25% of unemployed are uni grads

[MarrickG]

DESPITE signs of a turnaround in the job market, university graduates are no better off.

In fact, more of them are without jobs and taking longer to land a job, according to revised official figures released yesterday.

Part of the reason is that they often tend to seek jobs that pay close to what they used to earn, said MP Josephine Teo, who is also assistant secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress.

However, economists interviewed foresee their lot improving in the new year, when growth is expected to hit 5.5 per cent, according to a recent poll of 20 private-sector economists by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Meanwhile, the labour market in the third quarter, following Singapore's exit from recession, shows 'encouraging signs of a turnaround', said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

The revised figures show more jobs were added, fewer people were laid off and there were more vacancies between June and September.

In all, employment grew by 14,000, offsetting the 13,900 jobs lost in the first half of this year. Still, the resident unemployment rate among Singaporeans and permanent residents hit 5 per cent, a five-year high.

Also, more residents, regardless of their education level, are taking beyond six months to get a job.

Known technically as the long-term unemployed, their numbers have doubled, from 9,600 in the third quarter last year to 18,400 in September this year.

Worst off are university graduates. Their numbers have swelled from 1,600 to 4,700, which works out to one in four of these unemployeds.

It is the same story in other areas.

Degree-holders form more than one-third of workers made redundant, either retrenched or released prematurely from their contracts. They form 36 per cent of the 2,470 workers made redundant, although they make up only 27 per cent of Singapore's workforce of two million.

It is a similar situation with the re-hiring of laid-off residents. Though this re-employment rate rose for workers at all educational levels, the rate for graduates remains the lowest, at 44.4 per cent.

It was the same case in the second quarter, when it was 39.3 per cent.

MP Josephine Teo said graduates tend to hold jobs, such as supervisors, which are the first to be chopped in a downturn.

She also said retrenched graduates typically take longer to find jobs because they have savings to fall back on and look for work that pays almost as much as their previous job.

Graduate Chris Lim seems to fit the mould. The 31-year-old has been jobless since she quit her marketing job in a bank in June last year. She had wanted a similar job in the service industry but the economic crisis has made it tough.

Said the business administration graduate: 'I've had a few job offers but I rejected them because they weren't suitable. I'm not super desperate because I have some savings.'

She is working part-time as a receptionist and is hopeful because headhunters are calling her more often now.

MOM, in its statement, said organisations and jobseekers should not be discouraged by the slight rise in the unemployment rate to 3.4 per cent, from 3.3 per cent in the first two quarters. It also pointed out the 5 per cent resident unemployment rate is below the record 6.2 per cent in 2003 during the Sars outbreak.

Economists say the peculiar situation of jobs growth coupled with high unemployment is a result of more residents entering the job market as the economy improves.

Singapore, which came out of recession at the end of June, grew by 14.2 per cent in the third quarter,

Also, the rise in the unemployment rate could be due to a mismatch between skills and jobs.

Economist Tan Khee Giap expects the resident jobless rate to fall by next June.

But there is a need to shorten the time the jobless take to find work, he added.

Ms Heather Chua of hiring firm Kelly Services noted that 50 per cent of residents retrenched in the second quarter found work in the third quarter.

'This is a strong indication more companies are positioning themselves to prepare for the nascent recovery,' she said.

However, MOM's Minister of State Lee Yi Shyan, noted that the unemployment rate is likely to stay up for some time as employers remain cautious about the pace and sustainability of recovery.

He said: 'The Government remains focused on job creation and training, while those who are unemployed are encouraged to retrain and re-skill so that they can find a job as quickly as possible.'

 

[HellAngel]

Sinkie papers always find one or two idiots who give stupid comments and paint it as if all Sinkies are like tat. With this kind of impression on Sinkies, who you think the employers will hire? Sinkies or FT?

Graduate Chris Lim seems to fit the mould. The 31-year-old has been jobless since she quit her marketing job in a bank in June last year. She had wanted a similar job in the service industry but the economic crisis has made it tough.

Said the business administration graduate: 'I've had a few job offers but I rejected them because they weren't suitable. I'm not super desperate because I have some savings.'

 

[Naturefarm2]

Well, i had interviewed a few and all of them is contented with looking around and asking for a range of $2.2-2.5K. They are fresh grad!!!

 

[shOUTloud]

Sinkie papers always find one or two idiots who give stupid comments and paint it as if all Sinkies are like tat. With this kind of impression on Sinkies, who you think the employers will hire? Sinkies or FT?

