Partnership to offer new courses for mothers returning to workforce

On October 8, 2019, Mums@Work and Ngee Ann Polytechnic signed a memorandum of understanding at One&Co, signalling the start of a partnership aimed at offering new courses to mothers looking to re-enter the workforce.

The MoU would see Ngee Ann Polytechnic curate a total of 35 courses to help 1) mothers who were on a hiatus return to work, and 2) mothers who are entrepreneurs/ aiming to be entrepreneurs to pick up news skills and find new grounds. These courses include exposing mothers to soft skills such as Resume Writing and Critical Thinking, as well as hard skills such as Digital Marketing. Other courses also include insights on starting a home enterprise, emerging technologies, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Slightly less than half of these courses are also available online.

In her opening speech, Founder and Director of Mums@Work, Mrs Sher-li Torrey, also shared on her belief in the value of women to society and the workforce. She also highlighted why there is a need to focus on “back-to-work” hiring for mothers. Some challenges mothers face when re-entering the workforce include a lack of confidence, skills gaps and changes in environment. especially after being away for extended periods.

Mums@Work started in early 2010 as the first career portal in Singapore that supports women to find a balance between being a mum and working. Mums@Work caters to three distinctive groups of mothers, namely 1) Flexible Working Mums, 2) Back-to-Work Mums, and 3) Mumpreneurs. With a network of close to 50,000 members, Mums@Work provides assistance and advice to mothers looking for flexi-time options or when starting a small Mumpreneur business. They also engage with employers who believe in creating a work environment that supports flexible work arrangements.

The MoU signing was followed by two workshops for members of Mums@Work — 1) From Stay-at-Home Mum to Back-to-Work Mum, and 2) Mumpreneur Series: Financing Your Business Venture, and ended off with a cosy networking lunch.

Writer: Leia TEO (One&Co)

Recommended: Interview with Mrs Sher-li Torrey, Mums@Work