| |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
SINGAPORE: Observers are predicting rising unemployment rate in Singapore as businesses freeze hiring and reduce headcount to cope with the economic downturn.
The jobless rate for the third quarter – due to be announced this Friday – is expected to be higher than the 2.3 per cent seen in the last quarter. Outplacement firms said retrenchments have already taken place and no industry is spared.
35-year-old Mohd Rosni Kadir is one victim of the current downturn. The former technical sales executive was laid off from his job of four years, just two months ago.
Having just got married last week, Mohd Rosni decided to get help from the South East Community Development Council (CDC), which runs a career centre in partnership with the Workforce Development Agency (WDA).
He is now hoping to get a job as a construction or shipyard safety supervisor.
"After being retrenched, I got through it because I had my own savings. I hope that through the programme that CDC has, I can upgrade myself to a higher standard," Mohd Rosni said.
The career centre is beginning to see more cases of unemployed Singaporeans. Its manager said there are about 15 to 20 cases daily – double the number of cases a year ago.
During the post-SARS period, the centre saw about 30 cases daily. Six in ten people were successfully placed in jobs, while seven in ten remained in the same job for three months or more.
Every person that comes through the career centre is assigned a case worker, who will follow though the job seeker's progress for up to six months.
At the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), it is seeing people who are still employed, but fear their jobs are at risk. Managed by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), e2i is a one-stop centre that provides training and job placements.
Ang Hin Kee, director, Employability Enhancement Department, NTUC, said: "Others who are more at risk say, 'Look, I'm worried. Orders don't seem to come in, things seem to be slowing down; bosses have been giving me signals that things are tough. Probably in the next three to six months, I'll urgently need some recourse before the axe starts to fall on me. What do I do?'."
There are six career centres spread across Singapore to give job seekers a lifeline. The good news is that compared to the pre-SARS period, there are now more training centres that can help equip job seekers with the relevant skills to go into growth industries.
Vengadesh Naidu, centre manager, South East CDC, said: "The hiring sectors are, of course, the growth sectors – healthcare, retail. The IR is being built so there are a lot of hospitality jobs. It depends on whether you are ready. If you are not, we will get you ready.
"Many of them who approach us have not been in the workforce for a long time, probably they need help with their resumes, their interviews... We do provide this kind of assistance."
Job counsellors said it is essential for job seekers to manage expectations, as well as seize opportunities to enter a new industry.
"Make good use of the opportunities that are available rather than lament on the fact that this job has been taken up or there are no more vacancies in this industry," said Mr Ang.
- CNA/so
|
