More than 10,000 Singapore Polytechnic students will receive mentoring opportunities over the next 3 years

SINGAPORE – More than 10,000 students from Singapore Polytechnic will have better access to mentors to help them identify career and life goals over the next three years, as part of a national effort to make mentoring more accessible to young people.

Mentoring SG, a national level office, partnered with the polytechnic to launch the first school-based Youth Mentoring Centre.

Mr Kelvin Kong, managing director of Mentoring SG, told The Straits Times that Singapore Polytechnic will have office space to conduct mentoring activities and plan mentoring initiatives.

No further details about the program were available.

There are also plans to expand more such areas to other polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education by the end of 2026.

Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Culture, Society and Youth, said that three sector-specific mentoring groups were created in 2024 in the fields of technology and telecommunications, sustainability and semiconductors.

Mr Tan, a consultant with Mentoring SG, said there are plans to establish 10 industry-specific mentoring groups by 2026.

These new initiatives were announced by Mr Tan, who is also Minister of State for Trade and Industry, at the annual National Mentoring Summit held at Marina Bay Sands on 1 November.

Supported by the National Youth Council, the event brought together more than 500 participants, the majority of whom came from corporate leaders and professionals, as well as mentor organizations and educational institutions.

Launched in December 2022, Mentoring SG takes over from the Mentoring Alliance for Action, which was established in March 2021 to jointly develop resources and share best practice to raise standards of mentoring in the youth sector.

To date, Mentoring SG has benefited 6,000 young people through collaborations with 150 corporate partners and 2,500 mentors.

Mentoring SG also connects mentors from the public sector to support polytechnic and ITE students from disadvantaged backgrounds who show potential and resilience. Mentors will guide students through their immediate post-graduation plans as well as long-term career and life goals.

These mentors can also come from companies in the private sector.

Ms Nadiatul Wahidah, 34, who is facing challenges reintegrating into society after being released from prison, is receiving counseling from Mr Glenn Lim, 53, co-founder of Architects of Life, a social impact organization that works with at-risk youth and ex-convicts. .

Getting help and advice in areas such as career development, personal development, leadership and entrepreneurship changed Ms. Nadiatul’s life.