ITE real starting pay minus 28% last 15 years?

December 9, 2015

After writing “ITE, poly fees up: Bursary $25 monthly?” (Dec 9), I was curious as to whether real starting salaries have increased, since fees have been increasing.

I refer to the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Yearbook of Manpower Statistics 2015.

ITE starting salary $1,600 in 2014?

The median gross monthly starting salary of ITE graduates (Higher Nitec (Engineering)) in full-time permanent employment was $1,600 in 2014.

ITE starting salary $1,500 in 1999?

The starting salary in 1999 was $1,500.

So, does it mean that the increase over the 15 years was only about 6.7 per cent ($1,600 divided by $1,500).

 

Certification Level

Starting Salaries
( Based on July 1999 survey )

Higher Nitec in engineering courses

$1,500

Higher Nitec in business courses

$1,400

Nitec in technical courses

$1,250

Nitec in Office Skills

$1,050

(Source: ITE)

Real starting pay down (-28%) last 15 years?

Since inflation was about 35 per cent from 1999 (CPI 73.814) to 2014 (CPI 99.984) – does it mean that the real increase was about minus 28.3 per cent or about minus 1.7 per cent per annum?

Note: I am unable to find the starting salary for polytechnic graduates in 1999 and thus have not done any analysis for the polytechnics.

Leong Sze Hian

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About the Author

Leong
Leong Sze Hian has served as the president of 4 professional bodies, honorary consul of 2 countries, an alumnus of Harvard University, authored 4 books, quoted over 1500 times in the media , has been a radio talkshow host, a newspaper daily columnist, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow, columnist for theonlinecitizen and Malaysiakini, executive producer of Ilo Ilo (40 international awards), Hotel Mumbai (associate producer), invited to speak more than 200 times in about 40 countries, CIFA advisory board member, founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of 2 countries. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors degrees and 13 professional  qualifications.