JFDI.Asia and Glints fellowship gives youth hands-on entrepreneurial education

• Targeted at tertiary students in Singapore, also open to overseas students
• Combines experiential learning with internship in a real startup

THE Joyful Frog Digital Incubator (JFDI.Asia) and Glints have launched the JFDI Fellowship to offer young people hands-on entrepreneurship experience.
 
It is targeted at tertiary students in Singapore, but is also open to overseas students who are keen to learn more about Asia’s entrepreneurship ecosystem first-hand.
 
The JFDI Fellowship combines experiential learning about disciplined startup methods from JFDI.Asia’s Discover programme with an internship in a real startup, facilitated by Glints, the two said in a statement.
 
Glints, a JFDI.Asia alumnus, is a career-discovery and development platform connecting companies with young talent.
 
Young people joining the JFDI Fellowship programme will learn both the theory and the practice of entrepreneurship in a rapid experience, JFDI.Asia said.
 
The first step is the JFDI Discover programme, which they can begin anywhere in the world, even alongside their study overseas, before they spend time in an active role with a real startup company in Singapore.
 
After this, the Fellows will engage in a three-month internship with one of the JFDI.Asia startups.
 
“As young people ourselves, with no startup experience at first, we found the combination of JFDI.Asia’s curriculum and community very effective in getting us up to speed,” said Glints cofounder Looi Qin En (above pic, middle).
 
“Our ambition now is that the Fellowship shares the same benefits with many more young people. Some JFDI Fellows will no doubt confirm their desire to start a business while others may find that startup life is not for them at this time.
 
“Either way, it’s a good outcome,” he added.
 
Specific tools and techniques that JFDI Fellows will learn include Lean Innovation and Objectives and Key results.
 
JFDI Fellows will be able to demonstrate their proficiency in these skills through certificates and skill badges on their Glints profiles and résumés, helping them to stand out from peers who have only a university degree, JFDI.Asia declared.
 
“Employers tell us that entrepreneurial skills and insights will be useful in any career,” said JFDI.Asia chief executive officer Hugh Mason.
 
“Skills badges are not just a recognition of the student’s proficiency, but also an effective way for future employers to shortlist candidates who can bring something more than a standard education to the workforce,” he added.
 
The second part of the programme is an internship. Upon successfully completing the JFDI Discover programme, potential Fellows will be interviewed by JFDI.Asia’s portfolio of startups. Selected candidates will then be offered an internship opportunity at the startup with job scopes that range from marketing and product management to engineering and design.
 
This experience allows Fellows to understand the inner workings of a startup and prepares them for the challenges and skills required to build a successful company, JFDI.Asia said.
 
Startups on board the programme are ready to hire through the Fellowship’s targeted pool of pre-qualified talents. Each applicant will undergo a rigorous evaluation before gaining access to the internships and job opportunities.
 
The Fellowship is only awarded upon the offer of an internship opportunity by the startup.
 
Other startups keen to hire Fellows through the JFDI Fellowship should have a connection to the JFDI.Asia community.
 
“We are keen to work together with startups from the JFDI accelerator programme, alumni, mentors and investors, and deliver an exceptional customised hiring process that is efficient for the founders, so that they can focus on what’s most important,” said Looi.
 
The Fellowship is now accepting applications at http://fellows.jfdi.asia with the first programme starting in January 2015.
 
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