Many fresh graduates are looking forward to the final milestone in their education journey to gear up and contribute their best in the workforce. However, the Covid-19 pandemic outburst since late 2019 has disrupted global economic activity and caused significant impact to Singapore and their plans.
Hacking The New Normal is an initiative connecting fresh graduates with SME entrepreneurs to gain insights and tips on surviving the new business normal. In the weeklong Hacking The New Normal Hackathon, the programme provided youth a platform to think out of the box and to design valuable solutions in the new normal. The programme saw 77 youth participants working in teams to present their solutions and ideas to real-life challenges, from challenges facing an esports organiser, a local restaurateur, a dance studio, in education and training as well as in retail/fashion/lifestyle industries.
The youth participants were grouped into small teams and assigned to develop and present their marketing solutions for a unique case study under a mentor’s guidance, on top of getting an opportunity to use real-time social data from Isentia to better assess the market dynamics. *SCAPEentrepreneurship programmes, such as this Hackathon, demonstrate collaborative efforts to build a community between Singapore’s business leaders and youth in order to help develop skills, provide exposure to real-time business challenges prevalent today and eventually handshake them into the industry.
Industry veterans and mentors were impressed with the data-backed insights and performance of the current generation of youth graduates. Many recognised these Gen Z talents for their creativity and passion and applauded the team members who stepped up to deliver even when they did not have a business or marketing background. (Relive the moments of the finalists in their business proposals pitch here.)
“It was a refreshing experience to witness the Gen Z perspective on business solutions. As expected of a natively-digital (and TikTok) generation, their digitally-led solutions are intoxicatingly social and immersive. From my experience with the teams, it gives me great hope that the next generation of marketers, trained under *SCAPE’s youth entrepreneurship programmes are well-poised to serve the Gen Z consumers.” Edvarcl Heng, Senior Account Director, ADK Connect.
Through this initiative, the youth graduates fostered new and stronger relationships with their peers and seized the opportunity to pick up new skills and broaden their field experience. Amidst all the doom and gloom that the Covid-19 crisis creates, there are also silver linings. The challenges for the Gen Z await for them to step forward, adapt quickly, and adjust to maximise their talents and knowledge so as to emerge stronger in times to come.
Know more about the various government measures to help youth during Covid-19:
https://www.scape.sg/government-measures-to-help-youth-during-covid-19/
Recap and relive the finalists’ presentation pitches and learn from them:
https://www.scape.sg/scapeentrepreneurship/hacking-the-new-normal/
If you would like to learn more or have further questions, do drop us a note at programme@scape.sg.
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