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One thing that was stressed was that youths today must look at a broader, longer horizon and have a longer-term perspective when it comes to deciding on their career pathways. Report by Sarah Gideon.
At the Gen2050 Youth Action Forum, attended by HRO, the 3P (public, private, people) sectors came together to share their expertise, and provide mentorship to uplift youths in realising their aspirations.
The following leaders took the stage at the Forum to participate in a dialogue where they exchanged perspectives on how youths can lead the charge to thrive in an uncertain world during a panel dialogue with industry leaders.
- Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Manpower, Dinesh Vasu Dash,
- David Chua, CEO, National Youth Council (NYC),
- Lee Sze Yeng, Managing Partner, KPMG, and
- Ross Gan, President, IPRS.
Moderating the session was Suhaana Khanna, Video Journalist, The Business Times, Alumna of the NUS Department of Communications & New Media.
Here are some excerpts from the session:
Setting the stage
MOS Dinesh opened the conversation by aligning survey findings, which was conducted by Blackbox Research, with national policy. He posed the question: "In a future of uncertainty, what do we need to do to adapt?"
He shared that opportunities have become much more intentional, whereby people across the globe are equally, if not hungrier.
MOS Dinesh also raised the concern of how best we can adapt [resilience and skills] in a workforce and in the workplace that allows us to hone some of these factors.
"It could be AI today; it will be something else tomorrow."
Lee echoed that learning is a continuous journey, saying: "Having a sense of awareness, be open-minded, get coaching, get mentoring, will be the best way to jumpstart some of these skills."
She added that it is imperative to be comfortable being outside one's comfort zone, and to seize opportunities and be proactive, taking the extra mile to make yourself heard. As she raised: "Why would anyone want to give that opportunity to you?"
Importance of communication, networking, and empathy
Gan highlighted that when considering internships, students should broaden their horizons beyond well-known global cities and explore opportunities in dynamic regional hubs across the Southeast Asia region, where one may gain deeper cultural understanding by picking up cultural nuances.
He added that being effective and relatable in today’s world requires empathy and the willingness to see situations from another person’s perspective.
Building adaptability and operating in ambiguity
Addressing this concern was Chua, who said that based on conversations, as well as the survey findings from the report, what young people have said aligns with the skill to meet that need: communication and interpersonal skills.
He shared that youths these days are acutely aware of global complexities, and that things are changing at a much faster pace than before.
He advised that resilience is "not just about the skill, but the experience of operating in ambiguity.
"Get out of your comfort zone, country, area of work. Don’t shy away from it. That’s the only way you will grow and learn."
MOS Dinesh also addressed the theme of ambiguity to leaders in Singapore: "There’s one area where Singaporean leaders could improve, and that particular attribute is called operating in ambiguity. Learning to operate in ambiguity, is a quality we all need to hone for much of our lives."
Expectations versus reality in the job market
On the disconnect between youth job expectations and market realities, MOS Dinesh commented: "Often it happens because there might be tendency to go towards certain types of jobs.
"People tend to go for certain white-collar jobs perceived to be of higher value, but there are other jobs that have more human interactions, and you will be able to set that track on your own."
He added that it is important to look at a broader, longer horizon and have a longer-term perspective when it comes to deciding on their career pathways.
Lee also encouraged an open approach to career discovery: "Sometimes the mismatch could be lack of understanding of industry."
"The fact that you step forward to see [a job] for yourself — treat it as a self-discovery process. At least through that, you gain knowledge, you make connections, and you get to see for yourself what you really are good at, and what you really enjoy doing."
Gan added the lens of opportunity cost: "Don’t rule out serendipity. Don’t rule out the chance for such things to happen. It may not be perfect, but think about it in terms of opportunity cost."
Proactiveness and social media
MOS Dinesh advised using social media as a tool for positive connection and engagement with government: "Use social media to engage with the leadership, many of whom are ready to listen to what you have to say. Singapore is a very small place."
However, he cautioned: "Often, social media has the ability to highlight positives while hiding the negatives. It is therefore useful to use social media to extend your networks, understand a wider group of people, have conversations."
Final takeaways
The panel closed the discussion with inspirational guidance:
- Remain ambitious, seek out new opportunities, and work toward a brighter future for both themselves and the broader community.
- Believe in yourself, proactively shape your own future, build networks, and don’t be afraid to try new things.
Beyond the panel discussion, the Forum also revealed survey findings from the 2025 Gen2050 Survey of Youths report. Here is a summary of the key findings:
Youths are tuned in to global developments
• 87% of young Singaporeans are aware of — and care about — global economic trends.
Core soft skills top the list for future workforce success
- Communication and interpersonal skills – 33%
- Adaptability & lifelong learning – 32%
- Analytical & critical thinking – 31%
More support is needed for career and financial readiness
Only one in five youths feel well-prepared for future career and financial demands.
Preparing youths for the future is a shared effort
- Government plays the biggest role – 59%
- Educational institutions – 53%
- Employers – 49%
- Society / community – 40%
Image / Provided by KPMG
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