More degree courses to be offered in polytechnics | Jorbb.com

A major transformation of Singapore's tertiary education sector is on the cards.

The world's leading science and engineering university, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will partner Singapore's Education Ministry to run the country's fourth university. And more polytechnic students will be able to obtain degrees in Singapore.

In the past, polytechnic students who wanted a degree in optometry had to go overseas.

Now, they can apply for a place in the University of Manchester, which is partnering Singapore Polytechnic to offer its degree programme here.

Tan Hang Cheong, Principal, Singapore Polytechnic, said: “The core lectures and so on will be (taught) by University of Manchester academic staff. Singapore Polytechnic staff will help support some of the teaching, especially in the clinical areas.

"We're also very fortunate to have Tan Tock Seng's Eye Institute help us in this... many of the optomologists will be helping us to do some technical training.”

Lek Xuan, Undergraduate, Optometry Degree Programme, said: “If I go overseas it will cost about S$30,000. In Singapore, it costs only about S$7000 a year.”

There are currently six different degree programmes being offered by all the polytechnics in Singapore. Besides optometry, the other degree programmes are in areas such as naval architecture, early childhood education, and food technologies. All these courses have a high practical component and are heavily subsidised.

Another six to eight reputable foreign universities are likely to offer degree programmes in local polytechnics by 2015.


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New Measures to Develop Manpower Capabilities in this Economic Downturn | Jorbb.com

The Ministry of Manpower is introducing new measures under SPUR (Skiils Programme for Upgrading and Resilience) to further develop Singapore's manpower capabilities and provide greater support for companies and workers, especially Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs), affected by the downturn. They are:

a) Increase in Absentee Payroll to better support training for PMETs - Annex A;

b) SPUR-JOBS to encourage recruitment and retention of trainees of SPUR and other WDA CET programmes - Annex B; and

c) Professional Skills Programme Traineeships (PSPT) scheme for companies to build new capabilities in growth sectors - Annex C.

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Budget's focus on jobs paying off | Jorbb.com

THE decision to focus this year's Budget on saving jobs was the right move as its key planks have helped temper job losses and cut the cost burden on employers.

And while the Government's emphasis going ahead will remain focused on saving jobs, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday said workers and union leaders must continue to play their part.

Speaking at the annual May Day Rally, he outlined how the Government had and would continue to help on the jobs front.

One approach has been through the Jobs Credit scheme which subsidises a company's wage bill for local workers; and the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience which pays part of workers' wages while they are on training.

A second has been to go on the offensive and create new jobs and capabilities.
The Integrated Resorts, for example, are already recruiting workers.

Also, the Economic Development Board (EDB) has brought in new projects and got existing companies to expand.

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Grads flexible about salaries | Jorbb.com

FRESH graduate Wang Wei Xiang will jump at a job that pays $2,000 a month, even though it is $500 less than the average starting pay.

The 26-year-old, who has a degree in business management from Singapore Management University (SMU), is even willing to be an intern for $700 a month.

His overriding concern is that the job gives him experience in human resource and organisational development.

Mr Wang's flexible stance on pay is typical of the 800 new graduates who attended a job fair yesterday. Over 6,000 jobs were on offer from 28 organisations at the fair organised by Young NTUC, the youth arm of the National Trades Union Congress.

Participants included the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), integrated resorts Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World at Sentosa, and pre-school operator NTUC First Campus.

About 12,000 are expected to graduate from the local universities this year, said NTUC assistant secretary-general Josephine Teo.

But at least 1,000 of them may find themselves without a job even after six months, should their employment rate hit the 87 per cent level of the 2003 Sars period, said an NTUC statement yesterday.

Hence, Mrs Teo, adviser to Young NTUC, urged graduates at the fair to promptly launch their career even if they cannot find their 'dream' job. Whatever the job, it will give them new skills, she said.

She also highlighted the large number of jobs on offer at the fair, saying it shows there are still many opportunities despite the downturn.

Mrs Teo's advice struck a chord with SMU marketing graduate Desiree Koh, 24. 'I'll accept a starting pay of about $2,000. I'm still young,' she said.

Employers at the fair said most of the students they met yesterday were enthusiastic and willing to learn. Resorts World's assistant vice-president for communications Robin Goh said it received 300 applications at the fair. The most popular jobs were that of a croupier and of supervising operations at theme park Universal Studios Singapore.

Four in five asked questions that showed they were keen to find a good job fit, while one in five were interested only in the starting pay, he said.

The National Council of Social Service also saw some interest in the 100 positions for social workers, special education teachers and other staff. Most of the interested 80 graduates were initially unaware of the role of the sector, equating social service work with volunteer service, a spokesman said.

The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and National University of Singapore (NUS) are also helping graduates find jobs. NTU has waived charges for employers to set up job booths on campus, said its career and attachment office director Loh Pui Wah. At NUS, students are getting help with job interview skills and setting up their own ventures, said its career centre director Corrine Ong.

Young NTUC plans to hold three networking sessions on specific industries to help new graduates find jobs. It also started an online employment advisory service yesterday for undergraduates and new graduates, at www.youngntuc.org.sg.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.

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Tourism training institute sees 50% spike in course demand | Jorbb.com

The Tourism Management Institute of Singapore (TMIS) has seen demand for its training courses spike 50 per cent in the first quarter of this year as more companies take advantage of generous government training incentives during this economic downturn.

H P Loi, CEO of TMIS, said: "We have a lot of corporate companies – travel agents, hotels and even airlines – send their people to us for training. When you have people coming in groups, the numbers went up a lot."

This hike in interest is coupled with the fact that Singapore's integrated resorts are scheduled to open soon.

The 22-year-old institute, which is the training arm of NATAS, is one of the larger centres offering mostly skills-based training, ranging from short courses to longer diploma stints.

TMIS has some 500 foreign students and 3,000 local students each year, and it said the number of locals is growing sharply.

"There are two categories of local students. One category is from the industry doing upgrading and the other is made up of people interested in joining the tourism industry. These could be mid-career people who want to switch or young people who are interested to get in," said Mr Loi.

However, the increase in numbers has led to a problem – a shortage of good trainers. The problem is compounded when some are poached by other schools.

"Right now, it's okay. But in a few months, it may be different. Trainers must have relevant experience – you can be a PhD holder but not necessarily a good lecturer," Mr Loi added.

The training institute moved to the Singapore Shopping Centre some one and a half years ago, but it is already running out of space. By the time the lease ends in 2011, it may have to look for bigger premises, such as an old school.

