Another article that I read. I find that I should learn from the elderly. :)
Starting life over at 60
Setting up a retail business is an achievable dream, whether you're 17 or 70
by Chan Seet Fun 05:55 AM Jun 07, 2010
Retired banker T S Soh, 60, has been working as a kitchen helper, a waiter and at the counter of cafes.
"I believe that there are opportunities in F&B. Everybody needs to eat but not anyone has time to cook. So, I want to have my own F&B business," said Soh, who retired in 2008, after more than 30 years in banking.
"I've tried to get a job but when they learnt about my age, they said 'so sorry' and they don't interview me. But I believe that you have to be adaptable. So, I will start something on my own."
With his business ownership dream in mind, he switched gears and went from managing a team at a bank branch to starting from scratch in the food and beverage industry. If that meant making tea and coffee, he was prepared to do it.
"I wanted to learn about the business, from the very basics. I wanted to find out first-hand what problems are faced by the staff and by the owners," he said.
Now, with two years of F&B experience under his belt, he is adept at making cappuccinos, sandwiches and pastries from frozen dough. Not only that, he is also "familiar with NEA (National Environment Agency) requirements".
And while he was chalking up valuable hands-on experience, he also went back to school. Last November, he earned a Certificate in Retail Studies from the Singapore Institute of Retail Studies (SIRS). Last month, he completed SIRS' new "Set Up A Retail Business" course.
"I wanted to see what I could learn before actually setting up my business," he said. "I was the oldest participant in the class. But that's fine. I was there to learn. I should not have to feel inferior."
He added that the course was well worth attending. "Some of the things they taught us hadn't even crossed my mind. There are so many things to consider when starting a business. I've also learned how to do a business plan. This is important, especially if you need financial help. You can use it to present your case. It was a detailed and practical course. I would recommend it. It's short but you learn a lot in that short time. And with the 90 per cent subsidy from the Workforce Development Authority, I only paid $16.05," he said.
Soh is now on the lookout for a suitable location and hopes to get his business up and running within the next six months. For day-to-day support at his F&B outlet, he will look to his friends and family.
And once things find their rhythm, he might even go into consulting, drawing on his experience as a business owner, and his years in banking, to teach others about becoming their own bosses.
He said: "Some of my ex-colleagues ventured into business without any business experience and without taking any courses first. They just tried. And if they failed, they closed shop. But I am more cautious. I want to look carefully before plunging in. Money is not easy to earn."
Learning about the retail business
A new course on setting up retail businesses has piqued the interest of the members of the Women's Initiative for Ageing Successfully (WINGS).
Said WINGS programme executive, May Tan: "The response has been very good. We publicised this course, which is offered as part of our skills programme, in our weekly newsletter and within 10 days of sending out the email blast, all 24 spots were filled. There is a waiting list now."
She added that if the list grows, WINGS will talk to the Singapore Institute of Retail Studies (SIRS), which runs the course, about organising subsequent intakes for WINGS.
SIRS introduced the course in April this year. Said the institute's manager of business development, Megan Ong: "The response has been tremendous. We've conducted more than 10 intakes since and a good number of participants have been seniors."
She added: "On the whole, the age of our trainees ranges from 17 to 70 and there has always been a fair proportion of mature trainees. Some courses, such as 'Sell Products & Services', are popular with seniors as the skills and certification acquired helps them work as promoters or in freelance sales positions. We have also seen that this group is interested in the 'Set Up A Retail Business' course. Some of them have retired and are ready to pursue a second career as a business owner."
The "Set Up A Retail Business" course provides insights and tools that will help participants in setting up their new business. Spanning 40 training hours, the course will show participants how to study the retail environment, develop a retail business plan and implement it.
Participants are taught by experienced trainers who aim to impart useful skills rather than just theory and they also benefit from networking with fellow participants who have prior working experience.
The course's first run in partnership with WINGS will begin on June 15 and those who have signed up include housewives, retirees and women who are working part-time. Tan said that one participant is employed full-time and will take leave to attend the course.
She added: "We constantly scout for new and exciting things for our members. And they come with open minds and are eager to learn."
Article from: http://www.todayonline.com/Silver/EDC100607-0000026/Starting-life-over-at-60
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Monday, June 07, 2010
Learning to succeed
I read this article this morning and find that it is good. :)
Learning to succeed
Take ownership of your career through constant renewal and reinvention
by Kamal Kant succeed@mediacorp.com.sg 05:55 AM Jun 07, 2010
The economic and social pressures today on organisations are so strong, they are changing the work world at a pace never encountered before.
