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Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Telecoms engineer, music producer share how they forged their careers at ST Podcast Live event
Telecommunications system engineer Noel Png (left) and career coach Parameswari Seenivasan (centre) joined ST's manpower correspondent Tay Hong Yi for a live recording of Headstart on Record. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE Telecoms engineer, music producer share how they forged their careers at ST Podcast Live event SINGAPORE – Most people expect professional networking to happen at conferences or on LinkedIn, but for Mr Noel Png, 31, it was a part-time bartending job at a bar that unexpectedly opened doors to a career in the satellite industry. It all began in 2016, when Mr Png - then a mechanical engineering student in NUS - struck up a conversation with a group of Western visitors who were in town for a business convention. That chance encounter led to a local internship with Thales Alenia Space, a France-headquartered company that provides satellite-based systems for telecommunications, navigation and other purposes. In 2020, he left Singapore for the UK to pursue a Master's degree in engineering before going on to work on satellite and defence projects across Europe. Mr Png, who returned to Singapore in 2024 and is now a telecommunications system engineer at ST Engineering, shared his story during a live recording of Headstart on Record on June 3. He was joined by senior career coach Parameswari Seenivasan from Workforce Singapore (WSG), and the session was moderated by The Straits Times' manpower correspondent Tay Hong Yi. The event, which drew nearly 80 attendees to Rasa at Republic Plaza, marked the third edition of ST Podcasts Live, a series kicked off as part of ST's 180th anniversary celebrations. During the recording, Mr Png emphasised how networking has opened up more pathways for him. An extrovert by nature, he found it easy to speak to people from different fields and backgrounds - some of them would go on to become mentor figures in his professional life. His advice for introverted individuals is to make good use of virtual platforms like LinkedIn, where algorithms can help connect them with others in related industries. This episode of Headstart on Record was organised in partnership with WSG in support of Career Health, a SkillsFuture initiative. Ms Seenivasan from WSG encouraged the audience to seek guidance from career coaches throughout their professional journey. 'You don't have to wait till if something's gonna happen, you can always check in with a career coach,' she said. 'A career coach can always help you find out your values, interests and skills, work with you with a career plan, and look at the goals that you want to accomplish.' The full recording of this episode will be made available on ST Podcasts' YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify on June 16. The event on June 3 also featured the recording of a Music Lab episode with award-winning Singaporean music director and producer Evan Low, one of the creators behind The Road Ahead, a well-loved National Day Parade theme song. Close to 80 people attended the ST Podcasts Live event, held at Rasa at Republic Plaza on June 3. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE Helmed by ST music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi, the session focused on how Mr Low found his calling in music and built a career rooted in his passion. Growing up, expressing himself did not come naturally to him, Mr Low said. That was because in his family, love was quietly served on a plate of cut fruits, but never spoken aloud. But this changed when he discovered the piano. The 36-year-old recalled a moment when he suddenly cried while playing the piano , and realised he could express his emotions through music. He took a leap of faith and went on to study music at Singapore Polytechnic and subsequently the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Catch the full episode of Music Lab on ST's podcasts platforms on June 25.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Telecoms engineer, music producer share how they forge their careers at ST Podcast Live event
Telecommunications system engineer Noel Png (left) and career coach Parameswari Seenivasan (centre) joined ST's manpower correspondent Tay Hong Yi for a live recording of Headstart on Record. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE Telecoms engineer, music producer share how they forge their careers at ST Podcast Live event SINGAPORE – Most people expect professional networking to happen at conferences or on LinkedIn, but for Mr Noel Png, 31, it was a part-time bartending job at a bar that unexpectedly opened doors to a career in the satellite industry. It all began in 2016, when Mr Png - then a mechanical engineering student in NUS - struck up a conversation with a group of Western visitors who were in town for a business convention. That chance encounter led to a local internship with Thales Alenia Space, a France-headquartered company that provides satellite-based systems for telecommunications, navigation and other purposes. In 2020, he left Singapore for the UK to pursue a Master's degree in engineering before going on to work on satellite and defence projects across Europe. Mr Png, who returned to Singapore in 2024 and is now a telecommunications system engineer at ST Engineering, shared his story during a live recording of Headstart on Record on June 3. He was joined by senior career coach Parameswari Seenivasan from Workforce Singapore (WSG), and the session was moderated by The Straits Times' manpower correspondent Tay Hong Yi. The event, which drew nearly 80 attendees to Rasa at Republic Plaza, marked the third edition of ST Podcasts Live, a series kicked off as part of ST's 180th anniversary celebrations. During the recording, Mr Png emphasised how networking has opened up more pathways for him. An extrovert by nature, he found it easy to speak to people from different fields and backgrounds - some of them would go on to become mentor figures in his professional life. His advice for introverted individuals is to make good use of virtual platforms like LinkedIn, where algorithms can help connect them with others in related industries. This episode of Headstart on Record was organised in partnership with WSG in support of Career Health, a SkillsFuture initiative. Ms Seenivasan from WSG encouraged the audience to seek guidance from career coaches throughout their professional journey. 'You don't have to wait till if something's gonna happen, you can always check in with a career coach,' she said. 'A career coach can always help you find out your values, interests and skills, work with you with a career plan, and look at the goals that you want to accomplish.' The full recording of this episode will be made available on ST Podcasts' YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify on June 16. The event on June 3 also featured the recording of a Music Lab episode with award-winning Singaporean music director and producer Evan Low, one of the creators behind well-loved National Day Parade theme song The Road Ahead. Close to 80 people attended the ST Podcasts Live event, held at Rasa at Republic Plaza on June 3. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE Helmed by ST music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi, the session focused on how Mr Low found his calling in music and built a career rooted in his passion. Growing up, expressing himself did not come naturally to him, Mr Low said. That was because in his family, love was quietly served on a plate of cut fruits, but never spoken aloud. But this changed when he discovered the piano. The 36-year-old recalled a moment when he suddenly cried while playing the piano , and realised he could express his emotions through music. He took a leap of faith and went on to study music at Singapore Polytechnic and subsequently the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Catch the full episode of Music Lab on ST's podcasts platforms on June 25.
Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Over 1,000 job seekers can start earning points to qualify for payouts
More than 1,000 applicants have already been approved, noted WSG, without revealing the total number of applications. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO FILE Over 1,000 job seekers can start earning points to qualify for payouts SINGAPORE – There has been a solid take-up rate for the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support (JS) scheme launched on April 15. More than 1,000 applicants have already been approved, noted Workforce Singapore (WSG), without revealing the total number of applications. The resident unemployment rate came in at 2.9 per cent in the first quarter, up slightly from 2.8 per cent in December 2024. Successful applicants in the scheme can receive up to $1,500 in the first month, $1,250 in the second, $1,000 in the third and then $750 a month for the remaining three months. The payouts are capped at a job seeker's past average gross monthly income. So if the person earned an average of $900 a month, the monthly payout under the scheme will not exceed that amount. Applicants must earn at least 10 points a month for the first three months and five points a month for the next three months to remain in the scheme, which is open to lower- and middle-income adult Singaporeans who have lost jobs their due to retrenchment, business closure, illness or other reasons beyond their control. Points can be earned by completing some of these activities: Plan a career path using WSG's CareersFinder tool Browse or subscribe to career-related content Update resume online Attend a career coaching session or a career-related event, workshop or seminar Network with an industry professional Complete a skills and training advisory or attend the SkillsFuture Advice workshop Points for each activity differ, with those requiring more time and commitment worth more. Proper documents needed Applicants must submit documentation showing they were involuntarily unemployed by their previous company, said WSG. Job seekers from age 21 who have been unemployed for at least one month from the last day of employment can apply. They must also have been employed in Singapore for at least six months in the past 12 months, but a one-off concession is given to those who lost their jobs on or after April 1, 2024 – if they meet all other criteria and submit their applications by June 15. They must also have earned $5,000 or less a month on average for the duration of their previous employment within the last 12 months. They cannot live in a property with an annual value of more than $31,000. The annual value of a property is the estimated gross annual rent if it were to be rented out. 'This could be in the form of formal termination letters or e-mail exchanges (showing) the ending of employment was initiated by the employer,' said a WSG spokesperson. Resignation letters, payslips or a Central Provident Fund transaction history without supporting evidence of involuntary unemployment are 'insufficient' for approval. Employers are encouraged to provide valid correspondence to former employees and to respond promptly to WSG requests for clarifications when receiving applications from job seekers. Ms Syikin (not her real name), is participating in the scheme. She has been undertaking job search activities and racked up 10 points in the first month by attending career events for networking purposes and exploring job opportunities. She is now waiting for a payout of up to $1,500. Ms Dyana Nusantry Jumadi, a successful applicant who had started attending career coaching sessions with a WSG coach, has just secured a job at a built environment company. When she was retrenched in July 2024, she began to apply for a new job, but to no avail. She took on several Workforce Skills Qualifications courses to upgrade herself and was referred to NTUC's e2i's career coach by her social worker in February 2025 before applying to the JS scheme in April. While she has started completing job search activities and clocking points, she was not eligible for the payout as she had already landed a job. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Arab News
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan PM uses World Governments Summit to call for independent state of Palestine
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday used the pulpit at the World Governments Summit in Dubai to call for the creation of an independent state of Palestine, saying it was the only path toward a 'durable and just peace.' The latest Gaza war, which began after an Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, has been paused since Jan. 19 under the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that was brokered by Qatar and Egypt with support from the United States. More than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, the Gaza health ministry says, and nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million population has been internally displaced by the conflict, which has caused a hunger crisis. Some 1,200 people were killed in the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli communities and about 250 were taken to Gaza as hostages, Israeli tallies show. 'This gathering could not have come at a more opportune time as the region begins to recover from the tumultuous aftershocks of the tragic conflict in Gaza, which has claimed [lives of] over 50,000 innocent Palestinians,' Sharif said as he addressed the WSG. 'It is now our hope that the genocidal operation will be followed by a lasting peace. However, Pakistan believes that durable and just peace is only possible through a two-state solution in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions, that is the creation of an independent state of Palestine, with pre-1967 boundaries and Al-Quds as its capital.' Palestinian territory – encompassing the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem – has been occupied by Israel since 1967. Pakistan does not recognize Israel and has consistently called for an independent Palestinian state based on 'internationally agreed parameters.'
