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- wong chee tat :)
Showing posts with label professional workers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label professional workers. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
More job opportunities expected with Changi's Terminal 5
More job opportunities expected with Changi's Terminal 5
By Dylan Loh
POSTED: 30 Aug 2013 11:34 PM
Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB) said good job opportunities are expected with Changi Airport's expansion plans. However, the board said it is not just about that, as what is important is also enabling the aviation industry to be more productive.
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB) said good job opportunities are expected with Changi Airport's expansion plans.
However, the board said it is not just about that, as what is important is also enabling the aviation industry to be more productive.
Observers added that the airport expansion means positive spin-offs for Singapore in business and tourism-related areas.
With transport links to the region set to be improved with the air hub's future plans, more businesses may be lured into setting up shop in Singapore.
Lim Kok Kiang, executive director of transport engineering with the EDB, said: "An increasing number of third-party logistics providers and air express companies have chosen Singapore as their base to manage their growing Asian demand. And this due to primarily our strategic location."
Observers said plans to site Terminal 5 close to aviation and aerospace businesses is a good move that will draw investments to grow the sectors.
Beyond that, experts added that improved connectivity will likely boost Singapore's position as a cargo and logistics hub.
Selena Ling, head of treasury research and strategy at OCBC Bank, said: "When foreigners come and invest in Singapore, they will not only look at cost, or even manpower availability, they will also look at the efficiency of the infrastructure. Especially, how easy and affordable it is to get people and also goods in and out of the country."
Tourism-wise, economists estimate that Singapore can see in excess of 20 million visitors per year with a larger air hub.
Within Southeast Asia, airports in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok are gunning to service 100 million passengers every year. Singapore's plans for airport expansion will take it well beyond that number -- spelling opportunities galore for the country.
However to seize the opportunities, experts said that expanding an airport is not enough. They said Singapore will have to continually market itself as a must-visit destination for tourists.
- CNA/ac
- wong chee tat :)
By Dylan Loh
POSTED: 30 Aug 2013 11:34 PM
Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB) said good job opportunities are expected with Changi Airport's expansion plans. However, the board said it is not just about that, as what is important is also enabling the aviation industry to be more productive.
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB) said good job opportunities are expected with Changi Airport's expansion plans.
However, the board said it is not just about that, as what is important is also enabling the aviation industry to be more productive.
Observers added that the airport expansion means positive spin-offs for Singapore in business and tourism-related areas.
With transport links to the region set to be improved with the air hub's future plans, more businesses may be lured into setting up shop in Singapore.
Lim Kok Kiang, executive director of transport engineering with the EDB, said: "An increasing number of third-party logistics providers and air express companies have chosen Singapore as their base to manage their growing Asian demand. And this due to primarily our strategic location."
Observers said plans to site Terminal 5 close to aviation and aerospace businesses is a good move that will draw investments to grow the sectors.
Beyond that, experts added that improved connectivity will likely boost Singapore's position as a cargo and logistics hub.
Selena Ling, head of treasury research and strategy at OCBC Bank, said: "When foreigners come and invest in Singapore, they will not only look at cost, or even manpower availability, they will also look at the efficiency of the infrastructure. Especially, how easy and affordable it is to get people and also goods in and out of the country."
Tourism-wise, economists estimate that Singapore can see in excess of 20 million visitors per year with a larger air hub.
Within Southeast Asia, airports in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok are gunning to service 100 million passengers every year. Singapore's plans for airport expansion will take it well beyond that number -- spelling opportunities galore for the country.
However to seize the opportunities, experts said that expanding an airport is not enough. They said Singapore will have to continually market itself as a must-visit destination for tourists.
- CNA/ac
- wong chee tat :)
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Rich World’s Biggest Jobs Growth Nears End in Singapore
Rich World’s Biggest Jobs Growth Nears End in Singapore
By Sharon Chen - Aug 16, 2013 4:55 PM GMT+0800
Tony Cousens spent more than S$100,000 ($79,000) to find waiters and housekeepers for the Ramada and Days Hotels in Singapore. Months after the two establishments opened, he is still about 100 people short.
Cousens’s plight underscores the new reality for an economy that probably delivered the biggest employment surge among 33 advanced economies in the decade to 2014, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Singapore’s annual jobs growth may halve in the coming years from a 2007 peak as the island widens a clampdown on foreign workers, Bank of America Corp. estimates.
“This tightening of the foreign-labor market won’t go away,” said Cousens, general manager of the two hotels in the city that charge as much as S$320 a night. Jobs take longer to fill, “especially if you’re very demanding on the culture and the behavior of the individuals and specifying Singaporeans,” he said.
