Category: Singapore News

It’s Official! Ed Sheeren Is Bringing His Divide Tour To Singapore And Tickets Are On Sale 11 May

THIS IS NOT A DRILL!

Ed Sheeran’s tour dates for Singapore have finally been announced! Mark your calendars because our favourite ginger crooner will be in Singapore on November 11 to perform all your favourite songs from his latest album, ‘Divide’.

This time, he will be performing at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, a much larger venue than 2015’s The Star Theatre.

Tickets will be priced from $108 to $248.

Prepare to camp at your computers because tickets will be going on sale on May 11 at 10am at Sports Hub Tix. Take note that each patron will be restricted to only 4 tickets per transaction.

Also read Pay As Little As 90 Cents For Your Uber Rides – There’s Just One Tiny Catch

Pay As Little As 90 Cents For Your Uber Rides – There’s Just One Tiny Catch

With ride-hailing services just a tap on the phone away, Uber-ing or Grab-ing has become a bad habit for many of us–especially those of us who are constantly broke.

If you can’t beat the habit, keeping a lookout for promos is the way to go! Throughout the month of May, Uber has a pretty sweet deal that will have you spending as little as 90 cents on your ride.

Uber x Apple Pay 

For the month of May, receive a cashback of up to $9.10 off your FIRST Uber ride of the day. The only catch is you’ll have to charge your Uber ride to Apple Pay with a POSB/DBS card.

If you have yet to set up your Uber account (where have you been?!), here’s how you can do it:

1. Set up Apple Pay on your device and link it to your POSB/DBS card
2. When booking your ride, select Apple Pay as your payment method.
3. Pay for the full fare of your ride first, and receive the discount to your POSB/DBS account in the form of cashback!

If you’re a habitual Uber user like we are and also own an Apple phone, why not save a whole lot of money this month by hooking up Apple Pay to you Uber account? We know how we’ll be getting to work the rest of the month!

Also, read 10 Must-Try Events And Eats For An Out Of This World May [1-15 May]

5 Harsh Realities Of Working In S’pore You Won’t Want To Hear But Should

As students, many of us had these grand visions of what we would do and who we would be when we were older. We sat restlessly in our lecture halls and classrooms, yearning to be done with school and for our lives to finally begin–to get a job, to make money, to have the life that we wanted.

And then we graduated and we realized the real world–the working world–was a lot harsher than it seemed.

Working in Singapore definitely has its downsides, and the sooner you wise up to them, the better you are for it! Here are 5 harsh realities of working in Singapore you may not want to hear, but should definitely take note of!

1. There Is No “Perfect” Job 

Sorry to burst your bubble, but there is no such thing as a “perfect” job. The factors behind a perfect job have been uttered, memorised and taken to heart by many before us. Good pay, strictly 8 – 5, personally meaningful and no stress. The truth is, more often than not, people don’t land their dream jobs, and even then, every job has its own set of challenges.

Our tip? Get a job in the industry you love! It may not necessarily be the perfect job or even the exact role you’ve been eyeing but it’ll get your foot through the door, and that’s what counts! Plus, it’ll get you experience in the field you’re keen to get into!

2. Paper Qualifications Don’t Guarantee You A Top Notch Paying Job 

Gone are the days when a Bachelor’s Degree would guarantee a great paying job in the field of your choosing. While paper qualifications are by no means worthless, hiring managers are more likely to look at your experience and soft skills than the fact that you only got a ‘B-‘ in your second semester.

The “graduate’s pay” you were promised before you stepped out of school is not exactly accurate. The likelihood is you’re going to have to take a pay-cut before you even start your first job!

Our tip? Get experience before you even step out of school. Internships, career fairs and part time jobs will allow you to establish networks even before graduating. Talk to people who have been in the industry for a couple of years. They will tell you the career progression and what’s a decent pay grade to start with!

3. Technology = Working 24/7 

Technology is a double-edged sword, especially in the work place. With the increase in usage of Whatsapp, email notifications on smartphones, and work group chats, your bosses might find that there really is no reason work can’t be done once you clock out.

If your job has demanding hours or your boss and colleagues are workaholics, it can be difficult to completely stop responding to emails and messages once you leave the office.

Our tip? Play it by ear. Your colleagues are just like you. They NEED a few hours to completely relax, so watch how they “side step” and “siam” office issues after the clock strikes 5. If it really bothers you, speak to your colleagues and your boss about what can be done to ensure work doesn’t eat (too much) into life.