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Babel Cover unveils BMIC and landmark collaboration with Warranty Solutions Group
LONDON, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Babel Cover, a British financial engineering and insurance technology company, proudly unveils the British Motorcycle Insurance Community (BMIC), an exciting and fast-growing brand dedicated to supplying UK bikers with innovative technologies to manage financial risk. In a strategic move to enhance its offerings, BMIC has forged a powerful collaboration with Warranty Solutions Group (WSG), bringing a custom-built motorcycle warranty solution to the UK riding community. Though a relatively young initiative, BMIC is rapidly carving a niche in the motorcycle insurance sector. With a strong commitment to offering tailored risk management solutions for bikers, BMIC is on a mission to empower riders with financial security and peace of mind. Learn more: "We are excited to establish the BMIC as a go-to brand for UK motorcyclists looking for smart, effective, and biker-centric financial products," said Stuart King, Founder & CEO of Babel Cover. "By joining forces with Warranty Solutions Group, we're taking another major step in transforming the way bikers manage financial risk." A Powerful Partnership: BMIC & Warranty Solutions Group Warranty Solutions Group, a dynamic and fast-growing provider of motor warranties, shares BMIC's vision of redefining financial protection for bikers. Having won multiple industry accolades, including "Warranty Provider of the Year" for three consecutive years, WSG has built a reputation for disrupting the warranty industry with its customer-centric, digital-first approach. Simon Drown, Head of Special Products & Motorcycles at WSG, said: "We are thrilled to partner with BMIC to provide a best-in-class warranty solution for UK motorcyclists. WSG is focused on delivering value-driven products, and through this partnership, we aim to bring unparalleled peace of mind to riders." The BMIC Warranty, available exclusively through the BMIC, offers comprehensive protection, including coverage for bikes up to 12 years old and 50,000 miles, over 3,000 parts and labour up to £5,000 with no excess, premium breakdown coverage in the UK, and 60 days of European protection. Learn more: Babel Cover's Evolution: From Cold Start to a Transformational Force Babel Cover has grown strategically since securing angel funding in 2018, launching a pilot with a European insurer in 2020, and attracting pre-seed investment from Söderberg & Partners to develop digital-first insurance for motorcyclists. In 2024, it secured multi-million-dollar seed financing from Markd, reinforcing its position as an insurtech disruptor. That same year, it expanded internationally by deploying digital motorcycle insurance in French Polynesia with Poe-ma Insurances. Babel Cover Investors: A Solid Foundation for Future Growth Babel Cover's financial backing reflects its strong potential and credibility in the insurtech industry. With key investors such as Söderberg & Partners, a major Nordic financial services provider, and Markd, a US-based insurtech venture capital firm, the company has secured the financial strength and strategic support to drive long-term success. These investors bring not only capital but also invaluable industry expertise and a shared vision for transforming insurance through technology. As Babel Cover continues to expand, it offers a compelling opportunity for bold investors eager to be part of the future of insurance innovation. What's Next for Babel Cover? As Babel Cover continues to innovate, its most ambitious venture yet is on the horizon, the launch of a radically transformative insurance-linked trading venue. By leveraging cutting-edge shared ledger technology, this platform will connect buyers, sellers, and algo-traders of insurance in a way never seen before, unlocking greater transparency, efficiency, and rewards for participants. "The next phase of Babel Cover's journey is all about breaking down barriers in insurance distribution and creating a hyper-connected financial ecosystem and how insurance is bought, sold and traded," added King. About Babel Cover Babel Cover is a British financial engineering and insurance technology start-up that connects buyers, sellers, and algo-traders over the internet. It is the operator of an insurance-linked trading venue that enables buyers to obtain digital rewards for lower claims, fostering loyalty and efficiency in policy distribution. Learn more: About Warranty Solutions Group Since forming in March 2021, WSG has continued to grow at a phenomenal pace and today is a leading provider of extended vehicle warranties, working with over 2,500 motor dealers across the UK. Fuelled by quality, passion and experience, the company is on a mission to continue driving up standards for vehicle buyers and setting the benchmark for other warranty providers. WSG offers superior warranty products to vehicle buyers through its network of approved dealerships. WSG products are backed up with brilliant customer care and a range of benefits, many of which dealers and motorists won't find anywhere else. Learn more: Logo - View original content: Sign in to access your portfolio
