PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong has set Community Development Councils a new critical task: help job seekers transit into new industries.
He urged them to take on more and deliver assistance to where it is most needed and deserved.
CDCs can also help Singaporeans to be self-reliant, and to get back on their feet as quickly as possible, he said.
Speaking at a mayors' swearing-in ceremony held at the People's Association auditorium on Monday, Mr Lee said: 'Jobseekers often face difficulties, because they lack relevant experience or skills, and must overcome their own mental barriers, that is, they are not 'job ready'.
'So, CDCs must go beyond providing training support and job-matching.'
PM Lee singled out the North West CDC's 'Trial, Train and Transit' programme, which puts jobseekers on work trials to 'ease the transition', as an example of how the CDC can do more to aid workers.
'Such services are vital, because in this recession, some jobs will not come back and we need to train people for new jobs in growing industries,' he added.
He noted some CDCs have also developed programmes to help professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) who are more affected by the current crisis.
North East CDC's Headhunt Programme helps PMETs to network with companies and headhunters, and to get access to PMET vacancies.
In his address, PM Lee said the role of CDCs has evolved to better meet the needs of the community in the last 12 years, by taking over the delivery of social services in 2000 and then employment services in 2001.
'CDCs were progressively given more resources and authority to design and run their own programmes so they could respond quickly to ground needs without bureaucratic tie-downs,' he said.
'Financial assistance used to take up to three months to process. Today, CDCs can respond in as short as two to four weeks,' he noted.
Going forward, PM Lee urged CDCs to focus on three key areas:
- to encourage and enable self-help in the community by continuing to provide platforms for successful Singaporeans to give back to the community.
- to continue to build and exploit links with the community by linking up relevant parties and ensure that the community aid flows smoothly to the right areas.
- continue to strengthen social cohesion by working with grassroots and community partners to strengthen social fabric.
- The Straits Times
Jun 29, 2009
Up for grabs: 300 government jobs
South West Community Development Council on Monday organised a jobfair and networking session, offering 300 jobs in the government sector.
Within the first hour, about 185 people turned up for the fair, which had openings mainly for PMETS - professional, managers, executives and technicians.
Dr Amy Khor, Mayor of South West District, said the number of job seekers approaching the CDC has risen from an average of 359 per month, from Oct 2007 to May 2008, to 696 per month from October last year, to last month.
Out of the 4,500 job seekers in their database, about 1,000 are PMETs.
The CDC, in collaboration with the Singapore Workforce Development Agency has increased the number of thematic mini recruitment exercises, which are more targeted, from three to eight per month, this year.
Today, the CDC also introduced a closed door networking session between selected PMETS and HR personnel from the government agencies.
The CDC said this is to provide job seekers which a chance to meet the HR personnel, and personally hand in their applications.
The CDC even printed name cards for the 36 invited participants.
- The Straits Times
Within the first hour, about 185 people turned up for the fair, which had openings mainly for PMETS - professional, managers, executives and technicians.
Dr Amy Khor, Mayor of South West District, said the number of job seekers approaching the CDC has risen from an average of 359 per month, from Oct 2007 to May 2008, to 696 per month from October last year, to last month.
Out of the 4,500 job seekers in their database, about 1,000 are PMETs.
The CDC, in collaboration with the Singapore Workforce Development Agency has increased the number of thematic mini recruitment exercises, which are more targeted, from three to eight per month, this year.
Today, the CDC also introduced a closed door networking session between selected PMETS and HR personnel from the government agencies.
The CDC said this is to provide job seekers which a chance to meet the HR personnel, and personally hand in their applications.
The CDC even printed name cards for the 36 invited participants.
- The Straits Times
Jun 28, 2009
Fresh grads have it tough
FRESH university graduates will face a tougher search for jobs and lower starting pay this year due to a hiring freeze and retrenchments brought about by the economic downturn.
Although some students have been getting job offers as early as seven months before graduation, the overall mood is downbeat.