But she is not sitting at home shaking her leg. She is working as a receptionist while waiting for the right job. I think she has the right attitude. Stick to her career choice and not be lazy.

 

[tonychat]

Sinkie papers always find one or two idiots who give stupid comments and paint it as if all Sinkies are like tat. With this kind of impression on Sinkies, who you think the employers will hire? Sinkies or FT?

I think you have underestimate the sinkieness of your govt. Do you seriously think they go and waste time to find someone to reply?

That is sinkieTimes, remember that.

But i never underestimate the stupidity of sinkies.

 

[TNP(Tua Neh Pau)]

I prefer FT as they have less attitude than Sinkies. Easier to exploit them to do more for the company since they have no family here and know little about MOM rules. Of course, they are also easier to get close to.

 

[HellAngel]

It is better to gain relevant experience early so as to be ahead of her cohorts.

But she is not sitting at home shaking her leg. She is working as a receptionist while waiting for the right job. I think she has the right attitude. Stick to her career choice and not be lazy.

 

[yellow_people]

Sinkie papers always find one or two idiots who give stupid comments and paint it as if all Sinkies are like tat. With this kind of impression on Sinkies, who you think the employers will hire? Sinkies or FT?

I agree with your comments. The local fresh graduates are divorced from reality and are often perceived by employers as arrogant and lacking interpersonal skills. Back in 2006/07 I used to receive a few calls/emails from fresh grads in response to ads I've put in the papers or online. The phone interview often begins this way - “Eh so where is your company located?” When I informed them it is in the West, they are either dismissive or hang-up abruptly. Else they would start by asking how much the pay is and expect $2.7k to $3k per month excluding transport allowances. It is no different today except I get more responses from these fresh grads desperate for jobs but not willing to budge. It never occurs to these grads to show their value and what they can potentially contribute. Also all of these fresh grads I have encountered insist on a 5 day work week as well.

A good example would be Chris Lim. She would rather slack on a receptionist desk, answer the occasional phone call, doing her nails and surfing the Internet while waiting for the right job to come along.

The poly grads are more grounded and their expectations aligned with economic conditions. As the article states accurately they all possess skills that are more practical and less demanding. The FTs on the other hand express humility and are hungrier, aggressive, willing to prove themselves and are happy to work overtime for reasonable remuneration. Local grads ask what the company can contribute towards them; not what they can contribute to the company.

As evident from the statistics, local grads are ruining their own employability. I have suggested to the local universities when they call for job placements for IA that their students would be better off spending a module or two teaching local undergrads some basic lessons such as the virtues of hard work, humility and being realistic. No point in sending me a dud regardless of how low the allowance can be. Local grads are sorely lacking in these areas. A reality check is long overdue.

 

[Ash007]

Its interesting you mention that when you mentioned that its in the West the local grads becomes dismissive or hang-up. They are indeed divorced from reality. Singapore is a very very small country compared to a lot of places. There is no reason why they can't travel to any parts of Singapore and work.

I'm curious if you have have any experiences when hiring overseas grads? Are they just as dismissive as the local grads? I know that most MNCs prefer to hire overseas grads, skills, attitude are among the many reasons. I wonder if the university culture here is instilling this dismissive attitude among the local grads.

I agree with your comments. The local fresh graduates are divorced from reality and are often perceived by employers as arrogant and lacking interpersonal skills. Back in 2006/07 I used to receive a few calls/emails from fresh grads in response to ads I've put in the papers or online. The phone interview often begins this way - “Eh so where is your company located?” When I informed them it is in the West, they are either dismissive or hang-up abruptly. Else they would start by asking how much the pay is and expect $2.7k to $3k per month excluding transport allowances. It is no different today except I get more responses from these fresh grads desperate for jobs but not willing to budge. It never occurs to these grads to show their value and what they can potentially contribute. Also all of these fresh grads I have encountered insist on a 5 day work week as well.

A good example would be Chris Lim. She would rather slack on a receptionist desk, answer the occasional phone call, doing her nails and surfing the Internet while waiting for the right job to come along.

The poly grads are more grounded and their expectations aligned with economic conditions. As the article states accurately they all possess skills that are more practical and less demanding. The FTs on the other hand express humility and are hungrier, aggressive, willing to prove themselves and are happy to work overtime for reasonable remuneration. Local grads ask what the company can contribute towards them; not what they can contribute to the company.

