Singapore Jobs Related News: Looking for job? Surf for it at NTUC Centre

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Looking for job? Surf for it at NTUC Centre

Careerlink Centre also provides career counselling and free Net services; 2,000 have visited since it opened last month

By Sue-Ann Chia

THE new Careerlink Centre at One Marina Boulevard opened just a month ago, but already has some 'regular customers'.

JOB HELP

Careerlink Centre, at One Marina Boulevard.

• Free job-matching, career counselling and Internet services.

• Open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm; Saturday, 9am-1.30pm. Call 6883-5885

Twice-retrenched Mr Zulkifli, 30, was there for a second time yesterday morning, searching online furiously for a job in the logistics sector.

At another computer terminal was Ms H.P. Yeo, 47, a daily visitor for the past three weeks. She was sending out her 60th resume.

Nearby, Mr Lim Wee Hwa, 37, another regular, was using the computer to scour the 5,500 jobs in the centre's database for suitable vacancies.

Set up by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), the centre allows anyone to make use of the free job-matching, career counselling and Internet services provided.

Said Mr Zulkifli, who does not have a computer at home: 'I used to visit cybercafes and pay about $4 for two hours, but facilities are free and convenient here.'

He is already seeing results - two interviews have been lined up this week.

Since the centre, which is located at the basement of the new NTUC building, opened over a month ago, about 2,000 job seekers have dropped by, said the chief executive of WDA, Mr Leo Yip.

His target for job placements by the centre this year: 1,800.

The partnership with NTUC, he said, allows the agency to tap into the extensive union network to find new jobs and counsel retrenched workers as well.

The new Careerlink Centre is the latest addition to the network of government job-matching services, run by community development councils and self-help groups to cater to their constituents.

Last year, the network helped find work for 18,000 jobless Singaporeans despite the tough job market conditions.

Although the jobs outlook is more optimistic this year, Mr Yip noted that the network of career centres will continue to stay relevant.

'There will always be a place for career-link centres because some Singaporeans will need help to identify job and training opportunities... while some need counselling to re-enter the job market,' he said.

The WDA, he added, has found work for 17,000 jobless Singaporeans since it was established last September.

But NTUC deputy secretary-general Heng Chee How noted that as the job situation changes, the various centres will have to 'review the scale and nature of services offered'.

As it is, the NTUC Joblink, which used to provide job-matching and counselling services, now gives back-end support to the new centre by identifying training and employment opportunities.

There is also a Careerlink Centre at the Manpower Ministry. It has scaled back operations as more job seekers are expected to head down to the new centre at NTUC, added Mr Yip.

But no decision has been reached on whether MOM's centre will be closed down.

Mr Heng noted that the unemployment rate is expected to dip to 4 per cent by year-end and, if the recovery continues, to 3.5 per cent next year.

But there is also structural unemployment to deal with, he added.

Both he and Mr Yip said that the larger common goal of the NTUC and WDA is to help lower-educated workers to upgrade and find higher-skilled jobs, to 'pre-empt' structural unemployment.

'Centres such as this will provide that kind of help,' said Mr Heng.