While all three local universities - the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore Management University (SMU) - have yet to compile official employment statistics for the class of 2009, they are already preparing their students for the grim prospects.
'These are indeed challenging times, with fewer job opportunities for fresh graduates than in previous years,' said Mrs Ruth Chiang, director of career services at SMU. 'We have advised our graduates to be more realistic in their expectations and cast their nets wider.'
Competition for jobs has also stiffened in line with the contraction in positions available. Fewer employees are participating in career fairs while an increasing number of graduates are taking part, according to Mr Lim Der Shing, chief executive of JobsCentral.com.sg.
The job portal's annual online career fair for graduates saw 50 participating employers compared with 78 last year while student job seekers numbered a record 19,000, up from last year's 16,000.
A recent Ministry of Manpower report suggested that pessimism in the job market appears to have subsided, with a greater number of firms expecting hiring to go up, although the majority still expect employment numbers to fall.
Graduating students are adjusting their expectations accordingly.
'There is some pessimism... some friends are feeling hopeless after going for interview after interview with no results. But generally people have accepted the situation,' said Ms Shahirah Mohd Ansari, a graduating student from NUS.
Fresh graduates have also taken up non-permanent positions while waiting for the economy to pick up.
- The Straits Times
Although some students have been getting job offers as early as seven months before graduation, the overall mood is downbeat.
While all three local universities - the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore Management University (SMU) - have yet to compile official employment statistics for the class of 2009, they are already preparing their students for the grim prospects.
'These are indeed challenging times, with fewer job opportunities for fresh graduates than in previous years,' said Mrs Ruth Chiang, director of career services at SMU. 'We have advised our graduates to be more realistic in their expectations and cast their nets wider.'
Competition for jobs has also stiffened in line with the contraction in positions available. Fewer employees are participating in career fairs while an increasing number of graduates are taking part, according to Mr Lim Der Shing, chief executive of JobsCentral.com.sg.
The job portal's annual online career fair for graduates saw 50 participating employers compared with 78 last year while student job seekers numbered a record 19,000, up from last year's 16,000.
A recent Ministry of Manpower report suggested that pessimism in the job market appears to have subsided, with a greater number of firms expecting hiring to go up, although the majority still expect employment numbers to fall.
Graduating students are adjusting their expectations accordingly.
'There is some pessimism... some friends are feeling hopeless after going for interview after interview with no results. But generally people have accepted the situation,' said Ms Shahirah Mohd Ansari, a graduating student from NUS.
Fresh graduates have also taken up non-permanent positions while waiting for the economy to pick up.
- The Straits Times
Jun 16, 2009
High gear hiring at IRs
EVEN as the Marina Bay hotel tower blocks and Sentosa roller-coaster tracks take shape, the human resources departments of the two integrated resorts have swung into high gear.
The two attractions need a total of 20,000 employees but the number of applications received is several times that.
Marina Bay Sands (MBS) has received 'tens of thousands', and Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS), 'more than 50,000'.
MBS said on Tuesday that so far, it has taken in 200 people in corporate, hotel operations, food and beverage and other areas, and will offer casino positions to over 1,000 workers this week.
The latest hires are all Singaporeans, with eight in 10 between 20 and 40 years old. Nearly two-thirds are men. MBS mounted an aggressive recruitment drive, roping in NTUC's skills-based institute e2i to screen the applications.
Those among the 1,000 who accept the job offer will need to be individually licensed by the Casino Regulatory Authority. After that, they will be put through a three-month in-house training course to turn them into dealers, dealer inspectors and pit supervisors.
About 3,500 casino positions are still available at MBS, including those in areas such as casino finance, player development and surveillance.
Other vacancies in non-gaming departments such as security and hotel operations are also still available.
Suitable candidates will be identified for these positions in the coming weeks and months as the resort builds up its 'pioneer team', said MBS president Nigel Roberts. Construction of the resort is expected to be completed by year's end. Interested parties may apply for the remaining jobs at http://careers.marinabaysands.com.
Recruitment will ramp up in the coming months as the resort is on target to open early next year.