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IRs to recruit casino staff Thur | Jorbb.com

SINGAPOREANS wishing to try their hand at dealing cards at a casino can apply for jobs this week at the two upcoming integrated resorts.

Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS) and Marina Bay Sands will both kick off their first recruitment drive for gaming staff, together with other non-gaming positions, at the Career 2009 & Education 2009 fair starting Thursday.

The gaming positions available include dealers, pit supervisors and surveillance operators.

Ms Seah-Khoo Ee Boon, RWS' senior vice-president for human resources and training said hiring for some positions like the casino and Universal Studios theme park has to start earlier as more training may be required.

She added that up to six months will be set aside to prepare staff for the work at the resorts expected to attract thousands of punters when their doors open.

One fifth of the 800 jobs on offer by RWS will be for the casino with the rest for other areas including technical services, IT, human resource and resort services.

Marina Bay Sands' president Nigel Roberts said it has 'thousands of jobs' on offer but did not specify the total number or proportion of jobs available.

Both IRs said they are looking for people with an 'innate passion and motivation to serve'.

For those who wish to try for a casino job, Marina Bay Sands said it does not require new hires to go through formal casino training as in-house training will be provided.

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Creative Industries (CI) Fair 2009 | Jorbb.com

The Creative Industries (CI) Fair 2009 is an inaugural event organised by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and supported by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA), National Arts Council (NAC), Media Development Authority (MDA), Infocomm Development Authority (IDA), DesignSingapore Council (DSG), and SPRING Singapore.

This is the first time that the Government is organizing an event to showcase the various job, career conversion and skills upgrading opportunities in the Creative Industries which cover the Arts & Culture, Media & Communications, and the Design subsectors.

The CI Fair 2009 will feature at least 300 jobs, 100 apprenticeship places, and 1000 training opportunities. Visitors can also find out more about the jobs available from companies, programmes to help individuals convert into the Creative Industries; as well as training courses to assist existing creative individuals to upskill and prepare for the upturn.

Exciting daily programmes are scheduled at the CI Fair 2009 where all visitors can get to interact with and hear from employers, creative professionals, agencies, trainers and individual workers sharing more on the Creative Industries. Besides these talks and forums, there will also be demonstrations and workshops at the fair.

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NTUC helps retrenched workers learn new skills | Jorbb.com

CHIN Heng Garments Factory has closed its production lines and laid off more than 600 workers.

But those who have lost their jobs have been given substantial retrenchment packages - plus help in finding new jobs through an NTUC initiative organised by the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i).

e2i is a skills training institute that aims to maintain employability. And e2i officers are now updating the former Chin Heng workers on the employment market and job possibilities in other industries.

The Singapore Industrial and Services Employees' Union (SISEU) has partnered e2i to help the workers, 45 of whom are now attending a six-day Employability Camp Plus (EC Plus) tailored to their needs. About 90 retrenched staff have signed up for the training. A second camp will start later this month.

To cater to the significant number of Chinese- speaking job seekers, EC Plus is being conducted in Mandarin. But the importance of improving English- language skills to help job prospects will be stressed.

NTUC assistant secretary-general and SISEU executive secretary Josephine Teo said the aim of EC Plus is to help retrenched workers make a new start, possibly in unfamiliar industries.

She said in Mandarin: 'These workers, apart from their experience in manufacturing, have not had experience in other industries for many years. Therefore, we are helping them re- learn and expand relevant work skills.'

The aim is to quickly equip workers with skills so that they do not stay unemployed for long. e2i training is free for all Singaporeans. Participants can also receive further training.

To sceptics who say training may not guarantee employment, Mrs Teo said: 'Some hope is better than no hope. The job situation is not hopeless.'

There are plenty of job vacancies for people with the right skills, she said. Skills and expectations gaps can be bridged through training and a willingness to take up different job opportunities.

NTUC's training courses are backed by the Ministry of Manpower and the Singapore National Employers Federation.

NTUC is focusing on maintaining a positive approach in today's trying economic circumstances. The ultimate aim is to provide workers with jobs with clear development prospects.

Even after re-employment, e2i participants are encouraged to return to e2i for continuous learning.

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5000 more places for service course | Jorbb.com

AN EXTRA 5,000 places in training courses for jobs in the sales and services sector will open up this year.

These courses will prepare trainees for jobs such as receptionists, cashiers and store managers.

Run by the Singapore Institute of Retail Studies (SIRS), the courses are for two groups of people - those sponsored by their companies to upgrade their skills, and job seekers hoping to raise their chances of finding employment.

SIRS, which trained 10,500 people last year, can handle 15,000 at capacity. Its plan this year is to offer 5,000 more places beyond its capacity.

To enable this, it will hire more trainers, look for training space outside its premises in the Toa Payoh Hub, or even run classes at the premises of its clients.

SIRS director Lee Tong Nge said the institute was expecting a surge in applicants in the next three months, and it wanted to be prepared for the influx.

Already, companies are sending their people for training in these slack times. Over 20 firms approached SIRS asking for classes for their employees last September, up 30 per cent from the same month the year before.

The Workforce Development Agency subsidises the fees for SIRS courses by up to 90 per cent.

Acting Minister for Manpower Gan Kim Yong, who toured SIRS yesterday, is not unduly worried about having a surplus of trained people in a slowing economy because 'there are still opportunities in the retail sector'.

About 4,000 jobs in sales and services will be available when shopping malls such as Orchard ION and 313@Somerset open in the next two years, he noted.

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Undergrads on the job hunt are spooked by grey clouds on economic horizon | Jorbb.com

UNDERGRADUATE May Zhang has given herself six months to find a job in the corporate world upon graduation; failing which, she may open a cafe with her boyfriend.

While she will graduate only in July — she has yet to take her final-year exam — Ms Zhang is already starting to worry about whether she will land her dream job with a communication consulting firm.

“I’m worried because there are fewer jobs available and we hear stories about friends who got retrenched after they found a job after graduation last year,” said Ms Zhang, 23, who is doing a double major in economics and corporate communications at the Singapore Management University (SMU).

But instead of leaving everything to chance after graduation, Ms Zhang has already mapped out her plans post-SMU.

“I’ll try to use the six months after graduation to find a job. There’s no point waiting to find the dream job because I can start my own business,” said Ms Zhang, who has already sent out resumes to three companies.

The avid baker, who started an online blogshop selling cupcakes one-and-a-half years ago, is considering opening a cafe with her boyfriend. She said: “I’ve always thought of setting up my own cafe. It’s an opportunity now to start my business.”

