A RECORD 175 companies have taken part in the annual career fair at Nanyang Technological University, as the strong economy encourages employers to hire.
Last year, 109 took part in the two-day event, which is held on NTU's campus in Boon Lay. By contrast, this year's fair - which was held on Tuesday and on Friday - was the largest organised by a university here.
About 4,500 jobs were up for grabs from a range of industries in both the private and public sectors. Last year, there were 2,600.
Employers taking part this year included government agencies such as the Ministry of Defence and the Housing Board, and companies such as retailer Charles and Keith, and property and real estate firm CapitaLand.
NTU said the three private sector industries most represented were building and construction; banking, finance and insurance; and engineering and manufacturing. Nearly 20,000 NTU students visited the fair over the two days.
NTU's director of career and attachment office, Mr Loh Pui Wah, said: 'The strong participation rate by employers is a reflection of the good economy and a sign the hiring sentiment's back.'
- The Straits Times
Feb 26, 2011
Feb 22, 2011
NTU launches virtual job fair
The National Technological University (NTU) has launched a virtual career fair, believed to be the region's first, for its students and potential employees.
NTU said there are a record 175 companies taking part in the career fair this year, 60 per cent more recruiters compared to those in 2010.
The number of jobs offered at the fair this year doubled to a whopping 4,500, with about 80 per cent of recruiters from the private sector.
One of the features of the NTU iFair is the virtual career portal developed by NTU, which enables students to meet potential employers, online.
NTU's Career & Attachment Office director Loh Pui Wah said career fairs in the past tend to be brick-and-mortar.
"But with the evolvement of web technology, we want to bring the career fair (to the virtual world), so that companies... can make use of the web to (interact) with the students," Mr Loh said.
About 50 companies have signed up for a piece of the virtual real estate.
And as hiring sentiments make a positive comeback from last year, recruiters look set to step up on their branding for a tech-savvy generation.
DSO National Laboratories human resources assistant director Serene Tan said NTU's iFair is helpful because it is virtual, and cuts down on logistic effort to set up physical career booths.
"They have been quick to set the virtual booth up with some customisation and we will be putting up positions available on our DSO corporate website, which is directly linked to the iFair," she said.
Ms Tan added iFair will also help them get in touch with students on overseas attachments who are unable to attend the physical career fair.
The iFair is set to run from March 14 this year, and will continue to be accessible till June 30, 2011.
Meanwhile, the physical career fair runs on February 22 and 25 at NTU's Nanyang Auditorium.
- Channel News Asia
NTU said there are a record 175 companies taking part in the career fair this year, 60 per cent more recruiters compared to those in 2010.
The number of jobs offered at the fair this year doubled to a whopping 4,500, with about 80 per cent of recruiters from the private sector.
One of the features of the NTU iFair is the virtual career portal developed by NTU, which enables students to meet potential employers, online.
NTU's Career & Attachment Office director Loh Pui Wah said career fairs in the past tend to be brick-and-mortar.
"But with the evolvement of web technology, we want to bring the career fair (to the virtual world), so that companies... can make use of the web to (interact) with the students," Mr Loh said.
About 50 companies have signed up for a piece of the virtual real estate.
And as hiring sentiments make a positive comeback from last year, recruiters look set to step up on their branding for a tech-savvy generation.
DSO National Laboratories human resources assistant director Serene Tan said NTU's iFair is helpful because it is virtual, and cuts down on logistic effort to set up physical career booths.
"They have been quick to set the virtual booth up with some customisation and we will be putting up positions available on our DSO corporate website, which is directly linked to the iFair," she said.
Ms Tan added iFair will also help them get in touch with students on overseas attachments who are unable to attend the physical career fair.
The iFair is set to run from March 14 this year, and will continue to be accessible till June 30, 2011.
Meanwhile, the physical career fair runs on February 22 and 25 at NTU's Nanyang Auditorium.
