“Never not trying.” These words boom boldly on tees worn by trainers and facilitators of Bold at Work that are on a mission to build a tribe of bold individuals - confident to take on the future of work. Before we talk about how they are doing it, we must talk about why.
Ruoyi Hong, Co-founder of Bold at Work, emphasises the impact: “Equipping youths with skills to become change agents is vital. It leads to a greater societal flow, enabling us to perform our best work and live purposeful lives—sufficient challenge, matched by sufficient support”.
Bold At Work was born from a keen observation of the struggles youths face when transitioning from school to career. Motivated by personal experiences during a mid-career transition, Ruoyi realised the importance of supporting youths in developing the internal capabilities and resilience needed to face their futures with confidence.
How is Bold at Work providing this support? Even better.
Never Not Trying, Never Not Experimenting
Bold at Work has been leaving their mark by designing tools, training, and workshops for a host of institutions with the common objective of capacity-building and bridging meaningful connections with the youths. Upon hearing the National Youth Fund (NYF)'s focus on supporting youths in career exploration, the Bold At Work team saw it as an opportunity to experiment with new programme formats.
A Taste of the Real World
With the NYF partnership, Bold At Work launched the Real World Campus 2.0 project, focusing on micro-job tasters. This innovative format offers youths bite-sized experiences in various industries, opening new career possibilities. Through collaborations with major corporations like Jobstreet by SEEK and Expedia Group, the programme provides real-world insights and networking opportunities.
Participants (Students from the Diploma in Hospitality & Tourism Management at Temasek Polytechnic) engaging in a Q&A with Raffles Hotel, Director of Food & Beverage to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in the luxury hospitality industry.
Support from the National Youth Council through the NYF has significantly bolstered Bold At Work's credibility to reach out to corporate partners who were previously unfamiliar with the youth sector or the organisation. This facilitated partnerships with prestigious institutions like Raffles Hotel. For Raffles Hotel, Bold At Work identified and offered three key job roles—Butler, Sommelier, and Bartender—providing youths with unique insights into these often-overlooked professions. The programme includes 45-minute hands-on experiences for each role, under the guidance and supervision of the professionals. These activities allow youths to experience a day in the life of a professional, navigating challenges with real-time feedback and enjoying the engaging aspects of the job.
In this hands-on activity, participants (Students from Diploma in Hospitality & Tourism Management course at Temasek Polytechnic) step into the role of a Raffles Butler, meticulously observing a suite to discern the habits and preferences of a hotel guest, under the guidance of the Raffles Hotel's Head Butler and team.
Pairing Success with Confidence
"I learned the meticulous skills required to be a Butler, the communication skills for a Sommelier, and the pressure-handling abilities of a Resident Bartender," Jovina Kew, student at Temasek Polytechnic shares. Jovina’s passion for hospitality is inspired by her father, who also works in
the industry. She was thrilled to have the opportunity to practice this passion and gain clarity on her career path. "This programme is incredibly beneficial," Jovina says. "I would love for it to guide and pave the way for my friends and juniors who are still uncertain about their future Paths."
The programme has demonstrated significant success, with over 90% of participants expressing satisfaction with the taster sessions. Additionally, there was a notable increase in awareness and confidence among participants regarding their career goals, with those feeling confident in making informed decisions about their education and career pathways increasing from 65% to over 80% after half a day of participation in the programme.
It will not stop there. “We aim to continue supporting youths to design their lives, careers and communities in fresh, engaging and joyful ways, be it through platforms, experiences, processes or the tools we curate and create,” shared Ruoyi when asked about future plans.
Participants (students from ITE East) getting ready to embark on an immersive micro-job taster by setting intentions to discover how industry professionals planned their careers, what they do on a daily basis, and the technical and critical core skills they need to thrive in the Community Care industry.
Empowering Youths, Together
The National Youth Council and Bold At Work share a common purpose: to positively impact the lives of youths. The grant not only provided vital funding support for experimenting and piloting programme, but importantly the connections and networks to help achieve these goals. If you're looking to make a positive difference and support innovative youth programmes, consider how the NYF can help you achieve your goals.