Like Ms Zhang, many final-year undergraduates interviewed by Weekend Xtra are also starting to worry — not about getting their dream job, but getting a job at all. Never mind that graduation is a good six months away.

At this time last year, most final-year students would have been more concerned with project deadlines, revising for their exams and less stressful matters, like planning their post-graduation holidays.

But with Singapore possibly facing the worst recession in its history, many undergraduates are putting worries about their job prospects at the top of their lists. Some 15,000 students are expected to graduate from Singapore’s three universities in July.

Said Dr Helen Chai, assistant dean of undergraduate admissions and the director of BBA programmes at the NUS Business School: “I think students are in tune with the current times and they are well-prepared for the situation ... They are exploring their options to enhance their career versatility, including the school’s concurrent masters programmes.”

Lowered expectations

For some, being well-prepared means sending out their resumes now instead of in April, when the exams are over, to give themselves a headstart over their peers.

It also means paying more attention to job advertisements in newspapers and career talks held by their universities.

Some undergraduates told Weekend Xtra that they are also lowering their job expectations, and that they are ready toaccept a lower salary or work in an industry that is not their first choice.

NUS civil engineering final-year student Yang Chang Han, said: “I’m planning to job hunt now; I had wanted to start after my exams. I’ve heard of people who have looked for a job for six months and are still jobless. Hearing their stories scares me.”

When asked whether his friends are also worried, Mr Yang, 25, said: “The question that we ask each other now is — ‘Have you found a job?’” He added that he is also willing to lower his pay expectations to $2,500, from his original target of $3,000.

Ms Jessie Loy, 23, is considering teaching as a career, even though she did not set out to be a teacher when she opted for mass communications at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

She said: “Recently, there was a teaching award seminar by the Ministry of Education and I thought I’d be one of the few ones from my course to attend it. But there were quite a lot of my coursemates there; they said they were checking it out as a potential back-up because they don’t know how the economy will be once they graduate.”

Another option that more undergraduates are considering is furthering their studies, such as pursuing a Masters degree.

Ms Qian Xiao Hui, 21, is considering doing a Masters in Financial Engineering if she doesn’t get a job when the banks make their customary hiring rounds in February. The final-year banking and finance student at NTU said: “I don’t want to compete in the bad job market. Education is an investment.”

Although the private sector may not be hiring as much as they used to, the public sector remains a good place for undergraduates to seek their first jobs. Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announced in his recent Budget speech that the Government would open up 18,000 new public sector jobs over the next two years across different ministries and statutory boards for all levels of employees.

Still, despite such openings, the job market will still be a tough year for fresh graduates, given the high number of job losses expected this year, said Mr Alvin Liew, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank.

Professor Michael Heng, from NTU’s School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, said that while the job market may be tight, graduates who are flexible in their job hunt should have no problem finding a job.

He said: “You need to see your skills differently. If you see yourself as having a capability and not just having hard skills, you have no problem finding a job. Paywise, you still have to adjust expectations, but if you do well in your job, there’ll be no problem getting pay increments.”

Despite the bleak outlook, some students already have jobs waiting for them come July — thanks to the help given by their respective universities (see sidebar).

Mr Colin Teo, a final-year student at NTU’s Nanyang Business School, took up an offer from the school to intern at one of the Big Four accounting firms last June.

The 24-year-old said: “I signed up for it because I already felt the signs when the sub-prime crisis started and the US dollar started to weaken. I know I had to do an internship at one of the Big Four to secure a job.”

He approached his internship company last November for a job and got an offer ahead of his peers. Given the tough economic climate, Mr Teo said: “It’s better to be somewhere now than nowhere. It’s barely six months to graduation and some people are not even getting job offers. But they are not in total despair; they are still taking things in their stride.”

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Professional Conversion Programme for Tourism | Jorbb.com

The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) works with the Community Development Councils (CDC) to operate five career centres in Singapore. These career centres provide a range of services including career-personality profiling, job referrals, advice on training and enhancement of job search related skills.

The career centres will beef up their resources to assist more Singaporeans. Starting this month, they will also ramp up the frequency of workshops where PMETs can pick up useful tips, knowledge and skills in job search and career transition, as well as rebuild their confidence and overcome mindsets that may hinder their efforts to seek re-employment.

To help and enable more PMETs to seize these opportunities and switch careers, WDA will work with economic agencies and tripartite partners to introduce more professional conversion programmes (PCPs) for the growth sectors. Over the last month, four programmes in pre-school education, pharmaceutical manufacturing, healthcare and workplace safety and health have been developed. And over the next three months, WDA will be working with its partners to roll out similar programmes for digital animation artists and stage managers and technicians. These are part of the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience, or SPUR, announced recently.

Over the next year, we expect 100 Singaporean PMET workers to benefit from the PCP for Tourism. They will pursue a Workforce Skills Qualifications Diploma in Tourism at TMIS, while at the same time, gain practical work experience through apprenticeships in tourism establishments in Sentosa in areas such as Food & Beverage, Events, Retail and Attractions. In addition, unemployed Singaporeans who are participating in the programme will receive a training stipend.

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Course Offerings Under Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR) Increased by Five-Fold | Jorbb.com

The Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR) was implemented on 1 December 2008. Riding on the encouraging response from employers and workers, and taking on board feedback from companies and unions, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) have expanded the list of courses under SPUR to enhance its relevance to employers and workers, with effect from 1 January 2009. The new SPUR-approved courses include:

a. More Workforce Skills Qualifications' (WSQ) courses by quality training providers in addition to the original SPUR WSQ courses by CET Centres, e.g. in Human Resource, Healthcare Support, Precision Engineering, Aerospace, Information and Communications Technology. With this, all WSQ courses will be covered under SPUR.

b. Nitec and Higher Nitec courses for adults under the Institute of Technical Education, e.g. Nitec in Information Technology and Higher Nitec in Electronics Engineering; and

c. Diploma, Advanced Diploma and Specialist Diploma courses for adults provided by the Polytechnics, e.g. Diploma in Technology, Specialist Diploma in Arts & Events Management, Advanced Diploma in Process Control & Instrumentation.

The courses included under SPUR are those that are recognised at the national or industry level, and which enhance the employability of workers.

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Survey shows most firms still hiring fresh graduates | Jorbb.com

Thousands of fresh graduates are expected to enter the Singapore job market this year, flooding a labour pool that is seeing more retrenchments. Industries that are still hiring include accounting, engineering and sales.

Josh Goh, senior manager, Corporate Communications, The GMP Group, said: "The situation has changed. Fresh grads need to prepare themselves. They need to dress appropriately; they need to portray a very enthusiastic, willing-to-learn attitude."