The shortage is set to worsen as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong pursues a four-year campaign to reduce the reliance on foreign workers, whose growing presence pushed up home prices and spurred a voter backlash. The government may tighten rules on hiring non-Singaporean medium-skilled workers after previous measures restricted cheap overseas labor, according to DBS Group Holdings Ltd. (DBS), Mizuho Bank Ltd. and Bank of America.
Foreigner Influx
An estimated 58.4 percent of Singapore’s population will be employed in 2014 compared with 49.5 percent in 2004, the largest increase among the 33 markets, according to an analysis by Bloomberg Rankings. The study divided the number of working people in each country by its population, based on data from the International Monetary Fund.
“The jump in employment stems from the fact that the government essentially opened the floodgates and welcomed foreign talent with open arms,” said Michael Wan, a Singapore-based economist at Credit Suisse Group AG. “I expect employment to start to slow over the next few years” as the most onerous tightening measures take effect in 2014 and 2015, he said.
Singapore will probably add about 100,000 jobs annually in the coming years, down from a record 234,900 in 2007, said Chua Hak Bin, a Singapore-based economist at Bank of America. Government statistics show a 10.1 percentage-point increase in the employment ratio for its total population from 2004 to 2012, compared with a 8.98 percentage-point gain from 2004 to 2014, based on IMF projections.
The Manpower Ministry said employment climbed in the past decade because of the city’s efforts to build a conducive environment for both global and local companies, which created job opportunities.
Worker Upgrades
“We recognize that our employment rates will not increase indefinitely,” the ministry said in an e-mailed response to queries. “Like many developed economies, our population is aging, which means that our local workforce will grow more slowly.” The ministry said it will upgrade workers and keep unemployment low.
Malta was ranked No. 2 with an estimated 5.58 percentage-point increase in the employment ratio in the 10 years to 2014, followed by Taiwan’s 5.24 percentage-point gain, the data compiled by Bloomberg showed.
The growth in Singapore’s workforce will slow to 1 percent to 2 percent a year through 2020, from an average 3.3 percent in the past three decades, the government said in January.
Lee is trying to steer the economy through an aging population and the declining foreign-labor supply by prodding companies to produce more with less manpower and hire older Singaporeans, as well as increasing the birth rate. The need to address those challenges while balancing demands for affordable housing, better public transportation and assistance with living costs have often featured in his speeches.
National Speech
Lee is due to make his annual televised National Day Rally speech to the nation on Aug. 18.
Singapore’s exports fell the least in six months in July, declining 0.7 percent from a year earlier, a report showed today. Elsewhere in Asia, Sri Lanka held interest rates. Taiwan’s economy grew a revised 2.49 percent last quarter from a year earlier, exceeding economists’ estimates, and Hong Kong’s expanded 3.3 percent.
The European Union’s statistics office will probably say euro-area inflation in July was in line with an initial estimate of 1.6 percent, while the U.S. may report housing starts climbed in July to an annualized rate of 900,000, Bloomberg surveys showed.
Higher Levies
Under the latest labor-market tightening measures announced in February, companies must pay higher levies for lower-skilled foreign employees over the next two years and cut the proportion of overseas workers in some industries.
“Choking the supply of all these low-wage foreign workers is creating difficulties for many companies, corporates and also, it is inflationary,” said Irvin Seah, an economist at DBS. “They have already been shifting the focus of the tightening towards the mid-skilled foreign workers,” he said, adding it will remain the direction in coming years.
The city’s unemployment fell to a five-year low in the last quarter of 2012 as companies hired more local workers.
Further tightening will lead to an “incremental increase in time to fill mid-level positions, and likely increased pressure on wages,” said Bhavya Sehgal, Asia-Pacific head of research at Frontier Strategy Group. “Many multinationals still import ‘ready-made’ mid-level professional talent rather than investing to close skill gaps in local talent.”
Talent Pipeline
Responding to feedback from Singaporeans that some companies are choosing to give jobs to foreigners over locals, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Acting Minister of Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin met with senior management in a number of financial institutions to emphasize that they should make a concerted effort to develop a local talent pipeline, Tan said in Parliament in March.
“In terms of addressing some of the frustrations and fears, I think it’s really the mid- and upper-mid” skilled jobs the government will target with restrictions, said Vishnu Varathan, an economist at Mizuho in Singapore. “The tightening in the low-wage and lower-skilled sector, part of it stems from their productivity drive rather than the fact that Singaporeans are hankering for such jobs.”
That shift may be an obstacle for David Soon, head of a Taipei-based industrial computer manufacturer’s Singapore office, who hired foreigners this month for two sales positions he had advertised in May, offering a monthly pay of S$2,600 to S$2,800.
