| |
| |
![]() |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
SINGAPORE: Singaporeans can expect to see nearly 450,000 jobs created in the next five years if the economy grows by between 4.5% and 6.5% annually.
And the Manpower Ministry wants to ensure this growth will benefit Singaporeans, including the group called the PMETs or the professionals, managers, executives and technicians.
Many MPs spoke about the plight of the PMETs during the debate on the budget for the Manpower Ministry on Wednesday.
Many of the PMETs who were retrenched were still unable to find new jobs while those who did, had to take a large pay cut, said the MPs.
To help the PMETs, Manpower Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen announced a new programme.
Called the Professionals Conversion Programme (PCP), it will help some 1,000 of the PMETs start new careers in growth sectors like finance, marine, aerospace and tourism.
To be launched by the Workforce Development Agency, the PCP will cost the government $20 million over two years.
The PCP will be modelled along the Strategic Manpower Conversion Programme in Healthcare, which trained more than 400 PMETs to start new career paths in nursing or radiography.
"Individuals, especially PMETs, would have to prove their own worth and increase their value. What is more critical is to help displaced PMETs upgrade and refresh their skills so that they can expand their choices and opportunities in the job market, and further their careers in new growth sectors. Over time, as their value contribution increases, they can look forward to higher salaries," said Dr Ng.
The Manpower Minister described the job creation over the past year as 'dramatic' and 'gratifying'.
He said 173,000 new jobs were created last year, half of which (or 88,200) went to locals.
And nearly 2.49 million people were in employment, the largest ever.
"What do these numbers tell us? Simply, that Singapore and Singaporeans are among the winners in this age of globalisation. We have succeeded because we opened ourselves to world trade and trends. Instead of resisting change, we have re-shaped our economic landscape quickly and put ourselves in positions of advantage to better capture opportunities," said Dr Ng.
To maintain Singapore's economic momentum, the ministry will also be making adjustments to help businesses meet their increasing needs for manpower.
In order to help meet industry demand for skilled foreign workers, companies will be allowed greater access to S-Pass holders.
The S-Pass quota will be increased to 15% from the present 10%, but the additional 5% will come from companies' existing Work Permit quota.
This means that companies can recruit more S-Pass workers, but the total proportion of Work Permit and S-Pass would remain the same.
The change will take effect from June.
"The various policies and initiatives that I have covered will support growth and enhance opportunities for all," said Dr Ng.
"A strong and dynamic economy requires an equally resilient and dynamic workforce - one that embraces opportunities, adapts quickly to changing realities; one that is open and welcoming to talent from abroad, drawing strengths from within and outside Singapore," he added.
"We are poised to move up the ranks of developed nations if we hold steadfast together to these policies that have allowed us to sail ahead on the crest of globalisation. Singaporeans can face the future with confidence and optimism, with an abundance of job opportunities ahead. But they must skill up to make the most of these opportunities because new jobs will be higher value-add and in new sectors," said Dr Ng. - CNA/ir
|