Recruitment agencies said preparation, experience and presentation will help give applicants a winning edge, so internship and knowledge of company and job matter.

One also has to be prepared to accept a salary range that is on average about 5 to 15 per cent lower than last year.

Despite widespread hiring freezes, a recent survey of some 120 firms by the National University of Singapore (NUS) showed that 90 per cent of these companies will take in fresh graduates. The survey covered industries such as manufacturing, finance, transport and the public sector.

The Singapore Management University (SMU) said some students are delaying their graduation to explore more internships. More have also gone to career services centres for advice, especially those who are hoping to find a job in banking or finance.

Universities, in turn, have revved up their outreach activities.

Loh Pui Wah, director, Career and Attachment Office, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), said: "We are approaching companies such as new and emerging industries that traditionally do not hire fresh graduates. We are also targeting the SMEs, so we are aggressively going out to them to discuss employment opportunities and inviting them to NTU."

Some students, however, remain unfazed about the challenges ahead. Economics major Lim Wensi, who is graduating from SMU in July, is feeling upbeat about getting a job in the tourism sector.

He said: "I'm not overly anxious about not getting a job because I feel there are still jobs out there, especially in the tourism industry. I'm also prepared to do contract work, part-time work during this time until the economy picks up. Well, the back-up plan would be to go overseas to do a Masters."

Observers said contract work can build up crucial job experience until a permanent position comes along.


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New S$275,000 CDAC centre aims to empower the young and old | Jorbb.com

The array of services the new S$275,000 Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) centre at Bukit Panjang will offer include tuition for kids, job matching for adults and IT training for seniors.

More of such centres are planned if this one takes off.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is also Patron of the Council, did the honours as he unveiled the plaque on Saturday.

The council said that as it looks forward to turning 20 in 2012, it has a vision to do more to help the community.

This year alone, the number of needy students receiving financial support from the Chinese self-help group has risen 56 per cent to 7,500 this year, from 4,800 last year.

CDAC said it has also helped more job seekers this year, up 30 per cent from last year.

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Companies with in-house training programmes can tap into SPUR funds | Jorbb.com

Companies with in-house training programmes will now be able to tap into funds under the newly-launched Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR) as long as they meet certain requirements.

The change comes just three weeks after the start of the scheme.

SPUR is a government initiative which provides funds to encourage employers to send excess staff for training rather than laying them off in these lean times.

Labour chief Lim Swee Say said the number of positive responses to the new scheme has been encouraging.

Numbers have increased over the past week and now stand at more than 30 companies supporting over 3,000 workers.

Most of the take-up for SPUR in the past weeks has come mainly from the manufacturing sector.

However, Mr Lim said when the scheme was first announced, the scope of training and training locations were quite restrictive.

Given the feedback over the past three weeks, he said the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) have adapted the programme.

Mr Lim said: "If companies are able to put in place a well-structured training programme even if they may not be conducted in the CETs (Continuing Education and Training Centres), we will support it under SPUR as well."

There are 42 CETs or Continuing Education and Training Centres as at December 1.

Mr Lim said this flexibility in training location will depend first on the programme meeting the standards under the Workforce Skills Qualification System.

He said the economic situation is expected to worsen in the first quarter of next year.

And so, while agencies adapt the programme based on feedback from industry, they are also gearing up to expand the scope and capacity of the training programmes.

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Some 40 companies have committed 2,500 workers for SPUR training | Jorbb.com

Half of 162 companies surveyed by the Singapore National Employers Federation said they plan to make use of the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR) scheme to retrain workers and cut costs.

Since the S$600 million SPUR scheme was implemented on December 1, at least 40 companies have signed up for it, committing over 2,500 workers to training. They're mainly from the manufacturing sector and are the larger companies.

Uptake among small and medium enterprises has been limited.

Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General, NTUC, said: "There is also nothing to stop a small company from taking advantage of SPUR just like the bigger ones would. The advantage inherent in SPUR is really a solid training subsidy, training fee subsidy for sending the worker to training. So you essentially pay one-tenth the cost. And then there is the absentee payroll."

However, absentee payroll, which ranges from S$6 to S$6.80 an hour has limited appeal for many companies who employ skilled degree holders.

Many in the banking and finance industry which is bearing the brunt of the economic storm, feel that the courses currently offered under SPUR do not match their skill set.

Associate Professor Annie Koh, dean, Executive and Professional Education, Singapore Management University, said: "This is a very different market from the Asian Financial Crisis. Now we have moved upmarket so a lot of our blue collared workers are getting the right jobs. But our white collared workers were not being reinvented.

“So this current crisis is a wake-up call for our service sector. So some of our white collared workers should now go deep, go specialised. We had too many of our degree holders coming up into service jobs that have generic skills. General skills will not equip you going forward."

There are currently 43 existing Continuing Education and Training Centres and another 10 will open by the end of next year.

Analysts believe the 10 new Centres will focus more on offering specialised courses for white collared workers. Currently, the centres focus more on offering courses for rank-and-file workers.

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Service grouses spill to Facebook | Jorbb.com

They are irate customers and they have found a way to air their grievances - on Facebook.
Some 2,000 people have joined a group called 'I am Singaporean and tired of service staff who can only speak Mandarin' on the popular social networking site.

At least 20 establishments - from big-name supermarkets and foodcourts to retail shops - have been singled out by members who have come forward to share frustrating experiences at these outlets.

Started in August by undergraduate Kavita Devi Thamilselvam, 22, the group has drawn many non-Chinese as well as Chinese who are not fluent in Mandarin.

'It's as though non-Mandarin speaking customers are not valued. It makes us feel like foreigners in our own country,' Ms Kavita told The Sunday Times.

Another member of the group, Ms Nor Hafiza, 28, said she once had to approach four different sales assistants at a supermarket before a Singaporean employee was able to answer her queries.

The early childhood educator was surprised one of them even asked if she could speak Mandarin.

'When you are serving a multiracial community, it's important to have employees who can speak English,' she said.

Most members in the group said they are not against hiring foreigners, but are frustrated at the lack of English training given to them.

Ms Kavita said she had initially set up the group so that like-minded customers would have an outlet to vent their frustration.

But she now wants to take the group's feedback to the establishments. Industry watchers empathised with such sentiments.

'This sends a clear signal to the operators that it is important to ensure the competency of their service staff,' said the president of the Consumers Association of Singapore, Mr Yeo Guat Kwang.

Singapore Retailers Association executive director Lau Chuen Wei felt that English tests may be a good idea to ensure a minimum level of English proficiency.

