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http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_350436.html
1,200 clean technology jobs
By Jessica Cheam
The burgeoning number of research and development centres and start-up firms in the sector are also aggressively hiring. -- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN
AS MANY as 1,200 jobs will be up for grabs this year in an emerging sector that's still hotting up despite the recession: clean technology.
The Economic Development Board (EDB) said the jobs will come from foreign firms which have invested locally and are now hiring.
As well, the burgeoning number of research and development centres and start-up firms in the sector are also aggressively hiring, EDB's director of cleantech Goh Chee Kiong told The Straits Times this week.
Clean technology - 'cleantech' for short - broadly refers to eco-friendly technologies and solutions such as clean energy, environmental or water technology.
The industry is one of the fastest growing in the world, with investments rising from $148.4 billion in 2007 to $155.4 billion in 2008 in spite of the global financial crisis, said research firm New Energy Finance.
The EDB recognises the sector as an opportunity for Singapore to diversify its economy and recently put its cash behind cleantech.
The EDB expects the industry to contribute $1.7 billion to Singapore's gross domestic product come 2015, providing 18,000 jobs - 11,000 from the environment and water space, and 7,000 from the clean energy industry, said Mr Goh.
He cites examples of such 'green collar jobs' - these include membrane specialists working in the water industry, engineers in the solar sector, systems integrators who wire solar panels to buildings, suppliers who supply sustainable building material and those in energy management.
Even the finance sector is benefiting with the growth of cleantech funds and business trusts in environmental technology, he said.
The EDB continues to woo major international firms to relocate here and will announce some deals in the year to come, said Mr Goh.
1,200 clean technology jobs
By Jessica Cheam
The burgeoning number of research and development centres and start-up firms in the sector are also aggressively hiring. -- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN
AS MANY as 1,200 jobs will be up for grabs this year in an emerging sector that's still hotting up despite the recession: clean technology.
The Economic Development Board (EDB) said the jobs will come from foreign firms which have invested locally and are now hiring.
As well, the burgeoning number of research and development centres and start-up firms in the sector are also aggressively hiring, EDB's director of cleantech Goh Chee Kiong told The Straits Times this week.
Clean technology - 'cleantech' for short - broadly refers to eco-friendly technologies and solutions such as clean energy, environmental or water technology.
The industry is one of the fastest growing in the world, with investments rising from $148.4 billion in 2007 to $155.4 billion in 2008 in spite of the global financial crisis, said research firm New Energy Finance.
The EDB recognises the sector as an opportunity for Singapore to diversify its economy and recently put its cash behind cleantech.
The EDB expects the industry to contribute $1.7 billion to Singapore's gross domestic product come 2015, providing 18,000 jobs - 11,000 from the environment and water space, and 7,000 from the clean energy industry, said Mr Goh.
He cites examples of such 'green collar jobs' - these include membrane specialists working in the water industry, engineers in the solar sector, systems integrators who wire solar panels to buildings, suppliers who supply sustainable building material and those in energy management.
Even the finance sector is benefiting with the growth of cleantech funds and business trusts in environmental technology, he said.
The EDB continues to woo major international firms to relocate here and will announce some deals in the year to come, said Mr Goh.
