JPMorgan Chase, Halogen, ITE partner to provide mentoring, practical skills to students

[SINGAPORE] When thinking about her future, Pearlyn Puar, a second-year Institute of Technical Education (ITE) student pursuing a higher Nitec in business administration, began to worry that artificial intelligence could threaten her career aspirations.

“Initially, my problem was that I felt like AI was taking over my career, since I want to do fashion design, and AI is evolving so much and so quickly,” the 18-year-old said.

However, joining JPMorgan Chase’s Career Connect programme helped to ease her worries. Her mentors, who are JPMorgan employees, gave her advice that changed her mindset about AI.

“I realised that instead of being afraid of AI, I can use it as an assistant for my future business, to help me find my target audience and fashion trends, while I maintain my own originality in designing,” Puar said.

Over six weeks from August to September, she and a few ITE students were placed in small groups with mentors. 

Puar had joined Career Connect to find out more about the career pathways available, gain insight from working professionals and build her network. 

“I felt like I was very scared of my future,” she said. “I was afraid of choosing the wrong job or career, and wanted to have the right mindset on what to do.”

By the end of the programme, Puar felt more secure about her future. After graduation, she is keen to study fashion design at a polytechnic and start her own clothing business.

Another participant was Firmansyah Rohaizat, a first-year ITE student studying retail and online business. He currently juggles his studies, a part-time job at Uniqlo and his own home-based barbering business along with Student Council duties. 

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Firman joined the programme to find out more about workplace skills. From his mentors, he learned “valuable skills” and practical guidance that he can apply to his current work and study situation.

He said: “My mentor taught me how to prioritise and manage the important things. He said that when it comes to decision-making, sacrifice is needed. From taking his advice, I’ve learnt how to manage my time well.

“I feel more aware and organised from this programme because it taught me time management and presentation skills.”

Career Connect

Phua and Firman were part of the more than 45 ITE students who participated in Career Connect 2026, along with nearly 30 JPMorgan Chase mentor volunteers. 

Career Connect is the bank’s signature global philanthropy programme that helps youths build the confidence and skills they need to smoothly transition from education to employment.

JPMorgan Chase said: “Through workshops, mentoring and career conversations, students gain practical insights into workplace culture, professional expectations, career pathways and the skills employers value, while hearing authentic stories and lessons from employees’ own career journeys.”

For the first time, Career Connect this year targeted 17 to 19-year-olds, particularly those lacking access to professional networks and resources.

“Career Connect has evolved alongside changing community needs. Earlier editions focused on building career awareness among younger students, while the current programme is designed to provide more targeted support for students who are closer to making important education and career decisions,” it added.

The bank partnered Halogen for this year’s edition. As a non-profit that focuses on supporting young people, Halogen helped to shape the programme’s objectives, design and delivery.

Ivy Tse, CEO of Halogen, said: “This partnership with JPMorgan is part of our vertical of looking at school-to-work transitions, and how to support young people in getting more access to networks and content. Sometimes, a lot of young people in Singapore face a lot of anxiety when it comes to navigating school-to-work.”

Sharing practical skills and guidance

JPMorgan Chase noted that a distinctive feature of Career Connect is the opportunity for students to learn from the bank’s professionals.

One mentor, Kristof Trautwein from JPMorgan Private Bank’s international transformation office, said: “Mentoring undoubtedly helps people develop and succeed – but many young talents may lack access to professional guidance and networks.”

Another mentor, Tan Chiew Sze, asset and wealth management talent adviser at JPMorgan, said Career Connect also helped the students see that the challenges they face are “part and parcel of life”. 

“We want their experiences with Career Connect to encourage them in their studies and beyond, and give them the confidence they need when it comes to assignments and interviews for internships,” she added.

Both mentors noted that they observed their mentees gained more confidence and became more willing to share ideas, ask questions and engage in discussions.

“Personally, Career Connect has helped me grow too,” said Tan. “It has demonstrated how important it is to listen, communicate clearly, and think about how to guide and encourage others using different methods.”