'If such tests can be implemented for domestic helpers whose contacts are largely confined to the families that they work with, what more for those whose contacts are with the larger community?'

First-time maids have to sit for an English entry test to ensure that they have basic numeracy and literacy skills to do household tasks and adapt to life here.

When The Sunday Times did its own tests on five big businesses listed on the Facebook group, three - Giant, Kopitiam and Food Republic - did not fare well, while two - Haagen-Dazs and Takashimaya - passed with flying colours.

When contacted, all except Takashimaya said they have already been conducting some form of English classes for staff.

Companies explained that recruiting English-speaking service staff in both F&B and retail industries is already challenging enough, as many people shun such jobs.

Most added that employees from China form barely 10 per cent of their total staff strength. Service-sector companies are allowed to employ foreign workers on work permits - up to 50 per cent of the company's total workforce.

Said a spokesman from supermarket chain Giant: 'It will take some time for them to learn a new language...We hope the Facebook group can give our staff a bit more learning time.'

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Grads face up to fading job prospects

Thanks to the global financial crisis, university students - especially those due to graduate next year - are fast coming to terms with the rising difficulty in landing their ideal job.

Companies are still recruiting from campuses but compared with the heady days of 2006 and early 2007, the number and range of jobs available are taking a hit.

This has led to many students coming up with a Plan B - such as staying in school to pursue a Master's degree while waiting for the job market to recover.

According to the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), companies which ran campus recruitment drives in the past have returned this year. These include major banks and financial institutions.

However, there has been a 'reduced number of placements' and the 'types of roles available have changed,' said director of NTU's undergraduate career services, Joyce Seidl-Tan. As the financial crisis unfolds, for instance, more risk management and other mid and back-office functions have opened up.

'Firms are still hiring but very selectively,' observed Jason Low, a 23-year-old accountancy student who is graduating from NTU next year.

The cautious mood contrasts with the bright hiring landscape one or two years ago. An NTU release in June said that nine out of 10 business school graduates last year found jobs before graduation and the top students earned between $8,000 and $15,000 monthly. Of the entire Class of 2007, about two-thirds received multiple job offers.

The continued volatility in financial markets could affect the situation further. While companies kept to their hiring plans for most of the year, 'it was only in October, when the economic volatility hit a peak, that recruiters took a wait-and-see approach to hiring,' said NUS Business School's director of career services, Joan Tay.

'The global financial and economic situation is still uncertain and the job market could decline in all sectors in the coming months,' said director of career services at the Singapore Management University (SMU), Ruth Chiang. 'Students may not receive multiple job offers now and have to be prepared to accept job offers as they come.'

The climate is putting a dampener on wage expectations. 'As employers are confronted with the need to adjust their cost base according to market conditions, salary levels for fresh graduates of 2009 are likely to be lower than the entry level salaries seen in 2007 and possibly in 2008,' said NTU's Mrs Seidl-Tan.

But there is a bright spot amid the gloom. SMU's Lee Kong Chian School of Business has noticed that the difficult employment market has made graduating students evaluate their future careers more carefully.

'The tough job market... can also be a catalyst to more unconventional career paths which may ultimately be more rewarding,' said Doris Sohmen-Pao, director of SMU's MBA programme.

As NTU's Mr Low put it: 'A lot of people say it's best to start out in a bear market because you get to ride the waves and learn a lot from that.'

Some students though, may prefer to pick up another degree and delay entering the workforce. NUS Business School final-year student Wang Fan, 22, has already applied to several local and overseas universities to pursue his Masters in financial engineering.

This is in the event that his attempts to land his 'ideal' job as a trader with one of the banks here draw a blank. Some banks have already imposed hiring freezes or are retrenching staff.

The school's vice-dean for undergraduate studies, Quek Ser Aik, said that about 20 graduating students have already expressed their wish to use the economic slowdown as an opportunity to further their studies instead of entering the job market.

He said: 'The crisis is surely a concern for our students and for us. We will certainly try our best to accommodate our students' requests should they want to stay on to further their studies.'

As for junior college or polytechnic students entering universities, the financial mayhem is unlikely to sway interest in finance-related degrees, said the local varsities.

'We believe that banking and finance remains a very desirable field to our students and those who are keen on this area would probably not be deterred,' said Valerie Du Toit-Low, associate dean of undergraduate business in NTU.

SMU's Mrs Sohmen-Pao also said that postgraduate programmes, such as those related to management and finance, would retain their market value with or without a financial crisis.

'Skills such as leadership, strategic management and finance will remain evergreen and relevant to any profit organisation across any industry. We are optimistic that subscription for postgraduate programmes will remain strong even while the market goes on the road to recovery'.

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Opening of the Adult Learning Symposium and the Launch of the Institute for Adult Learning

Speech by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Acting Minister for Manpower from MOM's website.

Distinguished Speakers and Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good morning

Introduction

I am pleased to join you today for the opening of the Adult Learning Symposium and launch of the Institute of Adult Learning or IAL in short. The launch of IAL is an important development in our efforts to build the national capability in adult learning.

Adult Education in the Early Years

2. We embarked on adult learning as early as the 1960s. The Adult Education Board was formed then, tasked with planning, regulating and implementing adult education. In the 1980s, three national Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes were launched by the then Vocational and Industrial Training Board. They were better known as BEST (The Basic Education for Skills Training), WISE (Work Improvement through Secondary Education) and MOST (Modular Skills Training). These programmes helped adults acquire technical skills qualification as well as receive basic education in English and Mathematics. In 2000, the introduction of the National Skills Recognition System (NSRS) and the 1-Institute- 2 Systems framework (1I2S) in the Polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education helped adults further improve their skills.

The CET Masterplan and the Need for A Quality CET Profession

3. In 2003, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) was formed to develop a competitive workforce and build a strong national CET infrastructure. WDA has since introduced the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) system, Employability Skills System (ESS) as well as established CET Centres in growth areas.

4. Earlier this year, we announced a National CET Masterplan to prepare our workers for the future, help them seize opportunities in new growth areas and advance their careers through the acquisition of skills. We will ramp up the national CET training capacity, ensure better integration of the CET and our formal education systems; and reach out to more workers. We now have 42 CET Centres. We will set up more CET Centres and the number of training places will be ramped up significantly from 110,000 in FY 08 to 220,000 in FY 09 through the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience, or SPUR.

5. But expansion in our training capacity alone will not be effective unless the training programmes are of high quality and we have professional adult trainers to deliver them. Training of adults is quite different from the training of younger students. Adult trainers must be equipped with the right skills.