- The Straits Times
The two attractions need a total of 20,000 employees but the number of applications received is several times that.
Marina Bay Sands (MBS) has received 'tens of thousands', and Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS), 'more than 50,000'.
MBS said on Tuesday that so far, it has taken in 200 people in corporate, hotel operations, food and beverage and other areas, and will offer casino positions to over 1,000 workers this week.
The latest hires are all Singaporeans, with eight in 10 between 20 and 40 years old. Nearly two-thirds are men. MBS mounted an aggressive recruitment drive, roping in NTUC's skills-based institute e2i to screen the applications.
Those among the 1,000 who accept the job offer will need to be individually licensed by the Casino Regulatory Authority. After that, they will be put through a three-month in-house training course to turn them into dealers, dealer inspectors and pit supervisors.
About 3,500 casino positions are still available at MBS, including those in areas such as casino finance, player development and surveillance.
Other vacancies in non-gaming departments such as security and hotel operations are also still available.
Suitable candidates will be identified for these positions in the coming weeks and months as the resort builds up its 'pioneer team', said MBS president Nigel Roberts. Construction of the resort is expected to be completed by year's end. Interested parties may apply for the remaining jobs at http://careers.marinabaysands.com.
Recruitment will ramp up in the coming months as the resort is on target to open early next year.
- The Straits Times
Sands hires 1,000 casino staff
THE first 1,000 casino workers have been hired by Marina Bay Sands, the integrated resort announced on Tuesday.
Letters of intent were sent out this week to successful applicants, who are all Singaporeans. About 80 per cent are between 20 and 40 years old, and nearly two-thirds of them are men.
The hiring comes after an aggressive recruitment drive conducted by the integrated resort, which roped in NTUC's skills-based institute e2i to help screen applicants.
The hired Singaporeans will be dealers, dealer inspectors and pit supervisors. There are still about 3,500 positions available for gaming positions, in areas such as casino finance, player development and surveillance.
Marina Bay Sands said it is still welcoming entries for the rest of the vacancies and interested parties can apply at http://careers.marinabaysands.com.
In total, the integrated resort will need about 9,000 workers to staff not only the casino but its other attractions.
The resort, which is still under construction and is expected to complete by end of this year, will feature a hotel, convention and meeting facilities, a skypark and a museum, besides shopping and dining options.
'In the coming weeks and months, we will identify suitable candidates to fill positions across the property, such as security and hotel operations, in order to enable more Singaporeans to be part of the pioneer team in Marina Bay Sands,' said MBS president Nigel Roberts.
The other integrated resort, Resorts World at Sentosa, has also been aggressively recruiting. It announced the hire of its first casino staff in March.
- The Straits Times
Letters of intent were sent out this week to successful applicants, who are all Singaporeans. About 80 per cent are between 20 and 40 years old, and nearly two-thirds of them are men.
The hiring comes after an aggressive recruitment drive conducted by the integrated resort, which roped in NTUC's skills-based institute e2i to help screen applicants.
The hired Singaporeans will be dealers, dealer inspectors and pit supervisors. There are still about 3,500 positions available for gaming positions, in areas such as casino finance, player development and surveillance.
Marina Bay Sands said it is still welcoming entries for the rest of the vacancies and interested parties can apply at http://careers.marinabaysands.com.
In total, the integrated resort will need about 9,000 workers to staff not only the casino but its other attractions.
The resort, which is still under construction and is expected to complete by end of this year, will feature a hotel, convention and meeting facilities, a skypark and a museum, besides shopping and dining options.
'In the coming weeks and months, we will identify suitable candidates to fill positions across the property, such as security and hotel operations, in order to enable more Singaporeans to be part of the pioneer team in Marina Bay Sands,' said MBS president Nigel Roberts.
The other integrated resort, Resorts World at Sentosa, has also been aggressively recruiting. It announced the hire of its first casino staff in March.