- Channel News Asia
Feb 18, 2011
Fewer job ads in fourth quarter
THE number of job advertisements fell 9 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year as staff movements declined during the festive season.
There were 236,191 advertisements for professional positions in the three months to Dec 31, down from 259,665 in the third quarter, according to data released on Thursday by recruitment consultancy Robert Walters.
Robert Walters Singapore managing director Andrea Ross said a general reluctance to change jobs ahead of bonuses in the new year contributed to a decline in ads across most sectors.
The firm also said the fall was due in part to the demand for senior high-profile roles that are not usually advertised.
Ads for jobs in engineering, including surveyors, architects and technicians, remained steady with 34,577 placed in the quarter.
The human resources sector also stayed fairly steady with 12,955 ads posted, down a touch from the third quarter.
- The Straits Times
There were 236,191 advertisements for professional positions in the three months to Dec 31, down from 259,665 in the third quarter, according to data released on Thursday by recruitment consultancy Robert Walters.
Robert Walters Singapore managing director Andrea Ross said a general reluctance to change jobs ahead of bonuses in the new year contributed to a decline in ads across most sectors.
The firm also said the fall was due in part to the demand for senior high-profile roles that are not usually advertised.
Ads for jobs in engineering, including surveyors, architects and technicians, remained steady with 34,577 placed in the quarter.
The human resources sector also stayed fairly steady with 12,955 ads posted, down a touch from the third quarter.
- The Straits Times
Feb 11, 2011
16,000 new jobs created with SME upgrading
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore that are involved in upgrading projects last year will create about 16,000 new jobs here when the projects are fully completed in the next one or two years.
About 3,500 SMEs took part in this upgrading process supported by enterprise development agency, SPRING Singapore.
Projects that have been put in place include productivity improvements, product, process and technology innovations, service quality, branding and intellectual property management.
Many SMEs have responded since the government's Economic Strategies Committee recommended increasing SME productivity in order to raise real wages and stay competitive.
About 66 per cent of SMEs have taken steps to raise productivity, and two initiatives rolled out by SPRING has helped them to do so.
Many SMEs leveraged the resources and expertise in knowledge institutions suchas A*STAR's research institutes, polytechnics and universities.
They also viewed service excellence as a competitive advantage in securing higher customer loyalty and was helped by NTUC and SPRING to focus on raising service standards.
Under SPRING's Business Leadership Initiative launched in 2007, 252 SME leaders and managers were trained in various advanced management and executive delopment programmes in 2010 to upgrad capabilities and build a healthy talent pipeline for future growth.
Singapore's entrepreneurship landscape also became more virbrant and varied with budding and experienced entrepreneurs setting up new businesses.
New programmes to support SMEs this year are in the pipeline and SPRING has stated that it will continue to support SMEs in their upgrading efforts and help them grow.
- AsiaOne
About 3,500 SMEs took part in this upgrading process supported by enterprise development agency, SPRING Singapore.
Projects that have been put in place include productivity improvements, product, process and technology innovations, service quality, branding and intellectual property management.
Many SMEs have responded since the government's Economic Strategies Committee recommended increasing SME productivity in order to raise real wages and stay competitive.
About 66 per cent of SMEs have taken steps to raise productivity, and two initiatives rolled out by SPRING has helped them to do so.
Many SMEs leveraged the resources and expertise in knowledge institutions suchas A*STAR's research institutes, polytechnics and universities.
They also viewed service excellence as a competitive advantage in securing higher customer loyalty and was helped by NTUC and SPRING to focus on raising service standards.
Under SPRING's Business Leadership Initiative launched in 2007, 252 SME leaders and managers were trained in various advanced management and executive delopment programmes in 2010 to upgrad capabilities and build a healthy talent pipeline for future growth.
Singapore's entrepreneurship landscape also became more virbrant and varied with budding and experienced entrepreneurs setting up new businesses.