6. Singapore's formal education has been well regarded internationally. One important factor of our success is the quality of our teachers and the quality of the teacher-training programmes offered by the National Institute of Education. Similarly, training of CET trainers and adult educators plays an important part in ensuring that CET trainers are adequately trained and equipped to train adults. As we build up our infrastructure under the CET Masterplan, there will be greater demand for CET trainers. The set up of the IAL is therefore timely. The IAL will be dedicated to training and developing qualified adult trainers, raising the standards of the profession and conducting research to continually improve our CET system over time. This is an important milestone in our journey towards a first-class CET system.

Role of IAL

7. The IAL will play a leading role in three areas: the development of the CET profession in Singapore through establishing standards and delivering training for CET professionals, nurturing a community of CET professionals in Singapore, and advancing thought leadership in adult learning so that we can continually improve the effectiveness of our CET programmes.

Developing Professional Pathways and Training

8. Firstly, IAL will develop the CET profession through establishing clear professional standards and pathways for adult educators. From 2009, IAL will introduce a new national Professional Development Framework (PDF) targeted at adult educators. This is developed in collaboration with the polytechnics, ITEs, private training organisations and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), so that it serves the needs of trainers from different backgrounds. The framework outlines clear qualifications, skills and competencies needed for CET professionals, and also serves as a guide for development, performance and career pathway for adult educators.

9. Under this new framework, the IAL will develop and deliver programmes to train and upskill adult educators. It will deliver a range of nationally recognised WSQ programmes and qualifications. These will go beyond the current range of certificate-level programmes. IAL will introduce the new Diploma in Continuing Education and Training in April 2009.

Growing a Community of CET Professionals

10. Secondly, IAL will work with adult educators to grow the community of CET professionals in Singapore. This includes CET professionals in polytechnics, private training organizations, consultant trainers and curriculum developers, trainers in the SAF and companies which have their own accredited training centres. IAL will help to build this community through a professional membership and development scheme, which will also be a key component of the Professional Development Framework.

11. This scheme is similar to those currently available in other countries such as the UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD). Administered by IAL, the scheme will facilitate the recognition of the professional standing, performance and competencies of CET professionals. It will establish a code of professional ethics underpinning the roles and responsibilities of CET professionals. It will also serve as a platform where the professionals can learn from one another.

Advancing Thought Leadership in Adult Learning

12. The third area where IAL will play a key role is in advancing thought leadership by undertaking research in adult learning and best practices in CET. This research will be translated into direct and practical inputs into improving our CET system. In this regard, IAL will leverage on its capability to provide support and advisory services in curriculum, assessment and training practices to the new CET Centres established by WDA. In addition, we can expect more programmes like today's symposium, with both international and local thought leaders, to engage our practitioners.

A New Professionals Conversion Programme for CET Professionals

13. With the current economic downturn, the imperative to provide training to re-skill and up-skill workers to enhance their employability has become even more pressing. IAL will play a key role in supporting SPUR, by improving the quality and increasing the number of trainers. As part of this effort, IAL will introduce a new Professionals Conversion Programme for those who wish to transit to a new career as a CET professional.

Conclusion

14. In conclusion, let me reiterate that all of you working in the CET field play a key role in helping workers upgrade their skills and employability, as well as in raising the overall competitiveness of our workforce. It is therefore important that you continue to enhance your professional skills and capabilities. It is ultimately through your professionalism that the goal of a vibrant, skilled and competitive workforce can be achieved.

15. I wish the Institute for Adult Learning every success, and look forward to seeing it strengthen the CET landscape and contributing to the advancement of our workers through quality training.

Thank you.

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New media education & training centre to set up for working adults

Train and retrain -- that is what the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) hopes the new Media Continuing Education and Training Centre will do for 3,000 professionals in the industry over the next five years.

It has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Singapore Media Academy (SMA) and Ngee Ann Polytechnic on Saturday to set up the centre.

This is the first such partnership between private and public education and government sectors.

The WDA hopes the centre will provide a training environment to meet the changing needs of Singapore's media workforce.

"It's my passion to be able to help the sick and also it has always been my passion to want to take part in different roles and being an actor, if I ever have the chance to be," said a trainee of the Performing for TV course, Deric Sim, who is also a doctor by day.

After completing each course, participants will get a nationally issued certificate known as a statement of attainment.

They can accumulate relevant certificates in exchange for a qualification like a diploma.

Trainees can also get subsidies from the WDA of up to 80 per cent of the course fees.

"Beyond the classroom setting, we also have hands-on, practical experience of what we call on-the-job training. And after the trainees have completed their training, there will be opportunities for internships, apprenticeships and even a permanent position in the media industry," said the assistant vice-president of SMA, Janet Patt.

The SMA, which has been appointed the long-term Media Continuing Education and Training Centre, has been running a gamut of courses.

SMA says it will tap on its network of local and international partners to bring in renowned trainers and training resources. It will also gather feedback from media professionals to ensure its courses meet the industry's demands.

In the first half of next year, new courses to be rolled out include New Media Business Management, Media Sales and Marketing, as well as TV, Film and Radio Production.

The academy, which is currently at Caldecott Broadcast Centre, will move to an interim location in the middle of next year before settling at a permanent site by 2011.

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Retail Training and Employment Centre has been launched

A new S$1 million Retail Training and Employment Centre has been launched in conjunction with the upcoming mall at Orchard Road, 313@Somerset.

313@Somerset is being developed by Land Lease Retail Singapore.

The project is the first major fully integrated retail development in Asia undertaken by the company.

Lend Lease said the new centre is aimed at providing free retail training to the employees of retailers at the mall.

The centre is expected to be fully operational by the middle of 2009 and will train about 1,000 employees and potential employees during its first year.

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SPUR has more than 60 training pathways for workers

There will be more than 60 skills upgrading pathways for rank and file workers and professionals under the new SPUR initiative to help workers reskill for new jobs.

The government is concerned that the economic downturn will affect a growing number of professionals, managers, executives and technicians or PMETs.

So the latest initiative - Skills Programme for Upgrading & Resilience (SPUR) - is designed to help these workers acquire news skills for new jobs.

SPUR has spelt out clear career pathways for them. For example, if a manager is retrenched, he can approach the Employment and Employability Institute where he can choose from a list of upgrading pathways in growth sectors.

He will then undergo retraining for the new job. The trainee will receive a fee subsidy for the course and a training allowance.

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Got your Degree? Is it recognised in Singapore?