- The Straits Times
Jun 15, 2009
Labour market sees 1st quarterly contraction in nearly 6 years
Singapore's labour market saw its first quarterly contraction in nearly six years with total employment falling by 6,200.
This means the number of workers who left their jobs outstripped those who got hired.
The Manpower Ministry said falling external demand has severely affected the manufacturing sector, and along with employment losses in the external-oriented services industries more than offset gains in the domestic services and construction sectors.
At home, construction employment grew by 8,300 but less than the gains of 10,700 in the previous quarter.
Services added 7,500 workers, which was again substantially lower than the gains in the fourth quarter of 2008 which stood at 17,300.
The gains came mainly from community, social and personal services, supported by public sector hiring.
However, services industries with external exposure like hotels and restaurants went into the red and netted 2700 jobs, while financial services saw a net loss of 1,900 jobs.
Transport and storage and wholesale and retail trade were similarly affected.
- Channel News Asia
This means the number of workers who left their jobs outstripped those who got hired.
The Manpower Ministry said falling external demand has severely affected the manufacturing sector, and along with employment losses in the external-oriented services industries more than offset gains in the domestic services and construction sectors.
At home, construction employment grew by 8,300 but less than the gains of 10,700 in the previous quarter.
Services added 7,500 workers, which was again substantially lower than the gains in the fourth quarter of 2008 which stood at 17,300.
The gains came mainly from community, social and personal services, supported by public sector hiring.
However, services industries with external exposure like hotels and restaurants went into the red and netted 2700 jobs, while financial services saw a net loss of 1,900 jobs.
Transport and storage and wholesale and retail trade were similarly affected.
- Channel News Asia
Jun 9, 2009
More eye jobs in civil service
THE number of top students bound for university who are eyeing civil service careers went up in the past year.
Where under a quarter - 23 per cent - last year said they wanted public-sector jobs, more than a third - 34 per cent - did so this year.
Banking and financial service jobs, however, remained a top choice among them despite the recent upheavals in the industry. These figures come from a recent poll, the 2009 BrightSparks Scholarship Rankings and Career Survey.
Human resource specialists said the turn of the tide towards civil service jobs could have been caused by the current economic downturn, because the perception is that such jobs provide more of an iron rice bowl than do those in the private sector.
The executive director of the Singapore Human Resources Institute, Mr David Ang, also put the trend down to the greater visibility of the public sector; a few government agencies have made high-profile announcements of their recent hiring drives.
He added: 'There's also the perception that there is greater job security and that job hunters have a better bet at landing a job in the public sector than in the private sector.'
The BrightSparks survey polled some 3,250 A-level and International Baccalaureate (IB) holders, final-year polytechnic students and students in their first and second year of university a few months ago.
The survey defined top students as A-level holders with at least three As for subjects taken at the mainstream H2 level, and IB graduates who scored at least 39 points. There were 1,360 such students in the survey.
Careers in the banking and financial services sector were also the top choice among the student sample as a whole.
Mr Ang said he was not surprised. The recent crisis in the banking and finance industry had not wiped off the relative sheen of the field, he said.
- The Straits Times
Where under a quarter - 23 per cent - last year said they wanted public-sector jobs, more than a third - 34 per cent - did so this year.
Banking and financial service jobs, however, remained a top choice among them despite the recent upheavals in the industry. These figures come from a recent poll, the 2009 BrightSparks Scholarship Rankings and Career Survey.
Human resource specialists said the turn of the tide towards civil service jobs could have been caused by the current economic downturn, because the perception is that such jobs provide more of an iron rice bowl than do those in the private sector.
The executive director of the Singapore Human Resources Institute, Mr David Ang, also put the trend down to the greater visibility of the public sector; a few government agencies have made high-profile announcements of their recent hiring drives.
He added: 'There's also the perception that there is greater job security and that job hunters have a better bet at landing a job in the public sector than in the private sector.'
The BrightSparks survey polled some 3,250 A-level and International Baccalaureate (IB) holders, final-year polytechnic students and students in their first and second year of university a few months ago.
