How Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) Facilitate Successful Mid-Career Switches
If you are considering a mid-career switch to a new occupation or sector which offers better prospects or opportunities for progression, or if you are afraid that your job or skills would soon become redundant in the workplace, you might find it beneficial to learn more about the available Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs).
In this article, you will find out how a 45-year-old, Mr Nigel Xu, made the switch from being a consultant in the IT system development industry to becoming the Chief Technology Officer of Unistop Tech Pte Ltd.
In a nutshell, Career Conversion Programmes, or CCPs, help tackle the issue of manpower shortages by filling the skills gaps of jobseekers and by assisting existing employees to reskill and take on new job roles.
Mr Xu has been working at Unistop Tech Pte Ltd for about 16 months now. The company was incorporated in February 2020 and has since developed an automated vending store system based on robotic technology and information technology. Mr R, their robot-based convenience store requires only 9sqm of space while being able to manage 300 SKUs and 5,000 products while incurring zero manpower cost! Its pilot store is located at the student hostel ‘Yo:Ha @ Evans’. The company is also working on allowing customers to make purchases via mobile app and have them delivered to their doorstep.
When asked why he wanted to make the switch from IT systems, Mr Xu revealed that he has been “interested in Robotics for more than 10 years and this is a good opportunity for me to learn even more and apply the Robotic technology into the Retail Business field.” He also shared that it is important to him that his own interests and knowledge can be applied to his daily work. Mr Xu credits the “external training and self-directed learning” for helping him make the switch successfully from consultant to Chief Technology Officer – “My problem-solving skills have significantly improved during my training period.” He added that “I’m so grateful to have this opportunity to learn and apply my knowledge into the new career. Without the CCP, I will not have the opportunity to learn and work for my own interest.”
Echoing his sentiments, Ms Irene Zhu, the Chief Executive Officer of Unistop Tech Pte Ltd said that the Career Conversion Programme provides invaluable support to both companies and individuals who want to make a “fast switch” in terms of job or industry. In particular, the CCP allowed Unistop Tech to gain a wider pool of candidates to consider during their hiring process. Thereafter, the company received assistance in understanding the skillsets of each individual, assessing their respective training needs, and in creating personalized training plans in line with the company’s training objectives. Also, the CCP allowed the company to reskill existing employees to take on new job roles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms Zhu also credits e2i for being “a reliable partner to assist companies during the application and claim process with their professional approach.”
To find out more about e2i and how the Career Conversion Programmes can assist you and/or your company, head over to https://e2i.com.sg/businesses/training/career-conversion-programme/