It is a real nightmare to find out after spending so much time and money, that your degree belongs to a diploma mill which is neither recognized in Singapore nor anywhere in the world. In general, a degree will be recognized in Singapore if it is from a University accredited by the Government of the country where the University is situated. So how do you find out which are these accredited universities...

Visit http://singaporesearchsite.com for full article.

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More apply for MBAs during slump

INFORMATION-TECHNOLOGY director Samuel Schwarz, 38, believes that doing a master of business administration (MBA) will help him during the current economic slowdown.

"I think it assures my employer that my skills are up-to-date and...it would be easier to find employment elsewhere should I unexpectedly get retrenched," said the Singapore permanent resident, who is doing the course at online graduate school U21Global.

And he might not be alone in taking up an MBA programme during bad times.

Mr Nick Hutton, chief executive of U21Global, said that past experiences have shown that a downturn "often led to a surge in MBA course applications".

Tertiary institutions my paper contacted also made similar observations. However, they are unable to provide the latest application figures for their MBA programmes because applications are still ongoing.

But they said they did notice more applications during previous downturns such as the one in 2003, when Singapore was hit by the deadly Sars disease.

This year, among those who attended information sessions for the MBA offered by Nanyang Business School, employees from the financial-services sector showed "strong interest" in the course, said Associate Professor Chung Lai Hong, head of the MBA programme.

Additionally, an economic downturn is a good time for employees to acquire new skills.

A National University of Singapore Business School spokesman said that "many applicants will take the opportunity...to upgrade themselves".

And many think having an MBA allows them "to take advantage of the economy when it recovers", said the Singapore Institute of Management.

But human-resource practitioners said that an MBA is not a guarantee for job security.

Said Mr David Ang, executive director of the Singapore Human Resources Institute: "When a company is retrenching, it retains employees who have performed well, are experienced and have contributed to the company."

It takes more than an MBA to get a job. Said Mr Tim Hird, managing director of recruitment firm Robert Half Singapore: "As the job market gets more competitive, individuals with relevant work experience, qualifications and a strong skill set will have an edge."

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Local SMEs not spending enough on training staff

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore are not spending enough on training their staff.

A survey by DP Information Group showed that almost half of local SMEs spend less than one per cent of staff costs on training their employees each year.

The survey also showed that 20 per cent of firms put aside less than a hundred dollars a year for training each employee.

According to International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, companies should spend between two to three per cent of staff costs each year on training.

These costs could add up in the long run as all employees need training in order to keep up with the rapidly changing environment, but investing in human capital is a must for SMEs.

Managing director of DP Information Network, Chen Yew Nah, said: "The SMEs have only their people to help them to grow the organisation. So it is very important for them to see... a good portion of their staff being able to be trained, and to keep it dynamic, with the changing conditions that you have today."

The survey also revealed that local firms are looking to distant markets such as Russia and Latin America. Observers said such markets have high growth potential that makes them attractive.

Deputy CEO of IE Singapore, Ted Tan Teck Koon, said the gross domestic product of Latin Americas had grown about six to eight per cent in the last four to five years, despite the current credit crunch in the US.

Companies from industries such as infrastructure, oil and gas and food supplies are among those that have already ventured into such regions.

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Bosses to contribute skills devt levy on all workers

From October 1, employers will contribute the Skills Development Levy (SDL) on all workers they employ, up to the first $4,500 of gross monthly pay.

Currently, the salary ceiling for SDL contributions is $2,000.

The levy rate will also be lowered from 1% to 0.25% from October 1, subject to a minimum contribution of $2 per employee.

The SDL underlines employers' key role in contributing to workers' training and institutionalise employer's dedication to the Continuing Education and Training (CET).

The expansion of the levy base is to better reflect the outreach of CET, which will increasingly cover professionals, executives and managers.

At the same time, the wider base will allow the existing levy rate to be lowered to ensure the total SDL collection will remain about the same as under the previous formula.

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Poly students learn to set up profitable businesses that benefit the poor

Profit from a business while benefiting the disadvantaged? That's what 45 students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic are learning to do.

17-year-old Justin Lee's among the first batch of students taking up the Business & Social Enterprise course at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

"Social enterprise is not that popular yet, and not many people know about it. We just started this course. Some challenges are, will people believe in this model, in this structure of the organisation? That's one challenge we face, but I think we will overcome it," said Lee, a first-year student of Business & Social Enterprise at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

His classmate, 22-year-old Helena Nimali Fonseka dropped out from a private university after studying sociology for one and a half years. She opted for a more hands-on learning experience at the polytechnic.

She wants to learn how to create a sustainable social enterprise model in Singapore so she can help women in undeveloped countries get an education.

"Basically you need to set the culture right and just stick to it, preserve and not give up. And you have to be smart about your choices you need to change, so you can better your business to give quality and quantity for the people," said Fonseka, a first-year student of Business & Social Enterprise at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

They are getting tips from Kenny Low - the Schwab Social Entrepreneur 2007 winner.

Low's social enterprise venture, a performing arts centre, is now expected to generate a profit of S$100,000 by end 2008.

The money will be used for his other venture which provides non-profit, alternative education for juvenile youths in Singapore.

Said Low: "To inspire them and to share with them that there will be challenges that'll come. But if they don't give up, whatever dreams that they have will become realities."

"The most important thing for every social entrepreneur to find value in the services that they offer. When it has value, the market will respond to it. And subsequently the business will pick up."

During their three-year course, students will learn to set up businesses that can help the disadvantaged be more financially independent.

They will also learn to execute projects and promote corporate social responsibility in companies.

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Did you regret your choice of study?

More than half of workers in S'pore regret choice of study, the Straits Times reported.

A global recruitment company has found that more than half of workers in Singapore regret what they chose to study back in school, polytechnic or university.

One in three is also uncertain about their ultimate career choice, according to an online survey by Kelly Services. It was released on Wednesday.

The findings are distilled from the answers given by more than 2,000 people who had sought Kelly Services help to land a job. They form part of it global survey of 115,000 people by its offices in 33 countries.

People of all age groups, educational levels and professions took part and in Singapore, most were in business, engineering, financial services and information technology.

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Singapore creating innovative new education plan

Newsweek's recent article on Singapore's education system explored the government's new plan to incorporate more of a creativity and technology focus in education. Though Singaporeans are admired world-wide for their work ethic and strong educational emphasis, the traditional structure of S'pore's system may prevent growth in new industries like biotechnology or entertainment unless new steps are considered.