“For every one local application, we have 50-plus foreigners that are applying,” Soon said. “The local graduates really feel that if they have a choice they would work for big multinational companies like Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), IBM -- as for the rest, they probably would not even want to bother.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Sharon Chen in Singapore at schen462@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephanie Phang at sphang@bloomberg.net
- wong chee tat :)
By Sharon Chen - Aug 16, 2013 4:55 PM GMT+0800
Tony Cousens spent more than S$100,000 ($79,000) to find waiters and housekeepers for the Ramada and Days Hotels in Singapore. Months after the two establishments opened, he is still about 100 people short.
Cousens’s plight underscores the new reality for an economy that probably delivered the biggest employment surge among 33 advanced economies in the decade to 2014, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Singapore’s annual jobs growth may halve in the coming years from a 2007 peak as the island widens a clampdown on foreign workers, Bank of America Corp. estimates.
“This tightening of the foreign-labor market won’t go away,” said Cousens, general manager of the two hotels in the city that charge as much as S$320 a night. Jobs take longer to fill, “especially if you’re very demanding on the culture and the behavior of the individuals and specifying Singaporeans,” he said.
The shortage is set to worsen as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong pursues a four-year campaign to reduce the reliance on foreign workers, whose growing presence pushed up home prices and spurred a voter backlash. The government may tighten rules on hiring non-Singaporean medium-skilled workers after previous measures restricted cheap overseas labor, according to DBS Group Holdings Ltd. (DBS), Mizuho Bank Ltd. and Bank of America.
Foreigner Influx
An estimated 58.4 percent of Singapore’s population will be employed in 2014 compared with 49.5 percent in 2004, the largest increase among the 33 markets, according to an analysis by Bloomberg Rankings. The study divided the number of working people in each country by its population, based on data from the International Monetary Fund.
“The jump in employment stems from the fact that the government essentially opened the floodgates and welcomed foreign talent with open arms,” said Michael Wan, a Singapore-based economist at Credit Suisse Group AG. “I expect employment to start to slow over the next few years” as the most onerous tightening measures take effect in 2014 and 2015, he said.
Singapore will probably add about 100,000 jobs annually in the coming years, down from a record 234,900 in 2007, said Chua Hak Bin, a Singapore-based economist at Bank of America. Government statistics show a 10.1 percentage-point increase in the employment ratio for its total population from 2004 to 2012, compared with a 8.98 percentage-point gain from 2004 to 2014, based on IMF projections.
The Manpower Ministry said employment climbed in the past decade because of the city’s efforts to build a conducive environment for both global and local companies, which created job opportunities.
Worker Upgrades
“We recognize that our employment rates will not increase indefinitely,” the ministry said in an e-mailed response to queries. “Like many developed economies, our population is aging, which means that our local workforce will grow more slowly.” The ministry said it will upgrade workers and keep unemployment low.
Malta was ranked No. 2 with an estimated 5.58 percentage-point increase in the employment ratio in the 10 years to 2014, followed by Taiwan’s 5.24 percentage-point gain, the data compiled by Bloomberg showed.
The growth in Singapore’s workforce will slow to 1 percent to 2 percent a year through 2020, from an average 3.3 percent in the past three decades, the government said in January.
Lee is trying to steer the economy through an aging population and the declining foreign-labor supply by prodding companies to produce more with less manpower and hire older Singaporeans, as well as increasing the birth rate. The need to address those challenges while balancing demands for affordable housing, better public transportation and assistance with living costs have often featured in his speeches.
National Speech
Lee is due to make his annual televised National Day Rally speech to the nation on Aug. 18.
Singapore’s exports fell the least in six months in July, declining 0.7 percent from a year earlier, a report showed today. Elsewhere in Asia, Sri Lanka held interest rates. Taiwan’s economy grew a revised 2.49 percent last quarter from a year earlier, exceeding economists’ estimates, and Hong Kong’s expanded 3.3 percent.
The European Union’s statistics office will probably say euro-area inflation in July was in line with an initial estimate of 1.6 percent, while the U.S. may report housing starts climbed in July to an annualized rate of 900,000, Bloomberg surveys showed.
Higher Levies
Under the latest labor-market tightening measures announced in February, companies must pay higher levies for lower-skilled foreign employees over the next two years and cut the proportion of overseas workers in some industries.
“Choking the supply of all these low-wage foreign workers is creating difficulties for many companies, corporates and also, it is inflationary,” said Irvin Seah, an economist at DBS. “They have already been shifting the focus of the tightening towards the mid-skilled foreign workers,” he said, adding it will remain the direction in coming years.
The city’s unemployment fell to a five-year low in the last quarter of 2012 as companies hired more local workers.
Further tightening will lead to an “incremental increase in time to fill mid-level positions, and likely increased pressure on wages,” said Bhavya Sehgal, Asia-Pacific head of research at Frontier Strategy Group. “Many multinationals still import ‘ready-made’ mid-level professional talent rather than investing to close skill gaps in local talent.”
