CareersConnect

In February 2021, the growing market of migrant workers will be burdened with the recruitment fee up to 12,000 to gain employment experience. Where the training provided for the employees was not essential for the job scope needed from the employees current job. The graduates and students pool is currently 37 million. Where there is a high demand for jobs as the number of job seekers in India has risen to 7.11% in the last year. Which showcases the high need and demand for the job with the locals. 

This process has also left the rehiring process to be at an all time low as return to home country seems to immediately at the end of the contract. Furthermore, the open door conversations between clients and hiried management would improve the relationship between them by reducing the need to leave and end the contract anytime. 

Despite the growth in economy and country’s GDP in India, the unemployment rate in the labor sector is also increasing. With the country's unemployment rate rising to 1.84% from 2019 to 2020.   This significant amount is showing the imbalance between certain areas that require manpower are mainly in the metropolitan area. However, there is still demand for the labor force overseas but due to the recruitment that will go through the middle man to find matching employers and employees. Almost everyone has to go through agencies to get the process done. Many have to pay significantly high in depth before they could start earning and saving their money. Which leads to individuals collecting and increasing debt before working. 

Employment growth is likely to change the mix of sectors in the india economy as a whole. Construction and manufacturing could see growing demand for labor, as could accommodation and food service, education, healthcare, and retail and wholesale trade. However, some occupations that involve routine, predictable work could be susceptible to automation, including collecting and processing data. The market currently has highly educated and qualified workers who are able to meet the change and demand in the market. 

Hence the system is able to satisfy the need to help the market growth which would lead to a raise in the country's economy and GDP. 

The current market of India has a difficulty of finding placements for the labour market within the country that has scope that are on par with the individual's educational level. Hence many talents are being unused within the country which leads to a high unemployment rate that inevitably results in reduction in the nation's GDP. 

Situations such as this cause a high panic across the students and blue collar workers nationwide. Hence career connections help bridge the gap between demand for employment and supply of jobs through an online platform at a lower rate of cost compared to a physical recruitment agency. This would help and encourage the individuals looking for employment to use our platform. 

The second issue would be the increasing amount of job scams that are currently occurring within Singapore and india. Individuals are unavailable to approach a company directly for a job as there is a higher possibility of the organization not stating what they are looking for honestly or is made by a false organisation. This would demorialse and lead to losing money falling for the scam. To counteract this we have taken the initiative to authenticate the job and companies taking part in the system. With the low cost rate for the usage of the system, and the trusted partners users are able to access countless of jobs and training to benefit their hunt process. 

Panintra Panasampon

Creating career communities by building bridges of trust. CareersConnect is a technology solution that aims to build the relationship between employers and employees. The key difference between our solution to the general method used for the job search would be the hassle free and transparent transaction that is present for the users. Its user friendly forefront of the system helps the ease of usage and search experience experienced by the uses.  

CareersConnect is a new application of an existing technology. React JS is the technology used for the front appearance of the system aka its interface and the face that is viewed by the users. 

As for the backend and the system functionality will be integrated by Node reach Js to help out with the matching of an individual's skills and needs with the job scope that matches them. The system helps prevent/ reduce the mismatch of the job scope to individual skills within the recommendation section. Hence reducing the time spent on job search and rejections due to inaccurate match. 

The system eliminates the immediate issue that occurs during the job hunt process. Where employees, especially the blue collar workers have to pay a hefty amount in order to apply for jobs overseas or in house. Hence the system available immediately reduces the burden and issue faced by them where the amount needed to apply has been reduced. 

Secondly the system would counter the unemployment process reaching the all time high in the country. The system would provide a platform for users to mind jobs that are trustworthy for a short period of time in the HR process. Which would impact the students in the long run and the country in the future with lower employment rate. 

The main goal would be to increase the talent pool in india and expand its labor market to allow more job opportunities for its growing population. While building a bond for both the countries. Through relationships build with the school and organisations in both countries this is achieved. Allowing them to get access to various resources through the platform. 

The pilot will establish itself in the first year of implementation in india  and is expected to become the 1st preferred blue collared workers and fresh graduates platform in a year. 

 Jobs in India are ranked based on their retrenchment and hiring reviews placed on the site. Companies  with ratings below the nation's average performance are classified as “untrustable” hence emphasis on functions to enhance better classify their job scopes and management of employees to improve the organisation.  

After the successful implementation, the solution will be entering into new markets such as Indonesia in the timeframe of 3 years. With the need of having group work to improve within Indonesia and the pre-existing success with the system in Indonesia, we will be able to satisfy their need to explore the utilization of potential materials and virtual tasks with novel experiences. 

In the long run of 5 years, careerconnect would have successful ventures into Indonesia and India . Where the outcome would be able to produce 2 versions of the system off the shelf to be used when venturing into other countries This would also reduce the implementation timeframe of the venture. 

The progress would be measured through the number of successful matches between the students and the employment organisation. The second indicator would be the number of job interviews offered to the youths through the platform as the training helps expand the choices given to the youths.  Lastly, the number of employees who have extended their jobs/ contract with the organisation would be a great indicator of the trustworthiness of the organization on board the system and the type of relationship formed between the users and employers on the platform. 

All 3 countries

The goals for the next five years would be to establish careers connected in the India educational market in the 3 years mark. Followed by preparing to enter into the Indonesia market in the next 2 years after that. 