As evident from the statistics, local grads are ruining their own employability. I have suggested to the local universities when they call for job placements for IA that their students would be better off spending a module or two teaching local undergrads some basic lessons such as the virtues of hard work, humility and being realistic. No point in sending me a dud regardless of how low the allowance can be. Local grads are sorely lacking in these areas. A reality check is long overdue.

 

[yellow_people]

Its interesting you mention that when you mentioned that its in the West the local grads becomes dismissive or hang-up. They are indeed divorced from reality. Singapore is a very very small country compared to a lot of places. There is no reason why they can't travel to any parts of Singapore and work.

I'm curious if you have have any experiences when hiring overseas grads? Are they just as dismissive as the local grads? I know that most MNCs prefer to hire overseas grads, skills, attitude are among the many reasons. I wonder if the university culture here is instilling this dismissive attitude among the local grads.

When i talk about overseas grads I am not talking about ivy league, scholars or elites. Just want to be clear on that.

An overseas grad in general has a couple of advantages over the local grad :

1.The overseas grad is hardened by living in a new surrounding, culture, dealing with discrimination and having to fend for themselves. Cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, etc.. I know it sounds like a chore but you'll be amazed how many of the local undergrad are clueless and still have their parents cleaning up after them. Overseas grads by and large have to look out for themselves and that in itself changes their perception about life. So a distinct advantage right there.

2.Type of education. The tertiary education overseas is more practical based and has a far greater degree of specialization much like the polytechnics and unlike the local universities. That produces grads who are able to think on their feet and adapt. The higher degree of specialization also makes them more marketable compared to local fresh grads. Most of the overseas grads do job stints during the summer vacation and given the better opportunities aboard that's an invaluable bonus on their resumes.

I've hired a couple of overseas engineering grads for process and design. I find them to have lower initial expectation than the local grad, better team players and more value-add employees.

You are right, the university culture is responsible for the dismissive and high handed attitude displayed by the local grads. I am not going to go into what's wrong with the education system suffice to say this – its a paper chase with streaming and all about grades. After the struggle and pressure the creme de la creme, the top 15 or 20% of the cohorts that make it to the local universities, feel they are the best out there. That is where the arrogance and petulance stems from even though they have little or no practical skills. These are what I label “Paper Tigers”.

 

[angry_one]

Don't be so dismissive of 'local grads'. It hints that you're a slave-driving employer, or someone who couldn't even get a local degree and thus reveling in their misery. It's true that there are always bad sheep in every social strata, but many employers have to ask themselves, what are they offering to get good talent?

Do employers really think they can get top-notch talent who won't complain about the hard work and low pay? Try offering the position to Ivy League grads. Most won't even touch down in Singapore! The only ones who are happy to be here are 3rd-world workers!

The labour laws are already skewed in favour of employers, and many even commit human rights abuses. I say it's employers who are spoilt, not just 'local grads'.

 

[yellow_people]

Don't be so dismissive of 'local grads'. It hints that you're a slave-driving employer, or someone who couldn't even get a local degree and thus reveling in their misery. It's true that there are always bad sheep in every social strata, but many employers have to ask themselves, what are they offering to get good talent?

Do employers really think they can get top-notch talent who won't complain about the hard work and low pay? Try offering the position to Ivy League grads. Most won't even touch down in Singapore! The only ones who are happy to be here are 3rd-world workers!

The labour laws are already skewed in favour of employers, and many even commit human rights abuses. I say it's employers who are spoilt, not just 'local grads'.

I graduated from NUS in 1991 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I've seen for myself the penchant for local undergrads to plagiarise and take short cuts in assignments by submitting past students lab reports as their own. The attitude is get a degree and get a high paying job. Given the discriminatory practices I encountered whilst working in SG, I took an assignment nobody wanted with an MNC based in Hanoi 2 years later and returned to kick start my own operations in 1999.

I've already excluded Ivy league grads and elites as they are not in my league and most of them already have their career paths mapped out for them. They are not the ones complaining either.

Given the global nature of business you can find talents everywhere. The PAP govt understands this very well. Its either take in the talents, cheap or otherwise, or MNCs (like Seagate) relocate their operations while letting SMEs bleed to death with all around massive unemployment.

Labor laws are not my concern. If Singaporeans have been duped into surrendering their rights for future promises that turned out to be a mirage that's just too bad. They deserve it. The more skewed the laws are in my favor the better off I am. I have more free time these days rather than having to deal with employee disputes. The last thing I need is a disgruntled employee taking me to a tribunal to air grievances like they do in Sydney or London.