The survey defined top students as A-level holders with at least three As for subjects taken at the mainstream H2 level, and IB graduates who scored at least 39 points. There were 1,360 such students in the survey.
Careers in the banking and financial services sector were also the top choice among the student sample as a whole.
Mr Ang said he was not surprised. The recent crisis in the banking and finance industry had not wiped off the relative sheen of the field, he said.
- The Straits Times
More hiring than firing: Survey shows sentiment has changed but HR analysts remain cautious
EMPLOYERS planning to hire will outnumber those looking to shed workers in the third quarter of the year, according to a survey.
This marks a turnaround in hiring sentiments by Singapore bosses for the first time this year, said global human resource consultancy Manpower Staffing Services (Singapore).
Of the three surveys the consultancy has done so far to gauge hiring sentiment this year, this is the first to show more employers planning to hire rather than fire.
The poll of 697 employers shows 74 per cent intending to maintain the status quo. What is significant, though, is that 12 per cent of the bosses surveyed intend to raise their headcount against the 7 per cent looking to cut staff.
This works out to a net employment outlook of 5 per cent for July to September, a figure that reflects hiring sentiment.
Though the net figure is modest compared to the 37 per cent recorded in the same period last year before the financial crisis hit, it marks a sharp about-turn from the first half of the year.
Manpower Staffing Services (Singapore)'s surveys of the first two quarters showed the net employment outlook buried deep in negative territory.
In fact, it was minus 43 per cent in the second quarter, the bleakest showing since the firm started its survey in Singapore in the third quarter of 2003.
The optimistic outlook this time is driven mainly by a big swing in hiring sentiment in the service sector, transport and utilities, plus wholesale and retail trade.
These three sectors have more employers looking to hire than fire compared to the other four sectors polled. But even among the four, which include finance and manufacturing, fewer of the companies say they plan to ask their workers to go.
- The Straits Times
This marks a turnaround in hiring sentiments by Singapore bosses for the first time this year, said global human resource consultancy Manpower Staffing Services (Singapore).
Of the three surveys the consultancy has done so far to gauge hiring sentiment this year, this is the first to show more employers planning to hire rather than fire.
The poll of 697 employers shows 74 per cent intending to maintain the status quo. What is significant, though, is that 12 per cent of the bosses surveyed intend to raise their headcount against the 7 per cent looking to cut staff.
This works out to a net employment outlook of 5 per cent for July to September, a figure that reflects hiring sentiment.
Though the net figure is modest compared to the 37 per cent recorded in the same period last year before the financial crisis hit, it marks a sharp about-turn from the first half of the year.
Manpower Staffing Services (Singapore)'s surveys of the first two quarters showed the net employment outlook buried deep in negative territory.
In fact, it was minus 43 per cent in the second quarter, the bleakest showing since the firm started its survey in Singapore in the third quarter of 2003.
The optimistic outlook this time is driven mainly by a big swing in hiring sentiment in the service sector, transport and utilities, plus wholesale and retail trade.
These three sectors have more employers looking to hire than fire compared to the other four sectors polled. But even among the four, which include finance and manufacturing, fewer of the companies say they plan to ask their workers to go.
- The Straits Times
Jun 8, 2009
Slow hiring at Big 4
AMID the general downturn in the economy and staff clinging on to their jobs, the Big Four audit firms are adopting a more cautious approach and easing recruitment at the entry level.
This is in stark contrast to the economic boom times just a few years back, when the staff churn rate was high as these firms were losing talent to the more lucrative banking and finance industry.
Back in 2007, the Big Four firms hired aggressively to counter the attrition rates - some hired up to 300 graduates - and raised the starting pay by 20 per cent in a bid to attract more fresh graduates into the profession.
But since then, the salaries of fresh graduates joining the Big Four have remained unchanged at $2,400.
'Starting pay levels are not being reduced despite the current economic conditions,' said Mr Philip Lee, head of people, performance and culture at KPMG in Singapore.
Selected individuals with better academic results and leadership qualities are recognised and rewarded in accordance with their merit, he added.