New programmes to support SMEs this year are in the pipeline and SPRING has stated that it will continue to support SMEs in their upgrading efforts and help them grow.
- AsiaOne
Feb 1, 2011
New jobs almost tripled last year
SINGAPORE employers added jobs at the fastest pace in the past three quarters as businesses ramped up hiring to meet demand during the year-end festivities.
About 30,600 people found jobs in the last three months of last year, boosting the number of new positions created for the whole of last year to 112,500, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) yesterday.
This is a huge, almost threefold, increase from the 37,600 new jobs added in 2009, when the financial crisis was still sweeping across the world.
In turn, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the last quarter stood at 2.2 per cent, up marginally from the previous quarter's 2.1 per cent. On a year-on-year basis, the overall jobless rate averaged a healthy low of 2.2 per cent last year, down from the 3 per cent in 2009, as the Singapore economy rebounded strongly.
Said Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong yesterday: "Going forward, if the economy stays on track to achieve the expected 4 to 6 per cent growth this year, the labour market will remain tight.
"This underscores the need for us to press on with our efforts to raise productivity and to moderate our dependency on foreign workers."
He was speaking on the sidelines of the graduation ceremony for the pioneering batch of students who had undergone the Heartland Retail Workforce Upskilling Programme in Chua Chu Kang.
Aimed at encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises to beef up their retail and service skills, the programme has grown to involve about 100 shops from six shopping centres, and about 280 people, since it began last September.
Mr Gan noted that the foreign- worker influx continues to be a matter close to the hearts of many Singaporeans, even as the number of jobs rise.
He said this is why the Government is not only urging employers to re-look their business process to raise productivity, but also to take more steps to encourage women to re-join the workforce and for older employees to work past the retirement age.
MOM's data yesterday was particularly encouraging as it showed that the unemployment rate among Singapore residents dropped significantly from 4.3 per cent in 2009 to 3.1 per cent last year. Nearly half of the new jobs - 54,200 - created last year went to locals, surpassing the 41,800 the year before.
Excluding foreign domestic workers, foreign employment rose by 53,000 over the year to stand at 31.4 per cent of the workforce in December last year, a notch up from the 30.7 per cent a year ago.
"The growth in foreign worker hires, excluding domestic workers, is lower than the 80,000 we had projected," said Mr Gan. The services sector led in the hiring last year, adding 109,500 workers, as opposed to the 55,600 increase in 2009. Jobs in the manufacturing sector, meanwhile, declined by 2,700. However, this was much lower than the 43,700 loss the year before.
According to the latest Business Expectations Survey, also released by the Government yesterday, the services sector continues to be strongly optimistic about growth in the next six months.
The amusement and recreation industry was found to be the most optimistic.
Resorts World Sentosa, for instance, said it held a very positive business outlook this year.
"We've surpassed our target of attracting 15 million visitors in our first year of operations and, as more of our attractions are slated to open within the next two years, we're looking to recruit another 2,000 to 3,000 more staff, in addition to our 12,000 employees," said Mr Robin Goh, the resort's assistant director of communications.
- My Paper
About 30,600 people found jobs in the last three months of last year, boosting the number of new positions created for the whole of last year to 112,500, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) yesterday.
This is a huge, almost threefold, increase from the 37,600 new jobs added in 2009, when the financial crisis was still sweeping across the world.
In turn, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the last quarter stood at 2.2 per cent, up marginally from the previous quarter's 2.1 per cent. On a year-on-year basis, the overall jobless rate averaged a healthy low of 2.2 per cent last year, down from the 3 per cent in 2009, as the Singapore economy rebounded strongly.
Said Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong yesterday: "Going forward, if the economy stays on track to achieve the expected 4 to 6 per cent growth this year, the labour market will remain tight.
"This underscores the need for us to press on with our efforts to raise productivity and to moderate our dependency on foreign workers."
He was speaking on the sidelines of the graduation ceremony for the pioneering batch of students who had undergone the Heartland Retail Workforce Upskilling Programme in Chua Chu Kang.