4. Office Politics Is Inevitable, But Don’t Get Sucked Into It 

Remember how project work in university used to be the bane of your existence, because it truly brings out the worst traits in people? Who knew project work would actually be the perfect example of how working as a team in the office would be?

You might be stuck with a slacker, a control freak or even a no-show. While it used to be deadlines and grades on the line, what’s at stake now is your job. You’ll meet your fair share of bootlickers and saikang warriors. When promotion period comes around, don’t be surprised when other people’s attitudes make a 180. Scary? YES.

Our tip? Stay above the office gossip which can be so enticing but toxic once you get into it. If your office is prone to bootlickers and the people around you are toxic to work with, it may be best for you to look for a job with a better work culture.

5. Staying Stagnant = Redundancy 

We all know by now that technology is constantly evolving and that tech giants are constantly coming up with new ways to leverage technology to better our way of life. While this means our lives become a whole lot easier (when was the last time you opened a physical map?) it has also rendered a whole lot of jobs redundant.

While we can sit and wait to become victim to job redundancy and the volatile job market, the better (and more proactive) option would be to look out for opportunities to upgrade your job skills. Upgrading your skills would lead you to better job opportunities, pay raises and even job promotions.

Our tip? Look out for opportunities to upgrade your skills like Career fairs by e2i will have you meeting employers and other job seekers, so you can have a more accurate picture of the current job market.

Todo Todo Skills Marketplace 

We can all agree that finding the right job can be tough and climbing the ranks can be even tougher. Many of us millennials have either only been though internships or have just clinched our very first full time job, and are navigating the unfamiliar waters of the working world.

Todo Todo Skills Marketplace, an NTUC & PA collaboration, brings together a one stop access to all that we need – career profiling tools, mentorship, industry minds, HR leaders and job opportunities. Every burning question you’ve had about job prospects and what to expect from the field can be answered at this 2-day career fair.

From networking sessions to talks on how to establish a startup, the Todo Todo Skills Marketplace is the perfect place to pick up advice and tips on landing your dream job or clinching that job promotion you’ve been eyeing.

If you’re a fresh grad looking for a job opportunity or a working millennial, head down to Todo Todo Skills Marketplace! After all, you can never get too much help getting ahead in this competitive job market!

For more information, head to Apple or on Android. With its stylish, user-friendly interface, with everything you need all in one place, it’s the perfect tool to stay ahead of the game!

Todo Todo Skills Marketplace
Address: Our Tampines Hub
Date: 30 April – 1 May
Time: 9am – 8pm

Also read, These 8 Soundbites Will Have You Rethinking About The ‘Future Of Jobs’ In Singapore

*SCAPE Is Hosting An Open-Air Market Of The Future – All You Need For Payment Is Your Phone

If your idea of a perfect weekend involves browsing and exploring markets for cool, unique finds, there’s a new market coming to town you definitely want to check out: The DBS PayLah! X *SCAPE Palooza.

Happening on 5 – 7 May at *SCAPE, this weekend market will see over 100 vendors selling everything from fashion, food to lifestyle products, and more than a few social enterprises will also be there!

Shop the collection of chic, minimalist bags at ThreeOneTwoFive and and Sot n Wable; unusual bites from Risotto Chips; and many, many others!

And if shopping doesn’t do it for you, surely some exciting Virtual Reality games will. Step into the worlds of your favourite video games, as titles including Call of Duty and Star Wars will be available to play through VR headsets!

Singapore’s First Ever QR Code Bazaar

There’s just one thing—at this market, the only currency accepted is digital currency. That is, QR codes and payments made via the DBS PayLah! app!

Essentially, DBS PayLah! is a mobile app that functions as your personal digital wallet. Like a regular wallet, you can send and receive money instantly, but minus the inconvenience of not having enough cash, not having exact change, etc.

If you don’t bank with DBS/POSB, no worries! Non-DBS/POSB customers can also use the app by simply linking it to a local bank account.

This first ever QR Code bazaar is jointly organized by DBS and *SCAPE, in support of Singapore’s move towards becoming a Smart Nation.

Excited to attend? Just be sure to have the DBS PayLah! app downloaded before heading out!

For those new to the app, make sure to download DBS PayLah! and enter the promo code “PAYLAH505”. This will give you S$5 cash credit to spend—and hey, we won’t say no to free money. Just make sure to do it quick because only the first 10,000 new sign-ups will get it. This promo is only valid until 30 May.

