SG Career Search

AT LEAST 45,000 new jobs will be up for grabs in the next two years, with many of them suitable for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).
In giving the update yesterday, Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong also listed where they are to be found.

But he had a word of advice for jobless PMETs: Be flexible and go for training to get the right skills for jobs in new industries.

Mr Gan was replying to MPs Irene Ng (Tampines GRC), Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC), Zaqy Mohamad (Hong Kah GRC) and Penny Low (Pasir Ris-

Punggol GRC), who had highlighted their plight.

He told the House the two integrated resorts will create more than 20,000 jobs and the public sector, 18,000.

Also, new investments will create 6,000 jobs, including about 1,200 in clean technology and about 900 in biomedical sciences.

The opening of new malls and hotels will produce jobs in the retail sector, and food and beverage, as well as hospitality, while others are to be found in construction, security, interactive digital media and childcare.

Separately, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan listed about 2,000 jobs in the childcare sector and 2,500 in social services over the next five years.

However, many of the jobs seem to elude PMETs, said MPs like Mr Lim.

'We've been hearing there are jobs available again and again, but I think the real situation out there is that for those who are unemployed, they just find it very hard to find a job.'

But a longer search is inevitable during an economic slowdown, said Mr Gan.

They also need to be trained for new jobs because many have held the same job for many years, he said, adding: 'If (they) are more flexible...I think we will be able to help them find jobs faster.'

PMETs form 37per cent (or 6,200) of workers who were laid off or had their contracts terminated prematurely last year, up from 31per cent a year earlier.

However, by the end of last month, about 5,200 of them had, on their own, signed up for courses under the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience, or Spur, which pays 90per cent of the fees.

Beyond training, Mr Gan urged PMETs to seek help from career counsellors at the five Community Development Councils islandwide and the Employment and Employability Institute in Redhill Road.

The issue of foreign workers was raised by labour MPs Josephine Teo (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) and Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC), and Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong. They want the foreign manpower policy reviewed, with an eye on tightening it.

Mr Gan said his ministry had reviewed the criteria for semi- skilled S-Pass holders and skilled work permit holders. He foresees their numbers falling as the recession reduces demand for workers.

Madam Halimah suggested reviewing the education criteria of such workers for non-export-led sectors like restaurants.

But Mr Gan was against such micro-managing of businesses. It could lead to 'a lot of abuse, a lot of leakage between the different businesses, as companies are not so well-defined', he said.

By Goh Chin Lian