Singapore has notoriously high university entrance standards that may need to be relaxed in order to attract a broader variety of students. It's historically been so difficult to get into good schools that students have had to spend an enormous amount of time studying versus innovating, creating new businesses or engaging in the arts. Some of the city/state's traditional values will have to become more relaxed to encourage an entrepreneurial mindset among young people, encouraging more rebellious, creative thinking while still maintaining S'pore's strong ethical values.

Singapore's Education Minister recently spoke about some of the upcoming reforms in the university system and the government's desire to stay competitive when luring foreign students or trying to retain it's own citizens. S'pore's universities are in the top 100 in the world so maintaining this standard will be imperative. It is encouraging to see that the government realises that they need to maintain open thinking and groom innovative ideas to maintain Singapore's financial growth and world status in the years to come.

Image source: E-architect.com.uk

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Gallup offers visionary education program

The Gallup organization has developed an educational program called StrengthsQuest to help identify and foster student's strengths versus shoring up their weaknesses. The program, and the accompanying book, provide resources for educators including seminars, curriculum outlines, guidebooks and Web forums.

Based on recent findings in the Clifton StrengthsFinder and Positive Psychology research, the program is part of a new wave of strengths based education and career counseling that includes Marcus Buckingham's recent books such as Now Discover Your Strengths.

The curriculum is currently in use at many schools including Texas Tech where survey information from 2007 and 2008 showed that most students agreed that the program was helpful in the following ways:

• making educational decisions based on strengths



• increasing confidence



• recognizing self-identity



• improving self-awareness



• using strengths in career search



• understanding personal strengths

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Online Education- New place for students

They said education should not be restrained within the 4 corners of the classroom. Thus, with the rapid increase of distant learning today, online education became more popular and is one of the many growing industry in the internet today. Online education is very popular especially in developing countries like Asia, wherein students who cannot afford to study abroad, can just go to Internet café's and get a first class education via e-learning.

However, there are a lot of ups and downs like in any other businesses. In late 1990's, they thought online education will be the next big thing, but it failed since a lot of students prefer going to big universities and on a real campus. Today, analysts predict that the global market for online education will rise from $8 billion last 2007, to $26 billion by the year 2010. Currently in the United States, 65 percent of graduate schools offer "distance" learning that can be accessed through the internet by any student anywhere in the world. Recently, U21 Global an online education provider based in Singapore teamed up with Pakistan's government to launch an advertisement campaign endorsing higher education to rural youth.

But how can providers encourage students to enroll and assure them that it would not be boring? Before, its just recorded lectures and notes, but now, providers offer live professors in chat rooms, lecture notes in power-point, and lectures formatted for iPods. Most importantly, gaining friends all over the world is the key to a fun learning experience.

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MBA programs offer global study opportunities

In Singapore, MBA's are highly desired by working managers. With the development of a global economy, many students are seeking out programmes that offer international study. The UK Financial Times reports that one example of this newer style of MBA is the EMBA, a joint venture between Columbia Business School in New York and London Business School. Hong Kong University Business School will now be included in the EMBA as part of the EMBA Global Asia programme.

This new program will feature courses taught from all three locations, offering a new global perspective. Additionally, students will actually study in all three locations, as well as central Shanghai, China. However, many business schools have found that working with China to set up joint programmes has been extremely difficult and have pulled out.

Other similar EMBA educational programmes include a new teaming of Esade, Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service and McDonough School of Business, a US-Spanish joint project.

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35 days course - Eldercare Training Programme is certified by the WDA

Ever had to look after a grandparent; Do you have an elderly person as home? A new course in training older workers on how to care for the elderly has been launched.

The Eldercare Training Programme is certified by the Workforce Development Agency under the Community and Social Services Workforce Skills Qualifications Programme.

The 35-day course will focus on hands-on experience. Participants will also be attached to an old aged home.

Those who are interested can call Hua Mei Training Academy at 6471-7740 or send an email to hmta@tsaofoundation.org.

More at CNA's website.

Image Courtesy of CNA.
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Tuition teachers doing well for themselves

Hiring a tuition teacher in Singapore is becoming standard practice and seen by many parents and students as a necessity to excel in their studies. The Sunday Times reports that, of 100 students polled, 97 receive tutoring, either at a centre or privately. Many students have a variety of tutors for various subjects, especially Math and English, spending an average of two hours on these subjects. Trends show that tutoring isn't just for students who are struggling or for older students. Strong students seek out tuition training to give them a competitve edge and students are receiving tutoring when they are younger.

Many parents are referring to this as "tuition syndrome" and some students are enrolled at more than one centre like Gradtutors, which reports that parents are spending 10-15 per cent more for tutoring on top of educational fees. Gradtutors states that advantages include one-on-one attention versus large classrooms, flexible times and that tutors have the time to inspire students that traditional educators don't.

Some tuition teachers who are extremely in demand are making as much as S$20,000 per month but have 80-90 students and may employ other tutors as part of this income. They also write study guides, educational articles and operate Web sites on their subject.

Image Source Gradtutors.com
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Singapore public servants are doing alright

Being a public servant in Singapore has some advantages. Civil servants do not compete against foreign talent, some are guaranteed at least five years of job security, and their salaries are less likely to be performance based, per a parliamentary speech by Low Thia Khiang on April 9, 2007. Singapore has some of the highest paid civl servants in the world according to a 2005 report by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations. There is debate as to whether these higher salaries ensure a better quality of life for Singapore, but it still makes a career as a public servant a great career choice for many.

Starting salaries for civil servants in areas like management, education, accounting, engineering and more saw increases of 7-14% annually (which does not include bonuses) in 2007 based on whether they graduated with Good Honours or an iPass degree. Thus, the starting salary for someone in the Education sector with Good Honours jumped from S$2560 to S$2820 that year.

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Business Book Reviews - Starting 9th June

Jorbb will be posting business book / audio book reviews from tomorrow onwards.

We will try to cover newly released Business books covering topics like Economics, Management, Productivity, Entrepreneurship and Human Resources.

Stay tuned as we will be providing coupon discounts to online book merchants soon...

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NUS graduates get higher starting pay

Photo courtesy of NUS.

A survey of 2007 graduates of National University of Singapore indicates that starting pay rates are on the rise. Additionally, the job market appears strong for these graduates as they all had job offers within six months of graduating, while 80% had an offer before graduating!

NUS's business graduates saw a 13% increase and top earners started at S$10,800 monthly. Most are employed in the areas of finance and banking, energy (including oil), and consumer goods industries.

Graduates from Nanyang Technological University are also doing well. 90% of their graduates secured positions within one month of graduation and some earned more than S$15,000 monthly.

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