But two of the Big Four - PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte - have indicated that the starting pay of newbie auditors will be reviewed.
Deloitte is taking in about 180 fresh graduates this year, unchanged from last year.
But it is looking to review the starting pay, said Mr Philip Yuen, chief of operations at Deloitte Singapore.
PricewaterhouseCoopers human capital partner Deborah Ong said: 'We are still reviewing our salaries at the moment, and will continue to monitor market conditions closely.'
- The Straits Times
This is in stark contrast to the economic boom times just a few years back, when the staff churn rate was high as these firms were losing talent to the more lucrative banking and finance industry.
Back in 2007, the Big Four firms hired aggressively to counter the attrition rates - some hired up to 300 graduates - and raised the starting pay by 20 per cent in a bid to attract more fresh graduates into the profession.
But since then, the salaries of fresh graduates joining the Big Four have remained unchanged at $2,400.
'Starting pay levels are not being reduced despite the current economic conditions,' said Mr Philip Lee, head of people, performance and culture at KPMG in Singapore.
Selected individuals with better academic results and leadership qualities are recognised and rewarded in accordance with their merit, he added.
But two of the Big Four - PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte - have indicated that the starting pay of newbie auditors will be reviewed.
Deloitte is taking in about 180 fresh graduates this year, unchanged from last year.
But it is looking to review the starting pay, said Mr Philip Yuen, chief of operations at Deloitte Singapore.
PricewaterhouseCoopers human capital partner Deborah Ong said: 'We are still reviewing our salaries at the moment, and will continue to monitor market conditions closely.'
- The Straits Times
Jun 1, 2009
Club 21 to shut iShop
LUXURY retailer Club 21 is pulling the plug on its iShop at Orchard Cineleisure - billed as the largest store of its kind in Asia - because of weakening sales. The flagship technology outlet, which employs more than 30 staff, will close by the end of this month.
The 10,000 sq ft store sold Apple computers and accessories, and also established an in-house Mac training centre. But the company issued a press statement on Monday saying it was shutting down this aspect of its operations.
A spokesman said the company will redeploy the 34 iShop employees wherever possible. Its human resource team will also help those who are laid off with career counselling and outplacement assistance.
When asked why iShop was closing its doors, the spokesman said: 'The global economic crisis has affected consumer spending across the board, correspondingly affecting both the retail and consumer electronics industry.' So it has decided to take the 'difficult but necessary' business decision to axe its Apple outlet to focus on its 'core strengths: namely, fashion and wellness'.
This year, it is opening 34,000 sq ft of retail space in the new Mandarin Gallery and Ion Orchard, bringing in brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani and Marc Jacobs.
iShop will cease being an Apple Premium Reseller but will continue selling third-party accessories until all stocks are cleared.
Data from information technology research agency IDC showed that the personal computer market in the Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, declined 5 per cent from the fourth quarter of last year, and also 5 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of this year.
- The Straits Times
The 10,000 sq ft store sold Apple computers and accessories, and also established an in-house Mac training centre. But the company issued a press statement on Monday saying it was shutting down this aspect of its operations.
A spokesman said the company will redeploy the 34 iShop employees wherever possible. Its human resource team will also help those who are laid off with career counselling and outplacement assistance.
When asked why iShop was closing its doors, the spokesman said: 'The global economic crisis has affected consumer spending across the board, correspondingly affecting both the retail and consumer electronics industry.' So it has decided to take the 'difficult but necessary' business decision to axe its Apple outlet to focus on its 'core strengths: namely, fashion and wellness'.
This year, it is opening 34,000 sq ft of retail space in the new Mandarin Gallery and Ion Orchard, bringing in brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani and Marc Jacobs.
iShop will cease being an Apple Premium Reseller but will continue selling third-party accessories until all stocks are cleared.
Data from information technology research agency IDC showed that the personal computer market in the Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, declined 5 per cent from the fourth quarter of last year, and also 5 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of this year.
- The Straits Times
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