NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) and TikTok have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to officially launch their partnership to help 1,500 micro-businesses and freelancers in Singapore to connect with audiences through engaging social media content creation and trends via a platform like TikTok to drive business over the next three years.
The outreach of the programmes, which will be driven by NTUC LHUB, will focus on the growing pool of Self-Employed Persons (SEPs), including freelancers and small business owners in Singapore.
Against the backdrop of the positive economic outlook, SEPs would stand to benefit by creating engaging social media content that successfully creates awareness and demand for their services and offerings.
The MOU, which was signed by Anthony Chew, Director of Infocomm Technology (ICT) at NTUC LHUB and David Jay Gomez, Head of Brand Partnerships, SEA, at TikTok, signifies the mutual commitment of both TikTok and NTUC LHUB to deliver quality training and resources in social media marketing and content creation.
As more small businesses turn to digital platforms to reach new audiences, many are leveraging new age platforms to increase brand awareness and extend their business reach.
To boost outreach efforts, NTUC LHUB will leverage its strong network within the Labour Movement and its associations such as the Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit (U FSE), Singapore National Co-Operative Federation (SNCF) and Young NTUC.
In addition, as part of the initiative, NTUC LHUB will work closely with TikTok to develop a suite of courses that empower content creators to grow their brand presence on social media platforms.
As a start, NTUC LHUB will begin running the TikTok-endorsed ‘Design Thinking for Social Media’ course in March 2022, which has already received strong interest from content creators. The two-day course leverages design thinking concepts for social media content creation.
Furthermore, the collaboration will translate into training courses that are applicable to all workers in due course.
Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents can enjoy 50% off the course fees, and are eligible for the utilisation of SkillsFuture credit and Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA).
Commenting on the partnership, ICT Director at NTUC LHUB, Anthony Chew says, “We are thrilled to be partnering TikTok to empower Self-Employed Persons (SEPs) to navigate and keep pace with the rapidly changing social media landscape in order to create new business and employment opportunities.
“As TikTok grows in popularity in Singapore, many businesses, especially micro-businesses and freelancers have benefitted from the exposure that the platform brings because of the virality of some of their engaging and on-trend content.”
TikTok’s Head of Brand Partnerships for SEA, David Jay Gomez, says, “In Singapore, we have seen businesses on TikTok enjoy success as they fully embrace the creativity and authenticity of our platform to engage new audiences. Through our partnership with NTUC LearningHub, we look forward to empowering more micro-businesses and freelancers to drive their business and Singapore’s digital economy forward.”
Jean See, Director of NTUC Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit (U FSE) said, “U FSE and our associations are focused on enhancing work prospects for our members in freelancing and self-employment. The fast-changing landscape demands that our members continually scan and make sense of their clients’ evolving needs.
“Hence, the course focus on design thinking and social media content creation is relevant to freelancers and micro-businesses keen to become more adapt and savvier in customer needs-discovery and product and service development.”
