Online florist BloomThis launched Jobs For Community early this month, to provide training to women through a three-month paid apprenticeship programme.
With Pertubuhan Pembangunan Kendiri Wanita dan Gadis (Women:girls) as its partner, the company hopes to not only provide job opportunities, but also increase employability of its participants by providing them an opportunity to learn necessary skills in the industry such as floral and gift handcrafting as well as logistics and operations.
This initiative targets women between the ages of 18 and 40 years old.
Founder and managing director Penny Choo says the company wants to improve the lives of those in need. "We want to encourage them to achieve a better social and economic standing through upskilling efforts,"
"We want BloomThis to be a homegrown brand who would invest heavily in forming partnerships with organisations and individuals to empower the local community by providing them with tools and access to appropriate living skills," she says.
Women:girls executive director Izza Izelan says there is a need for a structured programme to help build the career journey for women through mentoring and learning on the field.
"Through Jobs for Community, we see an opportunity to help future-proof the apprentices' careers and change the trajectory of their lives for the better."
During the programme, participants will undergo training that will equip them with the necessary skills to secure jobs in the industry. For more information, e-mail hr@bloomthis.co or media@womengirls.org.