Hardly have employees become familiar with new processes and work methodologies that they are asked to unlearn them and learn even newer and more sophisticated ways of working.
In the late '80s and early '90s, employees were principally selected to fill vacancies that required specified knowledge, skills and abilities to perform a specific job or combination of tasks.
Once employed, the person would probably do the same job for the rest of his career, climb the so-called career ladder and be remunerated on a seniority-based system.
But this career journey model is obsolete. Training and development have become a continuous process if one does not want to be rendered irrelevant in one's workplace.
Lifelong learning, acquisition of new knowledge, personal development, honing of competencies, skills upgrading and enhancement of abilities are now "must haves" in the working world. Ignore this at your career's peril.
In today's workplace, learning includes changing a broad spectrum of your work behaviour, ranging from developing new vocational skills to managing employees in ways that foster the greatest productivity, innovation and creativity.
The learning edge is how smart executives and managers stay ahead of the competition.
But what exactly is learning?
Certain key characteristics are obvious: Learning implies change. The change must be more than temporary - it must be the result of experience and repeated practice. Certainly, temporary change and performance cannot count as learning.
Learning is a difficult concept to understand, as it cannot be directly measured or observed. It is inferred from permanent changes in work behaviour, job performance and enhanced output after learning.
This is why certificates, diplomas and degrees are just the starting point in a job hunt or advancement in one's career.
The proof of learning is exhibited in your improved and enhanced performance.
Today, lifelong learning is about engaging your mind to bring creativity and innovation to your work so that you can become an employee of choice - not simply because of your paper qualifications, but for other forms of value you bring to the workplace.
It could range from a delightful, customer-lovable personality by developing your intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, to an effective and novel problem-solving technique using your engineering knowledge in resourceful and imaginative ways.
Exhibiting new learning is a major hurdle for many people. You do not want to be boastful nor arrogant in "advertising" your newly-acquired knowledge, skills and competencies.
The starting point must be your work itself. Apply the newly acquired learning in the task you do to ensure it works. Plan well ahead.
Before testing or practising the new learning at work, be sure you have an effective damage control or recovery strategy if something does not work and reverts back to the old way.
Offer to teach others in your workplace your new learning. Sharing knowledge is part of the lifelong learning journey. Share with others and they will share with you; be self-centred and conceited in today's multicultural team-based work environment and you probably will be an outcast at work. It will be to your detriment and loss.
Never lose sight of the definition of learning: It is about relatively permanent change in work behaviour occurring as a result of experience and practice.
Experience does not happen just from formal learning processes. It is also about doing it, feeling it and experiencing your learning outcomes in the workplace.
Learning is about changing the way you work and the way you think, analysing and solving problems. Learning includes improving your performance using newly-acquired knowledge, skills and abilities.
It is about making an attitudinal shift by taking ownership of your career and accepting that constant renewal and reinvention through a lifelong learning journey in the broadest sense is your passport to career satisfaction and success in tomorrow's world.
The writer is a career management professional and a lecturer in career-related courses at a local university.
Article from: http://www.todayonline.com/Business/Succeed/EDC100607-0000037/Learning-to-succeed
Learning to succeed
Take ownership of your career through constant renewal and reinvention
by Kamal Kant succeed@mediacorp.com.sg 05:55 AM Jun 07, 2010
The economic and social pressures today on organisations are so strong, they are changing the work world at a pace never encountered before.
Hardly have employees become familiar with new processes and work methodologies that they are asked to unlearn them and learn even newer and more sophisticated ways of working.
In the late '80s and early '90s, employees were principally selected to fill vacancies that required specified knowledge, skills and abilities to perform a specific job or combination of tasks.
Once employed, the person would probably do the same job for the rest of his career, climb the so-called career ladder and be remunerated on a seniority-based system.
But this career journey model is obsolete. Training and development have become a continuous process if one does not want to be rendered irrelevant in one's workplace.
Lifelong learning, acquisition of new knowledge, personal development, honing of competencies, skills upgrading and enhancement of abilities are now "must haves" in the working world. Ignore this at your career's peril.
In today's workplace, learning includes changing a broad spectrum of your work behaviour, ranging from developing new vocational skills to managing employees in ways that foster the greatest productivity, innovation and creativity.
The learning edge is how smart executives and managers stay ahead of the competition.
But what exactly is learning?
Certain key characteristics are obvious: Learning implies change. The change must be more than temporary - it must be the result of experience and repeated practice. Certainly, temporary change and performance cannot count as learning.
