DRIVEN BY CHOICE
Among overqualified workers, about nine in 10 – or 17.7 per cent of the workforce – were in roles below their qualification levels, often due to preferences such as work-life balance, flexibility or career transitions.
According to MOM, the share of involuntarily overqualified workers (1.7 per cent) has remained low and stable – at below 3 per cent – over the past decade, suggesting limited structural mismatch in the labour market.
Those who voluntarily take on roles below their qualifications most commonly cite job stability (31.1 per cent), the ability to use their skills (25.3 per cent), and interesting work (24.4 per cent). Others prioritise flexible arrangements such as suitable working hours and flexible schedules, highlighting a wide range of personal motivations. CNA
This problem of Singaporeans being underemployed, ie working at a lower level job than what they are qualified for, can be easily explained away. A personal choice, flexibility, worklife balance, or like graduates becoming taxi drivers to be their own boss... may be a superficial treatment of a very serious problem in Singapore. Using statistics for comparison to feel good about it, that it is normal, is not normal. Why would anyone spend hundreds of thousands of good money, time and stress, to get a higher qualification but then chose to work in a lower level and less paying job? It just does not make sense. Why would a graduate want to become a hawker or food deliverer or a taxi driver? There may be a very few cases with genuine reasons, but this situation is abnormal, illogical, irrational, unacceptable, more likely a forced choice. What is the truth?
There have been many reports of foreign employment agencies making comments that Singaporeans are not suitable for jobs because their qualifications and experience are less attractive than foreigners from God knows what universities, from God knows where, and God knows what experience. There were also remarks that the interviewers, often foreigners, somehow would bypass Singaporeans and preferred foreigners in job placement. Foreigners discriminating against Singaporeans in Singapore. True? Proud of it? No need to bother? Foreigners are so talented, our saviours?
How valid and relevant are surveys is subjective though they are meant to be objective. Underemployment affects Singaporeans in many ways, individually, socially and the general wellbeing of the country. If more and more Singaporeans ended up underemployed, ie being replaced by foreigners of questionable background and qualification, what does it mean for the country and people in the long run? Would Singaporeans ended up as second class citizens, the pariahs in their own country with scintillating degrees but becoming buskers, asking for alms? Busking can be fun and a good source of side income for the students while studying. Would Singapore end up being run by foreigners, foreigners bossing over Singaporeans and despising and ridiculing Singaporeans as unqualified, unsuitable, lack the right experience, poor work attitude, no talent, no drive, do not want to be CEOs, despite their over expensive and highly hyped qualifications from the world's top universities, and best, reporting to foreigners with dubious, unverified qualifications and resumes?
This problem of unemployment must be looked into seriously and not brush aside with superficial excuses by Singaporeans responsible for the well being of Singaporeans. Are there safeguards, systems or organisations that are in place to take care of Singaporean's interests, to ensure that Singaporeans are not cheated or shortchanged in their own country, the country where they not only pledged loyalty to but also donned uniforms to defend with their lives? Singaporeans deserve to be treated better in their own country and not just like any foreigners. Citizens to be treated equally with foreigners is an insult to Singaporeans.
If Singaporeans, PR are not citizens, continue to be sidelined in one way or another, intentionally or unintentionally, and losing their rightful place in their own country, what is the point of calling themselves citizens and doing National Service? The govt owes a great responsibility to ensure that every Singaporean does not lose out to foreigners in getting decently employed befitting his qualifications, NOT underemployed. One way is for all govt agencies, ministries, GLCs to have Singaporeans to head their HR departments and be fully in control of job placement with preference for Singaporeans.
What do you think, Singaporeans?
5 comments:
Good morning All,
The Chinese Saying: "The First Generation Builds! The Second Consolidates and The Third Destroyed " is very APT!
Like LKY used to say in the past "When you are no longer hungry and starts to lapse then that's be your DEMISE!
So many so called DemoCRAZY Countries thinking that they had already Arrived became complacent and pampered.
Most on Auto Pilot thinking that that's should be enough and prosperity shall be forever.
However, the Chinese PRCs are different.
Their Leaders kept hammering and drove their new generations which they knew shall also falls into the same state Like the Rest of the socalled Developed Countries and shall also demise.
Their young are been pushed thru their History of Past Sufferings
Their Discipline Behaviours of their Rigid and Tough Regime of never ever be satisfied and must kept pushing for excellence.
Their Ten or Five Years never ending plans in EXCELLENCE.
Whereas Countries like Sinking Land took foe granted that their economy is GOOD enough with their Servile Service Industries which are basically the most lowest classes of Industries!
Still as Middle Men Commissions Agents and White Collars Service SERVICES.
How many of these jobs you could churn out every year with your ever growing young into the jobs markets?
The Worse is that many cushy ones are given away to their beloved conned socalled Foreign Fake Talents.
Only internal economy of sponging on the local population of their internal consumption of high rise BTOs and COEs
Once a while throw some scraps to make sure you survive and kept slogging for them
Ai see beh see ai wak beh wak!
Many studied from as young as two to twenty plus with strings of papers diplomas, degrees and what's not are now doing menial platform and part time, adhoc jobs that's are barely to their qualifications.
Also as hawkers, delivery men and women.
Long long time ago had a headstart with our supposed Most Electrocuted, oops Educated young and should have seizes the Golden Opportunity to team up with China for their technologies and industries but are admant to saddled up with their dying Whites which they thought are the same as them.
Able to spat Mandarin like the PRCs.
Easy communication.
Die die must leaned to the Whites
Until no choice with no new economy had to have the Two Casinos and their never ever over my Dead Body.
Now those neighbouring countries with China's investments and cooperations are going to swallow this Land into Oblivion.
What's with your still Servile Service Industries?
No eyes see!
Nowadays it's very difficult & expensive to have a HR dept, most private companies outsourced to other 3rd party companies. Some SME HR r even non-existence & replace HR dept with only 1 octopus multi skills admin staff, to find a HR or Admin SG or PR staff is even more harder. Perhaps there might be many WFH or Phantom SG/PR workers unseen in a physical office , some use AI remote control Admin staffs u dun even know they r SG or PR or Others...
I believe 200% what is reported, otherwise how do you explain the ruling party keep winning election with over 60% of vote? If sillyporean are suffering, they would have voted the opposition. Mind you, we are not in the 70s or 80s where still lot of citizens are not that educated. With such a highly educated population, why does the citizens still cannot understand what is right/wrong or good/bad for themselves. No wonder our late Tua Pek Gong call us DAFT.
There are only 3m Singaporeans and increasingly being diluted by new citizens. Stop paying lip service to the term Singaporean core. Many a time, foreigners hired to fill CEO positions or HR would devise performance schemes that ended up with Singaporeans being fired and then replaced by foreigners waiting in the queue. True or not, depends on who you asked.
Every Singaporean counts. Do not fail the Singaporeans that have voted you to power for so long. Be grateful and thankful to the Singaporean voters and take care of Singaporeans instead of fair weather foreigners hiding behind a mask.
Are you so sure that the foreigners are not waiting to screw your ass?
When foreigners and new citizens have taken up more top jobs, then you will see their true colours. By then it will be too late. Only the very dense would not heed this early warning, or they are up to no good.
Post a Comment