More data needed on under-employed graduates
I refer to the article “More data needed on under-employed graduates: Industry observers” (Channel NewsAsia, Dec 26).
It states that “Those Channel NewsAsia spoke with pointed to anecdotal evidence of such cases, and raised concerns over a potential trend, if not watched closely.
GRADUATE UNDER-EMPLOYMENT NOT AT CRITICAL STAGE: OBSERVERS
Observers said graduate under-employment is not at a critical stage in Singapore, and overall, graduate employment is healthy.
In 2014, the proportion of economically active graduates was 89 per cent. The Manpower Ministry tracks only time-based under-employment. This refers to people working part-time, not full-time, and willing to take on additional work.
The time-based under-employment rate for graduates in June 2014 was just 2 per cent.
Observers said there may be a need to start tracking non time-based under-employment – people like Sarah, who work full-time, but are under-employed.”
3 indicators of graduates’ under-employment?
Actually, there may already be three statistical indicators that the trend of graduates’ under-employment may have been deteriorating for many years already.
Deteriorating for many years already – economically active?
According to the Ministry of Manpower’s Yearbook of Manpower Statistics 2015 – the proportion of economically active graduates declined by 5.4 per cent from 94.5 per cent in 2007 to 89.1 per cent in 2014.
Full-time employed graduates dropped 7.1%?
Full-time permanently employed graduates also declined by 7.1 per cent from 89.8 per cent in 2007 to 82.7 per cent in 2014.
Real starting salary growth -9% last 7 years?
The median starting salary for graduates increased by only 16.4 per cent from $2,750 in 2007 to $3,200 in 2014. As inflation from 2007 to 2014 was 25.5 per cent – does it mean that the real starting salary growth was -9.1 per cent (25.5 – 16.4) over the seven years?
Huge influx of foreign workers?
To what extent has the huge influx of foreigners to an estimated non-Singaporean share of the total workforce to 48 per cent now, and our liberal foreign labour policies contributed to the above?
Leong Sze Hian