Aimed at encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises to beef up their retail and service skills, the programme has grown to involve about 100 shops from six shopping centres, and about 280 people, since it began last September.
Mr Gan noted that the foreign- worker influx continues to be a matter close to the hearts of many Singaporeans, even as the number of jobs rise.
He said this is why the Government is not only urging employers to re-look their business process to raise productivity, but also to take more steps to encourage women to re-join the workforce and for older employees to work past the retirement age.
MOM's data yesterday was particularly encouraging as it showed that the unemployment rate among Singapore residents dropped significantly from 4.3 per cent in 2009 to 3.1 per cent last year. Nearly half of the new jobs - 54,200 - created last year went to locals, surpassing the 41,800 the year before.
Excluding foreign domestic workers, foreign employment rose by 53,000 over the year to stand at 31.4 per cent of the workforce in December last year, a notch up from the 30.7 per cent a year ago.
"The growth in foreign worker hires, excluding domestic workers, is lower than the 80,000 we had projected," said Mr Gan. The services sector led in the hiring last year, adding 109,500 workers, as opposed to the 55,600 increase in 2009. Jobs in the manufacturing sector, meanwhile, declined by 2,700. However, this was much lower than the 43,700 loss the year before.
According to the latest Business Expectations Survey, also released by the Government yesterday, the services sector continues to be strongly optimistic about growth in the next six months.
The amusement and recreation industry was found to be the most optimistic.
Resorts World Sentosa, for instance, said it held a very positive business outlook this year.
"We've surpassed our target of attracting 15 million visitors in our first year of operations and, as more of our attractions are slated to open within the next two years, we're looking to recruit another 2,000 to 3,000 more staff, in addition to our 12,000 employees," said Mr Robin Goh, the resort's assistant director of communications.
- My Paper
Jan 31, 2011
Singapore preliminary Q4 jobless rate at 2.2%
Singapore's Q4 jobless rate grew slightly to 2.2 per cent from Q3's 2.1 per cent, according to the Ministry of Manpower preliminary unemployment data on Monday.
Among the resident labour force, the unemployment rate for Q4 was 3.1 per cent, unchanged from Q3.
Preliminary estimates also showed total employment in Singapore rose by 30,600 jobs in the quarter, up from 20,500 in the third quarter. The total workforce stood at 3.1 million.
The bulk of employment gains came from the services sector, while manufacturing shed 2,800 jobs in the last three months of 2010.
Karin Clarke, Randstad Regional Director, Singapore & Malaysia commented: ""We are seeing higher wage pressure within the entry-level, white collar roles. This is reflective of the increasing influx of degree qualified entry-level candidates - up 13% from 1999 - entering the Singapore market."
"Today's graduates have high salary expectations and strong confidence in their value. This is creating a gap within the labour market as graduates for the most part do not want call centre or clerical roles - that is they don't want to start at the bottom and make their way up."
- Reuters
Among the resident labour force, the unemployment rate for Q4 was 3.1 per cent, unchanged from Q3.
Preliminary estimates also showed total employment in Singapore rose by 30,600 jobs in the quarter, up from 20,500 in the third quarter. The total workforce stood at 3.1 million.
The bulk of employment gains came from the services sector, while manufacturing shed 2,800 jobs in the last three months of 2010.
Karin Clarke, Randstad Regional Director, Singapore & Malaysia commented: ""We are seeing higher wage pressure within the entry-level, white collar roles. This is reflective of the increasing influx of degree qualified entry-level candidates - up 13% from 1999 - entering the Singapore market."
"Today's graduates have high salary expectations and strong confidence in their value. This is creating a gap within the labour market as graduates for the most part do not want call centre or clerical roles - that is they don't want to start at the bottom and make their way up."
- Reuters
Jan 28, 2011
Record job vacancies last year
The number of job vacancies rose 36% over the year to 50,200 in September 2010.
