More than Grades: Youths Call for Work Exposure, Adulting Skills, and Diverse Pathways
Pulse of Tomorrow’s Junior Council carried a motion by Fam Yi Kai calling for stronger programmes in real-life work exposure, adulting skills, and support for non-academic and creative pathways. The recommendation will be consolidated into Pulse of Tomorrow’s Budget 2026 youth submission.
Pulse of Tomorrow's Junior Council carried a motion moved by Fam Yi Kai calling on the Government to introduce programmes focused on real-life work exposure, adulting skills, and stronger support for non-academic and creative career pathways. This recommendation will be consolidated into Pulse of Tomorrow’s Budget 2026 youth submission.
Why this matters for youths in Singapore
For many youths, the stress is not just exams. It is the uncertainty after graduation: what work actually looks like, how to manage money, and whether there is a viable future beyond a single academic definition of success. Singapore’s education and training ecosystem offers many options, but youths still report confusion about what is available and how to navigate it. This gap can hit harder for youths without strong family networks or mentors to guide them.
The underlying problem: A life-skills and exposure gap
Real-life work exposure helps youths understand workplace expectations early, build confidence, and make more informed choices about courses and careers. Adulting skills like budgeting, understanding CPF basics, and paying taxes are also practical competencies that shape financial security and independence. Government initiatives like SkillsFuture provide training pathways, but clearer youth-friendly guidance and on-the-ground exposure can help more young people translate opportunities into action.
Diverse pathways are not fringe options
Singapore’s creative and non-academic pathways are increasingly part of the economy and community life, from media to design to sports and the arts. Yet many youths still feel these routes are treated as risky or secondary. Strengthening support signals that contribution is not limited to one track, and that Singapore can grow by valuing different strengths, including hands-on and creative talent.
Key implications for community and equity
When youths have better exposure and life skills, families benefit too. Young people make fewer costly missteps, plan better financially, and enter the workforce with clearer direction. More inclusive pathways also reduce the sense that only certain students deserve investment, which supports social mobility and a stronger sense of belonging.
How Pulse of Tomorrow’s Junior Council is acting
Pulse of Tomorrow's Junior Council is translating youth experiences into concrete Budget recommendations, starting with this call for work exposure, adulting skills, and diverse pathways. We will continue gathering youth perspectives through our sessions and community conversations, and channel them into practical proposals that can be communicated clearly to stakeholders.
Why join Pulse of Tomorrow
If you are 13 to 25 and want to shape real policies and ground-up solutions, join Pulse of Tomorrow, a youth-led civic platform where young people propose ideas, build leadership skills, and contribute to community action. For media queries, contact [email protected] or call +65 6042 5410.
