products so that more people can enjoy tea, Matchaya has been expanding rapidly and the company has been looking for like-minded talents to join them to spread the love of tea. Joining this company came as a natural progression for Wade who had an interest in joining the F&B industry.
“I have always loved food and F&B industry has always been a very interesting and dynamic industry for me. When an opportunity came up for me to help expand and grow an F&B brand which I am so fond of (Matchaya of course!), I grabbed the chance to make the switch and was eager to make a difference for the company,” Wade shared enthusiastically.
Good job prospects, progression and growth
At first, many of Wade’s family members and friends were surprised at his decision to leave a previous role that he was comfortable with. However, after hearing more about his situation and the opportunities ahead of him, they were happy and excited for him to embark on a new journey in an industry that he always had an interest in.
Wade is grateful that he has a very supportive mentor during the on-the-job training at Telepathic Pte Ltd. Kevin Chee, who is the company’s founder and Managing Director, has patiently guided him along the learning process well. Knowing that Wade has no prior experience with the F&B business model, Kevin has shown him the ropes on store management, inventory management, food tasting etc.
Recalling his experience during the training, Wade commented, “It has overall been a positive journey so far, as I am exposed to a new role with adequate training to different topics, which makes the transition smoother.”
“One course that really resonated with me was the inventory management training that I have received. It has helped me understand how to effectively track inventory movement to better control wastage. Food tasting for new menu development can be quite the effort, but be careful to watch your calories intake!”
Partnership between Telepathic Pte Ltd and NTUC’s e2i
NTUC’s e2i works with industry partners to implement CCPs, which help address manpower shortages in many industries and bridge skills gaps among job seekers interested in taking on the available jobs. NTUC’s e2i also connects companies interested to take part in CCP with the relevant agencies and training organisations.
The partnership between Telepathic Pte Ltd and NTUC’s e2i started three years ago when the company attended a talk and share session by the latter. Since then, NTUC’s e2i has enabled the company to access talents from multiple industries.
“Our HR department had a strong discussion with regards to what the company needs and requires for the individuals with regards to the culture and job fit. e2i was very focused and helpful by assisting us along the journey to meet our manpower needs,” Kevin said.
Learn more about the Career Conversion Programme with NTUC’s e2i here.
Learn more about Matchaya here.
