Young Singaporeans lack drive, confidence: CEOs
http://www.edvantage.com.sg/edvantage/news/news/928912/Young_Singaporeans_lack_drive_say_CEOs.html
SINGAPORE - Young Singaporeans lack drive and the confidence to venture out of their comfort zones.
This was the feedback Education Minister Heng Swee Keat received when he had a meeting with a group of group of chief executive officers earlier this week.
Mr Heng was surprised by the assessment and expressed his concern on Tuesday to 300 students at a forum at the Singapore Management University (SMU), reported The Straits Times.
Mr Heng recounted his response to the CEOs: 'I said, how can that be? Our students work very hard,' he added. He had a long discussion with them, which did not throw up any solutions.
He recounted how one CEO had told him about the difference in responses between a Singaporean worker and a European one.
When the CEO told worker in Europe to try out a new role with new responsibilities, the staff asked 'what sort of training will I get, what sort of training will I get, how will you help me succeed, what will I do, and so on'.
But when told the same thing, the Singaporean worker said, 'what if I fail? Do I still have a job? Is there a support system, and do I get retrenchment benefits?'
Besides possessing drive, Mr Heng stressed that the young need to be hungrier, and cultivate two other qualities to achieve a meaningful career - the ability to adapt in a changing environment, and the ability to collaborate across cultures.
http://www.edvantage.com.sg/edvantage/news/news/928912/Young_Singaporeans_lack_drive_say_CEOs.html
SINGAPORE - Young Singaporeans lack drive and the confidence to venture out of their comfort zones.
This was the feedback Education Minister Heng Swee Keat received when he had a meeting with a group of group of chief executive officers earlier this week.
Mr Heng was surprised by the assessment and expressed his concern on Tuesday to 300 students at a forum at the Singapore Management University (SMU), reported The Straits Times.
Mr Heng recounted his response to the CEOs: 'I said, how can that be? Our students work very hard,' he added. He had a long discussion with them, which did not throw up any solutions.
He recounted how one CEO had told him about the difference in responses between a Singaporean worker and a European one.
When the CEO told worker in Europe to try out a new role with new responsibilities, the staff asked 'what sort of training will I get, what sort of training will I get, how will you help me succeed, what will I do, and so on'.
But when told the same thing, the Singaporean worker said, 'what if I fail? Do I still have a job? Is there a support system, and do I get retrenchment benefits?'
Besides possessing drive, Mr Heng stressed that the young need to be hungrier, and cultivate two other qualities to achieve a meaningful career - the ability to adapt in a changing environment, and the ability to collaborate across cultures.
