Over a hundred women attended this week’s inauguration of Career Re:Launch, a new programme aimed at helping female professionals, managers, executives, and technicians (PMETs) who’ve been out of the labour force for at least two years relaunch their careers.
The programme is organised by Career Navigators, an arm of social enterprise Mums@Work, who will be co-administering the Ministry of Manpower’s new grant for “returnship” programmes alongside the
National Trades Union Congress’ U Family Unit.
Through Career Re:Launch, companies offer participants temporary employment on a trial basis of at least 12 weeks. Participating PMETs will attend short training modules on business and technology, to bring them back up to speed on the latest in their industries. They will also be paired off with younger mentors that will aid them in their transition back into the workforce.
Employers who retain these new hires for at least three months after the work trial will be given a one-off retention bonus of $3,000 through the grant programme.
"These women often get drowned out by the currently-working group when it comes to getting headhunters' or recruiters' attention,” said Sher-Li Torrey, founder of Mums@Work, in an interview with the Straits Times. “But they just need a couple of months and some training to come back on board.”
Career Re:Launch will have its first two runs in October and next January. The organisers have opened the programme to Singaporeans aged 30 and up with at least a diploma qualification. They’re currently targeting 12 positions per run.
Employers and individuals interested in participating are advised to visit the Career Navigators website for more details.
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