Learning is a difficult concept to understand, as it cannot be directly measured or observed. It is inferred from permanent changes in work behaviour, job performance and enhanced output after learning.
This is why certificates, diplomas and degrees are just the starting point in a job hunt or advancement in one's career.
The proof of learning is exhibited in your improved and enhanced performance.
Today, lifelong learning is about engaging your mind to bring creativity and innovation to your work so that you can become an employee of choice - not simply because of your paper qualifications, but for other forms of value you bring to the workplace.
It could range from a delightful, customer-lovable personality by developing your intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, to an effective and novel problem-solving technique using your engineering knowledge in resourceful and imaginative ways.
Exhibiting new learning is a major hurdle for many people. You do not want to be boastful nor arrogant in "advertising" your newly-acquired knowledge, skills and competencies.
The starting point must be your work itself. Apply the newly acquired learning in the task you do to ensure it works. Plan well ahead.
Before testing or practising the new learning at work, be sure you have an effective damage control or recovery strategy if something does not work and reverts back to the old way.
Offer to teach others in your workplace your new learning. Sharing knowledge is part of the lifelong learning journey. Share with others and they will share with you; be self-centred and conceited in today's multicultural team-based work environment and you probably will be an outcast at work. It will be to your detriment and loss.
Never lose sight of the definition of learning: It is about relatively permanent change in work behaviour occurring as a result of experience and practice.
Experience does not happen just from formal learning processes. It is also about doing it, feeling it and experiencing your learning outcomes in the workplace.
Learning is about changing the way you work and the way you think, analysing and solving problems. Learning includes improving your performance using newly-acquired knowledge, skills and abilities.
It is about making an attitudinal shift by taking ownership of your career and accepting that constant renewal and reinvention through a lifelong learning journey in the broadest sense is your passport to career satisfaction and success in tomorrow's world.
The writer is a career management professional and a lecturer in career-related courses at a local university.
Article from: http://www.todayonline.com/Business/Succeed/EDC100607-0000037/Learning-to-succeed
Saturday, June 05, 2010
New Sport Activities
My ABT class has just ended.
CardioMix class is ending soon in 2 to 3 weeks time.
I have signed up for the Muay AeroBox course. Muay AeroBox course is a course which combines both Muay Thai and Western Boxing involving the use of gloves and pads. This exercise offers participants a chance to achieve a good cardio workout, and at the same time allow them to pick up some basic skills in Thai boxing.
Where do I sign up for the course? You can visit this website at https://www.psi.gov.sg/NASApp/tmf/TMFServlet?app=SPT-WelcomeMenu&isNew=true&Reload=true Sports for Life! ;)
I also intend to sign up for Pilates course but I cannot find a situable timeslot. Hmmm... I will keep a look up for it. :)
CardioMix class is ending soon in 2 to 3 weeks time.
I have signed up for the Muay AeroBox course. Muay AeroBox course is a course which combines both Muay Thai and Western Boxing involving the use of gloves and pads. This exercise offers participants a chance to achieve a good cardio workout, and at the same time allow them to pick up some basic skills in Thai boxing.
Where do I sign up for the course? You can visit this website at https://www.psi.gov.sg/NASApp/tmf/TMFServlet?app=SPT-WelcomeMenu&isNew=true&Reload=true Sports for Life! ;)
I also intend to sign up for Pilates course but I cannot find a situable timeslot. Hmmm... I will keep a look up for it. :)
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Beatles - Hey Jude
I was watching news. Obama presented Paul McCartney with a lifetime achievement award for his contributions to popular music. The news ended with "Hey Jude" song. So nice~ =)
Insight @ Channel NewsAsia
I was watching Insight. It was talking about Merkez mosque, the biggest mosque, in Germany.
Look at the Mosque:
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-36529.html
The program also mentioned about the issue of Muslim face veil. My friend told me about this news too. Read this:
France MPs' report backs Muslim face veil ban
A French parliamentary committee has recommended a partial ban on women wearing Islamic face veils.
The committee's near 200-page report has proposed a ban in hospitals, schools, government offices and on public transport.
It also recommends that anyone showing visible signs of "radical religious practice" should be refused residence cards and citizenship.
The interior ministry says just 1,900 women in France wear the full veils.
In its report, the committee said requiring women to cover their faces was against the French republican principles of secularism and equality.
"The wearing of the full veil is a challenge to our republic. This is unacceptable. We must condemn this excess," the report said.
The commission called on parliament to adopt a formal resolution stating that the face veil was "contrary to the values of the republic" and proclaiming that "all of France is saying 'no' to the full veil".
