CRADLE Connects: Exploring Careers Research Collaborations in Singapore & Beyond

CRADLE hosted its latest CRADLE Connects seminar at The Arc, bringing together researchers and educators to exchange insights on career development in Singapore and beyond.

The event opened with a welcome address by CRADLE Co-Director A/P Wang Qiyun, who set the stage for an afternoon of knowledge sharing on how mindsets, readiness, and social contexts shape career journeys. The first presentation by Prof. Dian Ratna Sawitri (Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia) shared her research on adolescent–parent career congruence in collectivistic cultures, showing how alignment with parental expectations strengthens career aspirations. This was followed by Dr. Melvin Chan from National Institute of Education who presented findings on youth preparedness for the world of work, identifying supports for career development of adolescents. A/P Chan Kim Yin from Nanyang Business School examined how growth mindset and readiness to learn predict career sustainability, highlighting lifelong learning as a foundation for meaningful work. The seminar concluded with a lively thematic dialogue led by A/P Ho Moon-Ho Ringo from NTU School of Social Sciences, together with our participants from SSG, WSG, NTU, SUSS and the polytechnics, to reflect on the broader implications of these studies for future career development research.