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IN SINGAPORE • The Blossoming Years 1 (17- ~25 y/o) • Social Capital & Support

JumpStart

Mentoring youths to find meaning and well-being in the world of work

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For ITE graduates transitioning from school to the workplace through the Work-Study Diploma (WSDip), the early stages can be challenging as they adapt to new responsibilities and workplace expectations. Structured mentoring can make a meaningful difference — helping them build the confidence, clarity and skills to thrive in both work and learning.
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We are excited to support PIRs Marvin and Yi Fong in bringing The Astronauts Collective’s career exploration and mentoring support to ITE students. By complementing ITE’s 2.5-year WSDip pathway, which combines classroom learning with on-the-job training, this initiative aims to help youths upskill, gain real-world experience and work towards meaningful careers.

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Signing of Memorandum of Understanding ​between Quantedge Foundation, the Institute of Technical Education, and The Astronauts Collective to launch JumpStart, witnessed by Senior Minister of State for Education, Dr Janil Puthucheary

In the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, Marvin and Yi Fong took unpaid leave from their full-time careers to start The Astronauts Collective (TAC). The charity is dedicated to helping youths explore and discover meaningful careers, thereby enhancing their well-being.

TAC began as a passion project among friends, shaped by their personal experiences of how a lack of meaning and purpose can affect one’s well-being. Marvin’s journey to work was unconventional – after doing poorly for his A-levels and seeing few meaningful career prospects ahead, he struggled with gaming addiction and only began his career at 33. Yi Fong, a former secondary school teacher, saw how students who found meaning in their studies were more likely to thrive. With a clearer sense of the careers they hoped to pursue, they found greater purpose in schooling and learning.

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The Institute of Technical Education (ITE), together with Quantedge Foundation Singapore (QFS) and The Astronauts Collective (TAC), launched JumpStart - the first mentoring initiative for ITE’s Work-Study Diploma (WSDip) programme. As part of the collaboration, ITE will partner TAC to deliver the mentoring programme, while QFS provides funding and strategic support.

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Through JumpStart, TAC’s volunteer mentors guide ITE students through three key stages of their school-to-work journey:

  • Career Discovery: Helping current ITE students explore their interests, uncover opportunities, and consider the WSDip as a meaningful upskilling and career pathway

  • Career Access: Supporting graduating students to boost their likelihood of securing a WSDip placement with partner companies

  • Career Preparedness: Equipping new WSDip trainees with the skills, mindset, and confidence to excel in the workplace

 

JumpStart exemplifies how partnerships between the public, people, and philanthropic sectors may be used to build new pathways for social mobility in Singapore. Starting with 250 mentees in 2025,  we are laying the groundwork to scale JumpStart in future years. This initiative will also help us build a strong community to support youths who may not have guiding adults in their lives, and spark the wider adoption of mentoring practices.
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Through this strategic trilateral partnership, we hope to grow the WSDip from 1,600 trainees in 2025 to 2,000 trainees annually. QFS is committed to supporting ITE students in pursuing opportunities and realising their aspirations. Uplifting these youths will remain at the heart of QFS' philanthropic mission in the years ahead.

Outcomes

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In 2025,
 

  • Supported 26 graduating Nitec and Higher Nitec business students with 9 offered WSDip placements

  • Mentored 61 first-year WSDip trainees across 3 courses over 6 months, achieving improved retention with attrition at 11%, below typical levels

  • Provided mentorship to 83 ITE students during their industrial attachments

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