Andrew Bannecker’s range of bubbly characters is translated onto the limited edition packaging of Kiehl’s bestselling products
THE DIGITAL BRIDGE
CROSSROADS IN LIFE: we’ve all been there at some point or another, especially when it boils down to building a career. Despite an impressive resume spanning the likes of a Biochemistry Degree, a year of research at Oxford University and a Masters in Management from Imperial College, to name a few, Brian Tan had once found himself in the same boat.
Enter FutureLab (futurelab.my), the brainchild with co-founders Tai Fung Wei Tan and Clarissa Chang - a digital pla orm that connects enquiring minds like fresh graduates and aspiring entrepreneurs to global mentors consisting of industry professionals and established entrepreneurs. WHAT RESULTS HAVE YOU SEEN SO FAR IN BUDDING PROFESSIONALS WHO USE YOUR PLATFORM? We have been around for two years - to date, we have around 5,000 mentees from 60 countries, ranging from University students, fresh graduates and aspiring graduates. Our success stories include students securing their dream jobs, and mentees raising RM300,000 in funding to sta their own companies. A lot of millennials may not know what they want to pursue a er graduating, and they end up going down a path that they regret soon a er. FutureLab helps them connect to mentors who have been there and done that, to help them find their own path. We have also integrated into MaGIC (Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre) where top promising sta ups in Southeast Asia apply FutureLab to connect to mentors around the world as pa of their Global Accelerator Program. WHY DO YOU THINK A LOT OF GRADUATES DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN ENTERING THE JOB MARKET? We believe a robust feedback between the education institutions and the industry can help supplement the current syllabus with industrial insights. Technology is changing the world so quickly; it doesn't ma er which industry, companies find it hard to adapt to the technological changes. It is especially hard for university programs to keep up with the new roles and skills required by these evolving companies and industries. Our vision is to build said industry-to-education feedback loop that will allow students and educators to be er prepare for the changing world, to help develop a growth mindset in the students, and to help them find jobs that make them feel they don't have to work a day in their lives. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE QUALITIES THAT GRADUATES NEED TO WORK ON FOR THEMSELVES? I think to prepare yourself for the future workforce, graduates need to focus on developing a growth mindset – the idea of being a lifelong learner. As new technologies disrupt jobs and roles, having a growth mindset will give them the confidence to learn whatever new technology springs up next, and to adapt to the rapid industry changes.