So, mark these dates in your calendar! Shop to your heart’s content and experience the convenience and lightness of going cash-free!

Download the DBS PayLah! app on Apple or on Android.

DBS PayLah! X *SCAPE Palooza
Date: 5 – 7 May 2017
Time: 1pm – 9pm
Address: *SCAPE Playspace

Also read This Island-Wide Heritage Trail Will Have You Rediscovering What It Means To Be S’porean

DJs Above & Beyond Will Be In Singapore For One Night Only – Here’s Where They’ll Be Spinning

Listen up party people! Block off this date on your calendars now, because UK’s most adventurous electronic band, Above & Beyond is here to party with you!

Set on 12^th May, Friday, members Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness, and Paavo Siljamäki will be taking over the console at Zouk Singapore.

Besides hitting #1 on the iTunes dance chart in 20 countries, they are the first British DJs to play sold-out shows in the legendary New York’s Madison Square Garden and The Forum in Los Angeles.

To give you an even better idea of how big these DJs are, they’ve ranked within the top 10 of DJ Magazine’s Top 100 DJs Poll for five years in a row now, from 2007.

This is one party you definitely don’t want to miss! If you want a table, book it quick because we expect the crowd to be above and beyond the usual!

Above & Beyond x Zouk Singapore
Address: 3C River Valley Road, The Cannery, Singapore 179022 
Date: 12 May, Friday
Time: Till 3am

Also read These OG Bakeries Have Your Grandma’s Seal Of Approval And Are Still Standing Strong

You Heard Their Stories – Now Millennials Of S’pore Is Going Live So YOU Can Ask The Questions

Millennials get a bad rep.

We’ve been called narcissistic, shallow, entitled, lazy… The list goes on.

Enter Millennials of Singapore, a Facebook page dedicated to shedding light on the varied lives and struggles of millennials in this country.

Sharing deeply personal stories of struggling with mental illness, bearing tattoos in a society where tattoos are associated with gangsters, being pregnant as a teenager, and many more, these millennials are bringing to the fore issues we rarely talk about in conservative Singapore.

Now, the creators of the page hope to take that conversation even further–by taking it live.

Millennials of Singapore will be starting a brand new series called Millennial LIVE, an interactive video format that happens in real time. In this series, familiar faces you may recognize from the page will be taking YOUR questions in a candid, no holds barred session. Feel free to fire away questions you’ve always wanted to ask, but never had the guts to!

Here, there are no stupid questions, only honest ones.

Ultimately, the series hopes to open peoples’ minds and breed understanding among Singaporeans through a series of conversations, spanning a variety of topics.

The first episode of the series will feature DJ, a gay man who shared about his journey to accepting his sexuality. Happening today at 7.30pm, make sure to tune in and ask some questions of your own!

This series will air exclusively on livestreaming app, BeLive, every Wednesday at 7.30pm. Currently, the team has committed to 4 episodes and we’re excited to see what they have in store!

Download the BeLive app on Apple or on Android, and make sure to follow Millennials of Singapore for more updates.

Also read For 2 Days Only, Chinatown Will Become The Ultimate Escape Room – Here’s What You Can Expect

Jay Chou To Return To Singapore In 2018 For Part 2 Of “The Invincible” Tour!

Fans of Jay Chou, the wait is almost over!

The king of Mandopop will be gracing us with his presence (and smooth pipes!) once again on Jan 6, 2018 for “The Invincible” Part 2 concert. Mark the date in your calendars. This is a show you don’t want to miss, especially if you missed out on his sold-out concert last year!

The concert will be happening at Singapore National Stadium, the same place “The Invincible” Jay Chou Concert Tour 2016 was held last year. Ticketing details have not yet been released, so stay tuned for updates!

Also read, 90s Kids, This Nostalgic Video From Butterworks Will Hit You Right In The Feels

(Top Image Credit:

Nothing To Do In Tiny S’pore? This Bank Is Making It Its Mission To Bring More Life Here

Singapore is a lot of great things: a safe country, a technologically advanced nation, a country with THE best food in the world—to us Singaporeans, at least. But a place with plenty of fun, exciting things going on all the time, well… That’s debatable.

A Livelier Local Scene

That being said, things here have come a LONG way over the last couple of years.

One of the key parties to thank for breathing this fresh life into the local scene is—you won’t guess it—DBS bank.