Presenting the report to the French National Assembly, speaker Bernard Accoyer said the face veil had too many negative connotations.
"It is the symbol of the repression of women, and... of extremist fundamentalism.
"This divisive approach is a denial of the equality between men and women and a rejection of co-existence side-by-side, without which our republic is nothing."
The report is expected to be followed by the drafting of a bill and a parliamentary debate on the issue.
The BBC's Hugh Schofield, in Paris, says the reasoning behind the report is to make it as impractical as possible for women in face veils to go about their daily business.
There is also a fear that an outright ban would not only be difficult to implement but would be distasteful and could make France a target for terrorism, our correspondent says.
France has an estimated five million Muslims - the largest such population in Western Europe.
Months of debate
The report follows months of public debate, including President Nicolas Sarkozy's intervention, saying all-encompassing veils were "not welcome in France".
However, he did not explicitly call for a ban, saying "no-one should feel stigmatised" by any eventual law.
Opinion polls suggest a majority of French people support a full ban.
However, the parliamentary deputies have recommended that - for now - restrictions should be limited.
The committee suggests a ban inside public buildings, with those who defy the ban denied whatever services are on offer there - for example state benefits.
There are several types of headscarves and veils for Muslim women - those that cover the face being the niqab and the burka. In France, the niqab is the version most commonly worn.
The niqab usually leaves the eyes clear. It is worn with an accompanying headscarf and sometimes a separate eye veil.
The burka covers the entire face and body with just a mesh screen to see through.
The issue has divided France's political parties.
The Socialist opposition has come out officially against a ban, saying it would be difficult to enforce. It says it is opposed to full veils in principle, but some members have expressed fears about any ruling that could stigmatise Muslim women.
Meanwhile, the head of Mr Sarkozy's right-wing UMP party has already presented a bill in parliament supporting a full ban on grounds of security.
Article from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8480161.stm
Look at the Mosque:
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-36529.html
The program also mentioned about the issue of Muslim face veil. My friend told me about this news too. Read this:
France MPs' report backs Muslim face veil ban
A French parliamentary committee has recommended a partial ban on women wearing Islamic face veils.
The committee's near 200-page report has proposed a ban in hospitals, schools, government offices and on public transport.
It also recommends that anyone showing visible signs of "radical religious practice" should be refused residence cards and citizenship.
The interior ministry says just 1,900 women in France wear the full veils.
In its report, the committee said requiring women to cover their faces was against the French republican principles of secularism and equality.
"The wearing of the full veil is a challenge to our republic. This is unacceptable. We must condemn this excess," the report said.
The commission called on parliament to adopt a formal resolution stating that the face veil was "contrary to the values of the republic" and proclaiming that "all of France is saying 'no' to the full veil".
Presenting the report to the French National Assembly, speaker Bernard Accoyer said the face veil had too many negative connotations.
"It is the symbol of the repression of women, and... of extremist fundamentalism.
"This divisive approach is a denial of the equality between men and women and a rejection of co-existence side-by-side, without which our republic is nothing."
The report is expected to be followed by the drafting of a bill and a parliamentary debate on the issue.
The BBC's Hugh Schofield, in Paris, says the reasoning behind the report is to make it as impractical as possible for women in face veils to go about their daily business.
There is also a fear that an outright ban would not only be difficult to implement but would be distasteful and could make France a target for terrorism, our correspondent says.
France has an estimated five million Muslims - the largest such population in Western Europe.
Months of debate
The report follows months of public debate, including President Nicolas Sarkozy's intervention, saying all-encompassing veils were "not welcome in France".
However, he did not explicitly call for a ban, saying "no-one should feel stigmatised" by any eventual law.
Opinion polls suggest a majority of French people support a full ban.
However, the parliamentary deputies have recommended that - for now - restrictions should be limited.
The committee suggests a ban inside public buildings, with those who defy the ban denied whatever services are on offer there - for example state benefits.
There are several types of headscarves and veils for Muslim women - those that cover the face being the niqab and the burka. In France, the niqab is the version most commonly worn.
The niqab usually leaves the eyes clear. It is worn with an accompanying headscarf and sometimes a separate eye veil.
The burka covers the entire face and body with just a mesh screen to see through.
The issue has divided France's political parties.
The Socialist opposition has come out officially against a ban, saying it would be difficult to enforce. It says it is opposed to full veils in principle, but some members have expressed fears about any ruling that could stigmatise Muslim women.
Meanwhile, the head of Mr Sarkozy's right-wing UMP party has already presented a bill in parliament supporting a full ban on grounds of security.
Article from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8480161.stm
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