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With globalization and the wide usage of the internet, the world is getting smaller and smaller. Founded in August 2020, TalentLink is a Social Enterprise that aims to connect students with top international corporates for exclusive opportunities. TalentLink’s vision is to be a global platform for talents to realize their dreams and goals. They hope to empower and equip youths with skills and knowledge that make them competitive in the current era. We sat down with Kai Hong Tay, Director and Co-Founder of TalentLink, to learn more about their programmes and classes.
TalentLink’s Core Products
Kai came up with the idea of TalentLink after looking at the current difficulty in finding a job, regardless of background. He also found a large skill gap between expectations of employers and job seekers. Established only months ago, TalentLink’s team consists of 10 young motivated individuals looking to help and solve youth unemployment issues. To get a deeper understanding of what TalentLink can offer, we asked Kai to share more about their programs and classes.
“We at TalentLink hope to empower and equip youths with skills and knowledge through our online training courses, internship opportunities as well as our study tours to applicants all around the world” Kai says. Their internship program, called Lunaris, provides students with valuable industry experience to let them accumulate real-life career experiences. Besides, training workshops and industry mentor guidance are in place to facilitate the internship experience.
“As for our online training courses, called the Polaris Industry Masterclass Series, we offer a series of training sessions for both technical skills and soft skills for specific industries” Kai adds. Anyone interested to upgrade their skills is welcome to join online courses, regardless of age and geographical location. They currently run one on Consulting and one on Equity Research, but keep a lookout for more courses soon!
“Lastly, our study tours are specifically designed for students overseas who wish to come to Singapore to experience a different culture and gain industry exposure” Kai explains. The students normally come with a specific industry and goal, and TalentLink customises and structures a 5-7 days programme for them. “Once the students are here, we will provide them with training sessions, company visits as well as visits to local attractions. It is a combination of both leisure and work,” Kai says.
Norwegian Students Welcome to Apply
Today, TalentLink’s team is based in Singapore, so we were curious if and how students located elsewhere can apply for their programmes and classes. We asked Kai if Norwegian students, studying either in Singapore or Norway, can take advantage of TalentLink’s services.
“Norwegian students in both Singapore and Norway are more than welcome to apply for our programmes” Kai says. For students that are currently in Norway, they suggest students to apply for the Polaris Masterclass Series instead of the internship program due to the time zone difference, as most of the host companies are based in Singapore. The Polaris classes are recorded and can be viewed anytime. “They offer technical skills and knowledge to equip students for the specific industry” Kai adds.
Kick Start Your Job Search With a Mentor
Having a mentor can be a powerful tool for professional growth and can improve a student’s job search. We asked Kai to share how TalentLink works with mentors and how they can provide support and advice to job seekers.
“Mentoring is important, not only because of the knowledge and skills students can learn from mentors but also because mentoring provides professional socialization and personal support to facilitate success in career development and beyond” Kai explains. Today, TalentLink has over 400+ mentors who are currently working in companies such as Google, Facebook, Amazon, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and more. Their mentors assist the students by providing guidance and sessions to help them in many different areas, such as hard skills, technical skills as well as soft skills. “Quality mentoring greatly enhances students’ chances for success” Kai states.
Other Services Provided by TalentLink
2020 has been a tough year for first-time job seekers, but for experienced individuals looking to switch jobs as well. We asked how TalentLink can help students who are facing unprecedented career challenges.
Kai explains that they can firstly offer career development consulting. He can also recommend their programmes and internships for students to join and enrich their experience and skills. Moreover, they organize monthly online events for free for the general public to join. “Last but not least, our mentors can assist job seekers in resume writing, interviews and more” Kai ends.
Kai Hong Tay, Director and Co-Founder, TalentLink
Do not hesitate to contact TalentLink to learn more about which programmes and classes are most suitable for your current situation.
For more information, please visit:
Website: https://www.talentlink.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentlinksg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talentlinksg
Instagram: @talentlinksg
NBAS is collaborating with upcoming artists in Singapore and Norway to showcase their work, while we get a creative take on our graphic profile. In March 2021, NBAS features Guttestreker.
