Education & Career Guidance Tips
Parents play place a crucial role in ECG with their children as they:
- Help your children discover their interest and strengths;
- Guide them to make informed education and career choices that will impact their future significantly
- Find relevance in the subjects they are studying, and hence
- Be more motivated to work hard and do well in school.
Parents can help their children realise their dreams by:
Showing concern and support
It is important for your children to know how much you care about their future and your willingness to support them. It is necessary not to dictate or direct his/her education plan and tentative career preferences.
Exploring
Introduce a variety of occupations to your children and help them discover more about the different occupations. A valuable resource is MySkillsFuture portal, ‘www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg/secondary’ - Your child has a personal account. Encourage your child to complete the self-assessment tools (Career Interests, Skills Confidence, Work Values, Learning Styles) in the portal so as to gain a better understanding of his/her interests, abilities and future aspirations. A cautionary note is not to rely on your own past experience or knowledge as education policies may have changed and new pathways are created. It is important to stay updated.
Engaging in Discussions
Have casual conversations with your children about their aspirations. Keep an open mind and allow them the freedom to dream. You could use your child's results from the PGI and WSI self-assessments and discuss further education plans. At the tertiary level, there are a myriad of educational opportunities present. You can access our Higher Education webpage as a starting point of discussion.
Providing Opportunities
Provide opportunities (like workplace visits and volunteer work) and resources (such as books and enrichment programmes) that can support your children's aspirations and broaden their horizons.
Working with Schools
Discuss your children's education and career prospects with their teachers. They would be in a good position to offer education and career guidance as well. To help your child make informed choices of their educational and career pathways, do encourage your child to speak with our school ECG Counsellor to explore and engage in self-discovery of their Values, Interests, Personality and Strengths (V.I.P.S). Your child can book an appointment with our ECG Counsellor through this link: https://go.gov.sg/dssecgcappointmentbooking
Decision-making and Action-planning
Ask your child what he/she wants to achieve and set some goals. Help your child come up with a plan on how he/she intends to attain these goals. Review these goals periodically to keep your child motivated and on-track. Make adjustments along the way, with a flexible mindset for Plan B.
Useful links and resources
MySkillsFuture: www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg/secondary
MOE Post-Secondary Education Brochure can be downloaded here.
MOE guide to ECG for parents:
https://www.moe.gov.sg/education-in-sg/our-programmes/education-and-career-guidance/overview
Additional information on ECG can be found on MOE’s website at: https://www.moe.gov.sg/education-in-sg/our-programmes/education-and-career-guidance/education-and-career-guidance-in-schools;
You can also find out more about the various educational pathways for your child at https://www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg/content/student/en/primary/education-guide/education-landscape/explore-pathway.html;