SINGAPORE: The labour market may be sizzling hot, but not all polytechnic students are benefiting.

While the job market has improved for polytechnic graduates as a group, a comparison of employment rates for similar courses shows a distinct gap between polytechnic and university graduates.

Data from the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM’s) Report on Wages 2007 show that while accountingdegree-holders reported a 98-per-cent employment rate, only 77.3 per cent of accounting diploma-holders were employed in full-time permanent work six months after completing their final examinations.

In computer engineering, the rate was 97.7 per cent for university graduates and 84.6 per cent for diploma-holders.

Diploma-holders also reported lower rates of employment in business administration and finance compared to university graduates.

But in line with the strong demand in the engineering, health sciences and shipbuilding sectors, holders of diplomas in these fields were highly sought after.

Explaining the disparity between the need for workers and the rate of employment, manpower experts said the demand for labour would not be even across all sectors.

Said Mr Dhirendra Shantilal, senior vice-president of Kelly Services (Asia Pacific), “The (employment) trend does not apply across the industries and is industry-specific.”

Mr David Ang, the executive director of the Singapore Human Resource Institute (Shri), said a strict comparison between courses would not be fair as polytechnic and university courses serve different requirements in the job market.

Both employment expertsadvised fresh graduates to manage their expectations as not everyone would be able to land a “dream job”.

In some cases, the relatively low hiring rate in areas like tourism and hospitality derives from the “time lag” between the creation of the educational courses and that of the job, Mr Ang said.

But he added: “With the integrated resorts coming up soon, this sector will pick up.”

According to the MOM, 89.8 per cent of university graduates were employed last year within six months of their final examinations, up from 86.2 per cent in 2006. Meanwhile, 75.3 per cent of polytechnic graduates got a job, up from 72.1 per cent in 2006. - TODAY/ra