2359 Media x NUS for SGUnited Traineeship Programme
At 2359 Media, we are always on the lookout for fresh talent to join our team of engineers, designers and thought leaders, to explore ideas at the intersection of business, design and technology, as well as to bring them to fruition. We are therefore looking forward to participating in the SGUnited Traineeships programme, recently announced by Workforce Singapore (WSG), in collaboration with educational institutions such as the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Over the years, we have hired many fresh graduates and interns who are still schooling, and witnessed firsthand the dynamism and new perspectives that they bring. When combined with the mentoring provided by more experienced members of our team, we have been able to deliver many exciting projects for our clients as they embark on their digital transformation journeys.
We partner with various educational institutions for our recruitment efforts. In this time of Covid-19, it is even more important that we continue to work hand-in-hand to provide good working experiences for our students and grow our pool of talent.
Right now, we are extremely lucky to have with us two talented interns from the NUS Overseas College (NOC) programme, whom we managed to bring on-board to 2359 when their internships in Shanghai got disrupted by the implosion of Covid-19 back in January this year.
Alvin and Biying joined us in March, after NUS put us in touch. Alvin was a project assistant at Fabernovel Asia, an innovation consultancy, while Biying was interning at We Are Social, an international digital marketing agency. Both were also attending classes at Fudan University.
“When the decision was passed to recall everyone from Shanghai, I was already en-route on a self-arranged trip back to Singapore. The news hit hard as I was devastated that I wouldn’t get to say a proper goodbye to all my friends and colleagues in Shanghai. Luckily, upon learning that many NOC students would have their overseas internships prematurely terminated and would be seeking new positions locally, 2359 Media responded as a ready employer. I joined the company in March as a UI intern, just two weeks before circuit-breaker measures took effect. The social distancing measures posed many challenges to ensuring a smooth onboarding process, but my new managers have been very supportive throughout and are constantly creating opportunities for the new hires to assimilate to the company culture.” — Biying, UI Intern
“Back in Shanghai, news was spreading on WeChat about a contagious virus from Wuhan that had come to Shanghai, with people collapsing all of a sudden. Not going to lie — this was before Covid-19 was made known so the world, so it did evoke fears in me. We were only told that the NOC programme had ceased during the eve of Chinese New Year, when most of us were back in Singapore. It felt so surreal. There weren’t any proper farewells with my ex-colleagues and a bulk of my stuff was still in Shanghai. However, as the Covid-19 situation worsens around the world, I felt thankful to be back in my own home and with my family.
2359 Media caught my attention out of a list of companies offered by NOC Singapore. The client portfolio that the company services and the work culture sparked my interest when I was reading up about the company.
I’m currently the Business Development Intern and the stint thus far has exposed me to different aspects such as pitching to potential clients, prospecting for leads and projects, crafting proposals as well as other sales-related collaterals. I am grateful for the colleagues and mentors in 2359 who have made this transition smooth and fulfilling despite the disruption.” — Alvin, Business Development Intern
As the world continues to fight the battle against Covid-19, we expect these challenging economic conditions to persist for some time. But even as we adjust our business strategies to tide through this difficult period, it is important for us to continue looking ahead to build a pipeline of talent, and establish a firm foundation for 2359 to power ahead when the economy recovers.
The SGUnited Traineeships programme is therefore a great opportunity for the company. We look forward to bring on-board trainees across a range of technical and non-technical roles in software development, project management, UI/UX design, sales and marketing, HR and finance. We are also keen to grow new capabilities in areas such as AI and data analytics, to augment our suite of solutions for clients.
We are now working out the details with NUS, and will share them on our Medium page once we are ready to run. So for now — bookmark this page, and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook! We look forward to connecting with you again.