Singaporeans should have though long and hard about the kind of society they wanted long ago. No point blaming employers. Employers are in it for the profit. If you want handouts head to the nearest charity organization.

 

[zuoom]

so, if 25% of unemployed are uni grads... what are they doing now?

 

[cooleo]

so, if 25% of unemployed are uni grads... what are they doing now?

Pls stroll along Tanjong Pagar around the Anti-U-See entrance. You will see some SuckHub promoters distributing leaflets.

 

[Cestbon]

so, if 25% of unemployed are uni grads... what are they doing now?

Most not need to work because they come from rich family, some work as part time , telemarketing, insurance agent/fund manager. Many set up small stall.

 

[Screwball]

so, if 25% of unemployed are uni grads... what are they doing now?

Is it mere coincidence we are seeing more graduate patients here in IMH?

 

[fox_hound_33]

The prime reason for the apathetic attitude of local grads is the decadent path Singapore's society is on. Singapore is turning into one of
those "financial centers" where the one and the only one motive is to make tons of money in the easiest and fastest manner. How many times have you heard the phrase "make millions by 30 and retire". I have heard it so many times that it feels banal. You don't see newspapers here
espousing hard and diligent work. Have you ever encountered articles reporting hard working people working towards a passion? I haven't. The
only articles you will find is of some stupid dude who played the stock market and managed to buy a Ferrari by 30 years age. or you will find
an article of that fresh banking grad who has secured a monthly $10,000 salary. oh and don't forget the myriad of ads that teach you to retire by 30.

Whatever happened to the tradition ethics of making a living...like passion, hard work, team work, cooperation, responsibility, commitment etc? Or traditional values of life like austerity, altruism? Most just want the 5 Cs(or is it 7 now?) via the least path of resistance.

Condo living, water front living, holidaying around the world every 6 months, buying up the latest gadgets, fine dining and wining, driving that snazzy car, having that hot sexy chick/dude in your arms and strolling around orchard road (and soon the IRs and casino) is what is being exhorted by the society.

Parents too are guilty of encouraging this apathetic attitudes in their kids. Little do they realize that their precious little "price" or "princess" has no credible chance of competing with "paupers" in the real world.

Frankly i don't see how Singapore is going to compete in the world in the next decade. With India and china (and plenty of other countries)
rising, this pathetic and nonchalance attitude of the Singapore grad (and the whole population in general) wont take Singapore too far.

 

[Boliao]

I hire 3 staff in China.. all of them had degrees from famous Bejing Qinghua and two of them had MBA.. one in finance and the other in international business.

All of them cost 1/4 of hiring a fresh graduate from Singapore NUS... go figure.

 

[Ash007]

Its not only in NUS that you will see sinkies plagiarising and taking short cuts in assignments by submitting past lab reports. I graduated from UNSW, you see that happening here as well. Over here, most of the assignment are not the same every year. The system here are diligent enough to change it every year. You will see sinkies scrambling to find people to let them copy the last day before assignment is due.

I graduated from NUS in 1991 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I've seen for myself the penchant for local undergrads to plagiarise and take short cuts in assignments by submitting past students lab reports as their own. The attitude is get a degree and get a high paying job. Given the discriminatory practices I encountered whilst working in SG, I took an assignment nobody wanted with an MNC based in Hanoi 2 years later and returned to kick start my own operations in 1999.

I've already excluded Ivy league grads and elites as they are not in my league and most of them already have their career paths mapped out for them. They are not the ones complaining either.

Given the global nature of business you can find talents everywhere. The PAP govt understands this very well. Its either take in the talents, cheap or otherwise, or MNCs (like Seagate) relocate their operations while letting SMEs bleed to death with all around massive unemployment.

Labor laws are not my concern. If Singaporeans have been duped into surrendering their rights for future promises that turned out to be a mirage that's just too bad. They deserve it. The more skewed the laws are in my favor the better off I am. I have more free time these days rather than having to deal with employee disputes. The last thing I need is a disgruntled employee taking me to a tribunal to air grievances like they do in Sydney or London.

Singaporeans should have though long and hard about the kind of society they wanted long ago. No point blaming employers. Employers are in it for the profit. If you want handouts head to the nearest charity organization.

 

[SickSinkies]

very good !

cheaper better faster !