Educational Career Guidance through Partnerships
Introduction of Partnership Programmes to support Education Career Guidance (ECG)
Educational career guidance through partnerships is a core experience
that students go through, aimed at providing our students with exposure
to potential career paths and real-world experience. Over the years, we
have partnered with companies from different industries on learning journeys
and work attachment programmes. Through these opportunities, students have
a clearer understanding of how their knowledge and skills are applied in
the job setting and make informed career choices which are aligned with
their strengths and interests.
At the same time, we believe in the importance of community partnerships
to foster stronger connections and personal growth. These initiatives are
designed for students to work with diverse groups of people and examine
real-world challenges. Through these experiences, students develop a deeper
understanding of social issues and cultivate a sense of empathy and responsibility,
empowering them to contribute meaningfully to society.
Key Learning Experiences: Examples of Learning Journeys and Work Attachment
1. Quest for an Environmentally Sustainable World - Work Attachment and Learning Journey to The Polyolefin Company
The Polyolefin Company, which focuses on manufacturing and sales of Low Density Polyethlyene (LDPE) and Polypropylene (PP)1, offers Queenstownians a glimpse into the petrochemical world where the chemistry knowledge they acquired in the classroom magically comes to live.
Leveraging on our partnership with TPC, Queenstownians have, for over 11 years, been blessed with the opportunity of travelling into a land where few are able to step foot on – Jurong Island, which is the main reason why Singapore is the top oil exporting country in the world despite not having any oil reserves of our own.
Following a 3-hour learning journey where they are able to gather a broad overview of the innovations and operations at TPC, a few Queenstownians, passionate about making a difference with their science mastery, furthered their experience and learning by going through a full-day work attachment. During the work attachment, they interacted with the engineers at TPC, gaining invaluable insights into the rigour and satisfaction derived from the role of creating products used widely.
1 https://www.tpc.com.sg/2.12_OurBusiness.html
2. Quest for an Informed World – Learning Journey to Star International
With 7 distinct brands and presence in more than 30 countries worldwide, the learning journey to Star International has allowed our students to gather firsthand information about the workings behind a successful retail and logistics industry, which has provided furniture for many homes in Singapore.
Queenstownians who participated in this learning journey were also able to understand how companies are innovating to overcome the challenges they face, in this instance, the use of technology to overcome manpower shortage.
3. Quest for a Healthy World – Learning Journey to Elsie’s Kitchen
As one of the more renowned catering companies in the culinary landscape in Singapore as well as the region, this collaboration with Elsie’s Kitchen offered Queenstownians a behind the scenes glimpse of what goes on before and after an order is placed.
They also gained valuable insights into the application of the knowledge of food sciences in an authentic setting when the company shared about the considerations behind its menu evolution, balancing taste with nutrition, in response to changes in consumer demands.
4. Quest for a Safe World – Learning Journey to Rockwell Automation
Being the largest company in the world dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, the learning journey to Rockwell Automation Singapore has allowed our Queenstownians to gather firsthand information about the workings behind a successful innovation and automation industry.
During the learning journey, Queenstownians understood the importance of being adaptable as they gained an awareness of how the company needs to constantly innovate to effectively address the demands of the ever-changing landscape in the industry. Subsequently, the participants were able to experience the production process through the use of augmented reality before wrapping up the learning journey with a Q&A session with a panel of professionals from Rockwell Automation.
5. Quest for an Inclusive and Environmentally Sustainable World – Work Attachment and Learning Journey to IKEA
Partnering with IKEA, a world-renowned furniture brand that champions for both social and economic sustainability through providing affordable and practical furniture that are innovatively designed to reduce material usage and wastage, has allowed Queenstownians to see the theories they learnt in the classroom being applied in an authentic setting.
Appealing to Queenstownians with a keen interest in design and innovation, this learning journey opened the eyes of selected Sec 3 Design & Technology students as they had the precious opportunity to interact with the IKEA designers and learnt about a product’s life journey, from design to testing and manufacturing, and eventually retail. These valuable experiences enabled our students to appreciate how the design thinking process that they have learnt in the classroom is practiced in the actual design and manufacturing industry; resulting in IKEA addressing the diverse needs of their consumers, ranging from age to affordability and lifestyle preferences.
Key Learning Experiences: Career Mentoring
On 16 November 2024, we kicked off our first Career Mentoring @ QUEST
session at the newly-renovated library. It was inspiring to see senior
alumni spanning from the 1970s to 2000s return to share their stories and
career advice with the junior alumni.
The panel and group mentoring sessions sparked meaningful discussions
about navigating the evolving career landscape and cultivating timeless
competencies. But the session wasn’t just about learning — it was also
about building connections and bridging generations to strengthen our QUEST
community.
Key Learning Experiences: Examples of Community Projects
1. Quest for an Inclusive World – MINDS Lee Kong Chian Gardens Schools
Heading into the 11th year of our partnership, Queenstown Secondary School is glad to have journeyed alongside MINDS Lee Kong Chian Gardens Schools as we continue to promote inclusivity, raise general awareness of special educational needs, as well as the appreciation of the strengths and abilities of people with high special educational needs.
Building on our longest running collaboration – Recess Buddy Programme – Queenstownians better understand people with high special educational needs while contributing to their growth towards independence. Queenstownians also train and play with students from MINDS LGS as they team up to take part in sports competitions, therein strengthening not only the self-confidence of our friends from MINDS LGS, but also their friendship.
Students from MINDS LGS also give back to the community as they take part in our annual communal lunch, where they perform for and serve the senior citizens alongside our Queenstownians.
As our partnership matures, Queenstownians continue to grow in their empathy and realisation of people with high special educational needs, appreciating that they also have their strengths and ways to contribute to the community. Together, Queenstownians and students from MINDS LGS strive to play our part in moulding a more socially sustainable world.
2. Quest for an Inclusive World – NUS Residential College 4 (NUS RC4)
Queenstownians believe that there is a unique strength in everyone, regardless of who they are. We are glad to collaborate with NUS RC4 on a journey that aims to promote inter-generational bonding as well as active ageing. Through this collaboration, selected Queenstownians interact with youths from NUS RC4, as well as senior citizens, to explore the reasons behind seemingly weak intergenerational bonds over multiple sessions of discussions and activities.
As the participants came together and created programmes and activities that would promote inclusiveness and active ageing among Senior citizens within the larger community, everyone learnt something new from this experience, with senior citizens believing that they still have much to give, and the youths gaining deeper empathy and appreciation of the seniors in our community. All these were accomplished amidst lots of fun and laughter.
More information can be found here: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/playing-mahjong-and-kahoot-nus-students-tackle-ageism-creatively-to-promote-bonding-with-seniors
