60,000 job vacancies: Mostly PMETS?

February 4, 2016

60,000 job vacancies

I refer to the article “Fewer job openings amid softer economy: Manpower Ministry” (Channel News Asia, Feb 3).

It states that “Amid softer economic conditions, the number of job vacancies in Singapore declined in 2015, although it still exceeded the number of jobseekers, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said on Wednesday (Feb 3).

According to the ministry’s Job Vacancies 2015 report, there were 60,000 job vacancies as of September 2015.”

99.7% of jobs growth to foreigners?

Don’t you find it kind of funny that on top of the 60,000 job vacancies– we had 100 local jobs growth (0.03 per cent) and 31,700 foreign jobs growth (97.7 per cent) last year?

Why so many vacancies at least 6 months?

If we try to focus on filling the job vacancies – if we just manage to fill say just 10 per cent (6,000) of the vacancies – local jobs growth would be 60 times (6,000 divided by 100) what it was last year.

I suggest that we make deeper enquiries into the job vacancies for at least  six months, to try to better understand why they can’t be filled.

PMETs – highest vacancies, highest unemployment rate?

As to “However, openings remained available for all occupations, with service and sales workers, professionals and associate professionals and technicians most sought after, the ministry said.

Four in 10 of job vacancies, or 43 per cent, were for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs)” – don’t you find it funny that PMETs also had the highest unemployment rate?

Since they had the most vacancies -shouldn’t their unemployment rate be relatively lower?

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.