Young Sikh graduates honoured

The Young Sikh Association (Singapore) and the Sikh Centre organised a plaque presentation ceremony on Sept 21 to recognise the academic achievements of young Sikh graduates, including those who pursue postgraduate studies.

The guest of honour at the event was Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Masagos Zulkifli (above centre, with the graduates), who assured the gathering that the Government understands the concerns of all Singaporeans and will do what it can to continue to support its citizens, including young graduates entering the workforce.

He said: "There are naturally concerns at the back of your mind, including finding a rewarding job and, subsequently, developing a fulfilling career.

Others may also be looking to start a family and juggle with managing the cost of living, housing and healthcare issues, both for themselves and their families. The Government understands this and wants to help all Singaporeans achieve these goals."

He added that the Government also understands the challenges that sometimes come with attaining such aspirations and has introduced new measures to support a young generation coming into the workforce.

Making reference to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally speech, Mr Masagos touched on the Government's efforts in providing affordable housing and extensive medical coverage for Singaporeans, its focus on holistic education and ensuring employment for all.

Mr Masagos called on the graduates to contribute in their own ways to their community and the larger society.

He said: "We ask for you to work towards being proactive within your neighbourhood, your community and the larger society as a whole and look for opportunities to share what you know and give back where you can. It is only in all of us doing our bit and our part that we can rise to achieve greater things for us and the next generation to come."

Mr Masagos presented plaques to 29 young Sikhs who recently graduated from local and overseas tertiary institutions. Close to 100 guests, including leaders of the Sikh community, parents and families of the recipients, attended the ceremony.

One of the recipients, Ms Rosvinder Kaur Sahota who completed a Master of Education (Curriculum and Teaching) programme from the Nanyang Technological University in 2012, made a presentation and gave an interesting account of her educational journey. She said: "After my college education, I was fortunate to be able to try out teaching first hand and I enjoyed it. I liked the fact that teaching was impactful and meaningful. My advice to all graduates is to go for internships and talk to others in different professions as they will be able to guide you to make well-informed decisions."

For the first time this year, there was also a presentation on best practices in talent management, an issue of great relevance to the young graduates as well as those in the marketplace.

The session was conducted by consultation expert Kulwant Bardh.

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