Over 1,000 jobseekers have benefited since roll-out in early August

Singapore, 4 October 2024 – NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) announced today that its AI-powered Virtual Career Coach (VCC), a digital assistant introduced to e2i’s career coaches in early August 2024 to support them in providing enhanced career advisory services has kicked off to a strong start. Over 1,000 jobseekers have benefitted from e2i’s comprehensive career guidance enabled by the VCC in their job search and career journeys.

Powered by AI, the VCC assists e2i career coaches in swiftly accessing information on jobs, skills and courses tailored to the career goals, interests and existing skill sets of jobseekers. The VCC integrates job listings from the national jobs bank – and in the future, other jobs banks – and skills upgrading courses, consolidating all relevant information in one place.

By quickly analysing the resumes and RIASEC¹ profiles of the jobseekers, the VCC offers timely and targeted job insights – boosting the efficiency and productivity of career coaches and enabling them to engage more effectively with the individuals during career conversations. The VCC can also identify skills gaps and recommend upskilling courses to help them bridge these gaps, better preparing jobseekers for new opportunities as they go about their job search.

Employment and Employability Support for Jobseekers in the East

As part of its expanded role to serve more job seekers, e2i officially opened its career centre at ServiceSG Centre, Our Tampines Hub (OTH). The event was graced by Mr Desmond Tan, Deputy Secretary-General, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and Senior Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office, and Mr Desmond Choo, Mayor of North East District and Assistant Secretary-General, NTUC.

The e2i Career Centre at ServiceSG Centre OTH, is part of e2i’s network of 27 touchpoints island wide. It is the largest out of seven centres within e2i’s partnership with ServiceSG, and features a dedicated space for career coaching. The centre also brings career advisory and job matching services to residents in the East of Singapore – reduces travel time for jobseekers in the area, making it easier for them to access career support and resources quickly. The e2i Career Centre at OTH will serve as a key touchpoint for jobseekers, fortifying its role as a hub for employment and skills development. Since its soft opening in April 2024, the e2i career centre has assisted over 1,700 jobseekers.

“e2i is committed to continuous innovation to meet the dynamic needs of jobseekers. With the virtual career coach and the newest career centre at Our Tampines Hub, we are excited to bring about stronger career support to jobseekers by integrating technology with our career services. We aim to provide more accessible and comprehensive career support and resources, helping more Singaporeans find meaningful employment and upskilling opportunities,” said Ms Caryn Lim, e2i’s Chief Executive Officer and Assistant Secretary-General, NTUC.

More Resources Available to Jobseekers

Concurrently with the career centre’s official opening, e2i held a Jobs & Skills Discovery job fair featuring more than 750 Professionals, Managers, Executives, Technicians (PMETs) and part-time roles in the retail and food services sectors. The fair also featured workshops on in-demand digital skills, including employability talks such as Job Search using generative AI tools. As one of 50 career activities held in the northeast region this year, it reinforced e2i’s commitment in bringing job opportunities and career resources closer to the residents in the heartlands.

Jobseekers can access a range of e2i’s digital career resources designed to boost their skills and confidence. These include the AI-powered Interview Practice Tool, along with e2i’s “How-to” tutorial videos, and the e2i Resume Builder. With the interview practice tool, jobseekers can refine their interview techniques in real time, while the e2i Resume Builder ensures resume compatibility with applicant tracking systems, increasing their chances of standing out to potential employers. Those beginning their job search can access e2i’s “How-to” tutorial videos online, which will guide them in crafting and customising their resumes using generative AI.

By augmenting the physical Career Centre with career activities, jobseekers can access a comprehensive range of career services, from in-centre guidance to immediate employment opportunities and innovative career resources for support in their career journeys.

¹ Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. The RIASEC Profiling Tool assists jobseekers in understanding their personality, strengths, and work values to help them identify suitable career options.