Career Nexus 2021: Networking in the New Normal
Despite going fully virtual for the first time, Career Nexus 2021 was SIT’s largest-scale career event to date
The SIT Career Nexus has served as a platform bringing together students, industry partners, and faculty. This platform enables employers to meet and hire the right talent, and gives SITizens opportunities to search for a job or Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) position that they are a fit for.
On 27 January 2021, due to restrictions on large gatherings as a result of COVID-19, SIT Career Nexus went online for the first time. It was the largest-scale career event for the university to date, with about 2,050 students from 23 degree programmes participating, as well as over 160 participating companies from both the private and public sectors, interacting with students and Class of 2020 graduates via virtual booths.
Chemical Engineering student Kester Leung appreciated that the platform was effective and user-friendly despite going virtual. "The resource panel has a display of all available job openings, and I can search for what I want easily. I am also able to discover more about lesser known companies which are relevant to my degree programme," he said.
Benjamin Tay, a Year 2 Mechanical Design and Manufacturing Engineering student, had a fruitful experience at Career Nexus 2021. He found the industry and alumni sharing segment “Voices of Experience” particularly useful. "While it was helpful to hear these IWSP experiences first-hand from our seniors who have graduated, what resonated with me most was them sharing how their experience had helped them with their career," he said. He has since been shortlisted for an IWSP position by a company specialising in autonomous robots.
JFD Singapore Pte Ltd, one of the world's leading subsea operations and manufacturing companies, has been an industry partner of SIT for 4 years. They view the IWSP as a good talent pipeline for both the university and industry, as well as appreciate the fresh perspective that SITizens bring with them to the workplace. "We are offered bright, young and enthusiastic talents, who are willing to learn and contribute and bring with them fresh ideas,” said Human Resource Manager, Ms Rusiatie Suryadi. “Conversely, we also learn from the students and faculty. This helps us stay relevant in our dynamic industry."
SITizens will also have opportunities to experience working life outside of Singapore. “Previously, we had sent SIT students on their IWSP to our overseas sites, where they gained real experience in project management,” said Ms Suryadi. “This industry exposure enabled them to acquire relevant skills. Hopefully, it has enhanced their overall educational experience and helped them in their future career development."