The bank has made it its mission to bring new, unique and exciting experiences to our little red dot, and specifically to the Marina Bay area.

Artbox Singapore 2017

Where: Ultra Park, 1 Bayfront Avenue  
When: 10, 11 June
Entry: Starts at US$163 (S$230.01)

Click here to purchase tickets.

DBS

Marina Regatta

[caption id="attachment_25046" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Artist’s impression of DBS Marina Regatta[/caption]

The DBS Marina Regatta will be returning this year from 1-4 June. Last year, they brought into Singapore South-east Asia’s tallest inflatable water slide—a massive structure that stood at over five storeys tall!

Think that can’t be topped? This year’s highlights are even more amazing!

Dubbed “Singapore’s Biggest Bayfest”, the sixth edition of DBS Marina Regatta will see The Bay receiving a tremendous makeover, transforming into Singapore’s only urban beach.

Come June this year, Bali’s famed Potato Head beach club will bring their beloved Coconut Bar to Singapore for the first time, and with it, their signature coconut cocktails and beers so you can beat the Singapore heat! You can even lounge on hammocks with an icy cold bottle of booze in hand!

To cool off even more, you can challenge yourself—and your friends!—to an epic inflatable water obstacle course! Featuring 9 obstacles of varying difficulties, see if you have what it takes to get from point A to point B.

It looks to be a splashing good time at the DBS Marina Regatta this year, and guess what? This is only the tip of the iceberg!

Where: Promontory @ Marina Bay
When: 1 – 4 June
Entry: Free

Others

This coming August, the Singapore Coffee Festival will be back again and we hear DBS will have a hand in it!

Happening at Marina Bay Cruise Centre, this year’s coffee festival experience will come with a gorgeous waterfront view. While the finer details of the event have not yet been ironed out, we’re guessing (and hoping!) some of our favourite coffee vendors will be there, roasting up a delicious storm.

Watch this space as we will be updating this story as more information comes in!

When: 3 – 6 August 2017
Where: Marina Bay Cruise Centre

Home Is Where The Fun Is

Indeed, Singapore has come such a huge way in such a short time, and we’re definitely not complaining!

From importing overseas concepts like Artbox so we can enjoy them right in our backyards to creating platforms enterprising Singaporeans can use to showcase their wares, DBS has brought a tremendous breath of life into our country.

We can only hope many others will follow suit, bringing so much more fun and life to our home!

Also read, 10 Awesome Activities To Kick Start Your April [1-15 April]

(Top Image Credit:

90s Kids, This Nostalgic Video From Butterworks Will Hit You Right In The Feels

Remember the things you used to do in school as kids? The fun times you had with your friends during recess, the way you would terrorize the teachers, the songs you used to sing in class?

Well, this video by Butterworks will bring ALL those memories back.

The YouTube channel has released yet another heartwarming hit with “想当年 The Songs We Used To Sing“.

The idea of the video is simple enough: guy is selling his guitar, guy reminisces the good times he’s had with his guitar, guy decides, nah, he’s keeping it after all. While reminiscing, the video launches into medley of familiar mandarin tunes many of us know by heart.

One after another, each song triggers its own memories, tempting you to sing along! I won’t say which songs feature in it, because that’ll just ruin the fun. You’ll have to watch it and see listen for yourself!

At the end, the video leaves us with a very simple truth: Some things just cannot be forgotten. We will always have those golden moments.

Also read, Blast From The Past: 7 Nostalgic Old-School Food Spots That Your Grandparents Dined At

These 8 Soundbites Will Have You Rethinking About The ‘Future Of Jobs’ In Singapore

Being a millennial is no easy feat. We have to balance work, play and family all whilst answering life’s toughest question (“what am I doing with my life?!”). Truth of the matter is, most of us have or will go through a quarter-life crisis where we get pretty panic stricken on what we have achieved and where our future lies.

While questions about who we are and if our life is heading in the right direction can be pretty difficult to answer, we picked up some pretty good advice (and a wee bit of fortune telling) when we headed down to the ‘Future Of Jobs Discussion Panel’ earlier in the week.

The session, organised by Young NTUC, was aimed at equipping youth in navigating the job landscape as well as preparing them for the workplace of tomorrow by giving an insight into how it will evolve.

The panel discussion saw Labour chip in on discussions, giving their candid thoughts on how workers need to stay relevant and stay ahead.