The potential market barriers experienced would be the legal issues such as the government's choice to reduce bureaucratic red tape. Which placed restrictions within the labour market. In lieu of liberalisation of the labor market and provisions to limit foreign personnel in Indonesia, creating a barrier with the recruitment, compensation and retainment of the employment process. 

2 countries

Secondly the cultural differences present within the countries of Singapore and India. With a score of 48, is a society with both collectivistic and Individualist traits. The high collective side of the country would require employer/employee relationship is one of expectations based on expectations – Loyalty by the employee and almost familial protection by the Employer. Hiring and promotion decisions are often made based on relationships which are the key to everything in a Collectivist society. However the individual aspect of the country led them to believe individuals are responsible for the way they lead their lives and the impact it comes upon their rebirth.

The legal issue could be combatted usings the connection and partnership of local schools and organizations for the job opportunity. With the help of a local organisation, the government will be more accepting of a foreign venture as it provides less of a threat to the local organisations. The current resources of a good relationship with the schools in the host country would allow us to merge with the organisation with ease. With the current connection with organisation within the various sectors has provided a stepping stone into identifying more partners for the system during entrance. 

As for the cultural issues there should be an introduction training for employees to understand and behave according to the cultural differences. This can be achieved with ease and comfort by both the schools. Enabling the process to complete stress and smoothly. While lowering the expectation and commitment required by the employers to the employees to avoid misunderstanding and mistrust with the relationship. 

Culture differences could be reduced through the sharing of knowledge from future of work in india teams. Where the experience from the team with India structure the business model for Octopus8 to enter the market. To ease the launch in india. 

The solution team consists of 3 FT and 1 PT. The 3 Full-timers are our CEO and business managers Karl Turnbull, Lawerance Luan, and our product manager Panintra Panasampon. With a team of 5 talented individuals in the internal technical team and additional support from our part-time external technical partner. 

Octopus8’s CEO, Lawrence Luan, a 4 years licensed CSA recruitment agent provides a long-term strategic vision and identifies new revenue streams and opportunities. Where business plans have been developed to achieve success. Lawrence influences his team to develop a client-centric approach, allowing Octopus8 to develop long-term sustainable strategic partnerships that go beyond achieving business outcomes, in turn driving profitability. He will establish trust in employees onboarding the system to seek jobs. 

Karl has the robust technical knowledge, enabling Octopus8 to create solutions that are out-of-the-box creating various versions of the careerconnect to be better catered to the user’s needs. He is a trusted member of the team whose technological aspect is appreciated of, and this allows the rest to confidently deliver value-for-money solutions. Through Karl’s leadership, we are able to support our clients in their digitalization journey. 

Panintra Panasampon has 12 years of professional experience in the design industry and joined Octopus8 last year. She leads the business development and marketing team to utilize digital solutions as the business strategy. She helped expand the target market to different sectors for enterprises and implements different strategies for various B2B clients. Hence developing her people skills and project management skills.

Diversity and equality would be present in the process of system usage as people of all ethnicities and gender will be given a chance to change their future. Where these people would not only be users but also part of the team filled with members of various organisations in the country. This hiring process increases the diversity in various organisations, leading to a diverse workforce within the country. A tangible goal of the career connect system would be to reduce favoritism hiring and create a fair and equitable labour market. 

The solution would also remove the burden placed on job hunters in a financial way. This would help with the job seekers mental wellbeing to improve due to the reduction of stress placed in finding financial support to help with the hiring process. 

Currently we are not working with any partners. The end to end process of the system from the technical issue to the sales are done in house by the team. With the existing partners India under the other business in the organisation would help to build a faster relationship with the nation with ease. 

The system helps youth and blue collar workers in the process of hiring. Where the need for these individuals find the pressure in finding a job to be higher than others. Hence suffering both mentally and financially due to that reason. These underserved target groups have the highest potential rate and lower choices available for them. Hence stakeholders such as the companies benefit by gaining access to a new talent pool through the solution. Careerconnect would also be providing training support to develop the necessary skills for the individual. Hence the stakeholders are able to gain highly qualified individuals for the role at a lower price. Allowing a lower turnover rate. 

The partnership with the future of work in India would help reduce the legal and cultural barriers involved in entering the india market. 

Firstly the legal barriers faced by the company could be reduced due to the local organisations connection provided by the future of work in india. Which would reduce the government's limitations placed on the foregn companies as the challenge has been accepted as a positive movement by the government. 

Culture differences could be reduced through the sharing of knowledge down between Octopus8 and future of work in india teams. Where the experience from the team with Indonesia will educate and structure the business model to enter the market by Octopus8. Prior personal knowledge regarding the country's culture would allow us to further prepare for the launch in Indonesia with ease. 

The overall goal of career connect would be to successfully venture into 2 countries within the next 5 years. 

With the kick of the program being India, the system is expected to grow on par with India’s rise of employability market of 7.11%. 

A successful venture is identified and the system has to be adopted by the locals and the country's employment system. Through the partnerships support the system is expected to be implemented into the country's workforce in the first quarter. Followed by the adoption by the blue and white collar workers. 

The partnership could provide us with contacts for the local partners and users to play as a starting point of the venture into more countries.