According to the latest annual job vacancies report released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Friday, the rise in vacancies was driven by Singapore's rapid and robust economic recovery.
In fact, MOM said it was the highest number of job vacancies recorded since the comparable series started in March 2006.
The highest number of vacancies was for service & sales workers (10,330 or 22% of total vacancies), followed by professionals (8,270 or 18%) and associate professionals & technicians (8,230 or 18%).
Nevertheless, in terms of the three broad occupational groupings, employers were most looking to hire professionals, managers, executives & technicians (PMETs) (44%), followed by clerical, service & sales workers (29%) and production & transport operators, cleaners & labourers (27%).
Corroborating with the high demand for PMETs, positions requiring at least a university degree qualification made up the highest number of vacancies at 10,570 or 23% of total vacancies.
This was followed closely by openings requiring at least secondary (9,840 or 21%) qualifications, reflecting the strong demand for service & sales workers.
The services share of vacancies increased steadily from 68% in 2006 to 75% in 2010, reflecting the growing importance of the service economy.
Manufacturing contributed 17% of all vacancies in 2010, down from 26% in 2006.
MOM said the decline in manufacturing's share of vacancies partly reflects the continual restructuring of the sector towards high tech and value-added activities.
With the completion of major building projects, construction's share of vacancies declined to 6.6% in 2010, from 8.1% in 2009, after rising from 4.2% in 2006.
Five in eight vacancies (63%) in 2010 required working experience, comparable with a year ago (62%).
Overall, job-specific experience (26%) was a more common requirement than industry-specific (19%) and general working experience (19%).
Amid the tighter labour market, one in three (33%) vacancies was unfilled for at least six months.
The MOM said due to the record level of job openings, the number of openings vacant for at least six months rose from 10,140 in 2009 to a five-year high of 15,360 in 2010.
Eight in 10 (81%) of these vacancies were for non-PMETs and the remaining (19%) were for PMETs.
- Channel News Asia
According to the latest annual job vacancies report released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Friday, the rise in vacancies was driven by Singapore's rapid and robust economic recovery.
In fact, MOM said it was the highest number of job vacancies recorded since the comparable series started in March 2006.
The highest number of vacancies was for service & sales workers (10,330 or 22% of total vacancies), followed by professionals (8,270 or 18%) and associate professionals & technicians (8,230 or 18%).
Nevertheless, in terms of the three broad occupational groupings, employers were most looking to hire professionals, managers, executives & technicians (PMETs) (44%), followed by clerical, service & sales workers (29%) and production & transport operators, cleaners & labourers (27%).
Corroborating with the high demand for PMETs, positions requiring at least a university degree qualification made up the highest number of vacancies at 10,570 or 23% of total vacancies.
This was followed closely by openings requiring at least secondary (9,840 or 21%) qualifications, reflecting the strong demand for service & sales workers.
The services share of vacancies increased steadily from 68% in 2006 to 75% in 2010, reflecting the growing importance of the service economy.
Manufacturing contributed 17% of all vacancies in 2010, down from 26% in 2006.
MOM said the decline in manufacturing's share of vacancies partly reflects the continual restructuring of the sector towards high tech and value-added activities.
With the completion of major building projects, construction's share of vacancies declined to 6.6% in 2010, from 8.1% in 2009, after rising from 4.2% in 2006.
Five in eight vacancies (63%) in 2010 required working experience, comparable with a year ago (62%).
Overall, job-specific experience (26%) was a more common requirement than industry-specific (19%) and general working experience (19%).
Amid the tighter labour market, one in three (33%) vacancies was unfilled for at least six months.
The MOM said due to the record level of job openings, the number of openings vacant for at least six months rose from 10,140 in 2009 to a five-year high of 15,360 in 2010.
Eight in 10 (81%) of these vacancies were for non-PMETs and the remaining (19%) were for PMETs.
- Channel News Asia
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