Here are some pretty insightful nuggets of wisdom we picked up:

1. “In about 20 years’ time…jobs that are outside of making music or art are going to be computer programs. Everybody else is going to  be pretty much obsolete “
   – Pulkit Jaiswal 

With disruptions abound, the job landscape in Singapore is ever evolving and becoming increasingly tech heavy. It certainly bodes well to mull over future prospects and continually upskill to be able to plug the gaps in the future economy.

If the recent Committee on the Future Economy report is anything to go by, Singapore is looking ahead to chart the next phase of growth and you definitely do not want to get left behind.

2. “Even in very tech-heavy companies…what you really want to see from a good employee…is somebody who can translate high  technology into something that I can understand”
   – MP Desmond Choo

While we can’t argue that jobs in Singapore’s future are going to be more tech heavy, we still have to keep in mind that to climb the ranks at a company you have to establish soft skills.

In his recent Budget Debate speech, Labour MP Desmond Choo quipped that “being nimble and adaptable to change are the names of the new game.” Knowledge can be passed on but honing your soft skills will be what makes you more indispensable to the company.

3. “In my opinion, what is going to take off in the next 10 to 20 years is this thing I call GRAI. Genetics, robotics and AI technology. I believe that these fields will generate the most amount of revenue“
   – Pulkit Jaiswal

No surprises that industries that will likely see a jump in revenue and investment are tech-heavy. With huge leaps in tech advancements such as self-driving cars, we will very likely continue to see tech companies and start-ups breaking new grounds. As Singapore charts the way forward, it is necessary for workers to “keep up” and harness this technology rather than be replaced by it.

4. “As a society that promotes entrepreneurship, we must be able to embrace people who fail ”
   – MP Baey Yam Keng

Aspiring entrepreneurs are a dime a dozen and while it may sound very tempting to start your own company (your own rules and you answer only to yourself!), it takes a variety of skills, a lot of grit and just a bit of luck. A lot of startups often see themselves shutting its doors even before taking off.

Failure isn’t an easy pill to swallow especially in a competitive country like Singapore. While we are becoming increasingly encouraging of innovation and

entrepreneurship, we also have to be mindful to embrace failure as well.

5. “If you’re starting a business… go out of Singapore and work for a startup… When you’re in Singapore… it’s very easy to get trapped solving very specific problems but when you go out… you’ll actually see a spectrum of problems you never thought could generate not only jobs but revenue”
   – Pulkit Jaiswal

“Go forth, see the world, conquer the world” so that we can gain experience and exposure – two attributes that MNCs value. These #wisewords were told to participants of the Future Leaders Summit by NTUC’s Labour Chief Chan Chun Sing who encouraged PMEs to gain exposure and a global perspective through working beyond Singapore’s shores.

Doing stints overseas can help broaden one’s horizons and encourage thinking out of the box, giving you an edge in the corporate world.

6. “Most of the people who are sitting in a very successful place… were at one point looking for opportunities as well…”
   – Pulkit Jaiswal
   

Every successful person you know of from Bill Gates to Jack Ma have failed at one point or another. Successful entrepreneurs too started from the bottom, looking for investors and opportunities.

Having a successful career may seem like a long shot for someone who has just entered the working world. But, keep in mind that everyone starts from the bottom and that it’s normal to struggle to get to the top.

(Which is what makes achievements taste so sweet!)

7. “No young person coming out of school has a network….”
    – MP Desmond Choo 

While one should always be resourceful in trying to tap on your networks when job hunting, many fresh graduates still require a stepping stone into the corporate world.

This was an issue that prompted Young NTUC to kickstart their Youth Career Network programme to help fresh graduates and first jobbers navigate the working world by linking them up with mentors in the field of work they are thinking of pursuing.

8. “All of you out there the young and the not-so-young, go find somebody to talk to, expand your networks, ask questions…and look for mentors”
   – MP Amrin Amin 

While Amrim Amin joked candidly that the “not-so-young” should also expand their networks and look for mentors, there is some truth to this. And the upcoming Source: Nanyang Polytechnic[/caption]

While such sessions give us a look into the crystal ball at how the workplace of the future is shaping up to be, the onus falls on the individual to proactively seek out opportunities to reskill or upskill as well as expand your networks.

Also read, Everything You Need To Know Before You Take That ‘Easy Money’ Freelance Job

This article was written in collaboration with the NTUC.