Talent Pipeline
Responding to feedback from Singaporeans that some companies are choosing to give jobs to foreigners over locals, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Acting Minister of Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin met with senior management in a number of financial institutions to emphasize that they should make a concerted effort to develop a local talent pipeline, Tan said in Parliament in March.
“In terms of addressing some of the frustrations and fears, I think it’s really the mid- and upper-mid” skilled jobs the government will target with restrictions, said Vishnu Varathan, an economist at Mizuho in Singapore. “The tightening in the low-wage and lower-skilled sector, part of it stems from their productivity drive rather than the fact that Singaporeans are hankering for such jobs.”
That shift may be an obstacle for David Soon, head of a Taipei-based industrial computer manufacturer’s Singapore office, who hired foreigners this month for two sales positions he had advertised in May, offering a monthly pay of S$2,600 to S$2,800.
“For every one local application, we have 50-plus foreigners that are applying,” Soon said. “The local graduates really feel that if they have a choice they would work for big multinational companies like Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), IBM -- as for the rest, they probably would not even want to bother.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Sharon Chen in Singapore at schen462@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephanie Phang at sphang@bloomberg.net
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Higher rentals push up prices at some coffee joints
Higher rentals push up prices at some coffee joints
POSTED: 06 Aug 2013 6:08 AM
At least three coffee joints here have recently raised prices, citing rising operational costs, especially rentals.
SINGAPORE: At least three coffee joints here have recently raised prices, citing rising operational costs, especially rentals.
The move comes as the chain operator of S11 coffeeshops increased its drink prices by 10 cents across all 15 outlets at the start of June.
Ya Kun raised prices by 10 to 20 cents starting July 27, citing escalating operating costs leading to a "juncture whereby a price revision is inevitable", said a notice posted at storefronts dated June 26.
A cup of coffee at Ya Kun now costs S$1.60 instead of S$1.50.
The coffee chain's rising operational costs came from "a bit of everything", said Mr Adrin Loi, Executive Chairman of Ya Kun. Rental accounts for the bulk of costs at the chain's 44 Ya Kun outlets, followed by raw material and manpower.
Mr Loi said labour costs have gone up as workers working more than 44 hours a week are paid an overtime rate of 1.5 times their hourly rate, and the Foreign Worker Levy has also increased.
The chain also had to pay its staff higher salaries to remain competitive in a tight labour market. It had previously said it plans to hire more retirees and housewives to fuel its expansion to 100 outlets by 2015.
"Sometimes, we bear the costs … we control the price. But at the end of the day, the worker will be affected. We cannot give them better rewards, and we want to reward our staff who perform well," Mr Loi said.
Old Town White Coffee, which has eight outlets here, is in the middle of a revamp involving renovations and menu changes. TODAY understands that this will translate to an increase in prices, of not more than 50 cents, at four outlets - City Square Mall, JCube, Orchard Cineleisure and Square 2 - that have been upgraded in recent months.
The upgrading for a "fresher and more contemporary ambience" is part of the company's strategy to retain customers and, hence, manage rising costs, said Ms Dawn Liew, General Manager of Kopitiam Asia Pacific, which manages the Old Town outlets in Singapore.
"Rising costs are part and parcel of doing business and this spreads across an array of items. In saying that, rentals are becoming a lot steeper," she said.
The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf also raised its prices,by 10 or 20 cents, two months ago, but only for food items.
Prices at Starbucks, Wang Cafe, Spinelli Coffee Company and Toast Box remain the same.
-TODAY
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 06 Aug 2013 6:08 AM
At least three coffee joints here have recently raised prices, citing rising operational costs, especially rentals.
SINGAPORE: At least three coffee joints here have recently raised prices, citing rising operational costs, especially rentals.
The move comes as the chain operator of S11 coffeeshops increased its drink prices by 10 cents across all 15 outlets at the start of June.
Ya Kun raised prices by 10 to 20 cents starting July 27, citing escalating operating costs leading to a "juncture whereby a price revision is inevitable", said a notice posted at storefronts dated June 26.
A cup of coffee at Ya Kun now costs S$1.60 instead of S$1.50.
The coffee chain's rising operational costs came from "a bit of everything", said Mr Adrin Loi, Executive Chairman of Ya Kun. Rental accounts for the bulk of costs at the chain's 44 Ya Kun outlets, followed by raw material and manpower.
Mr Loi said labour costs have gone up as workers working more than 44 hours a week are paid an overtime rate of 1.5 times their hourly rate, and the Foreign Worker Levy has also increased.
The chain also had to pay its staff higher salaries to remain competitive in a tight labour market. It had previously said it plans to hire more retirees and housewives to fuel its expansion to 100 outlets by 2015.
"Sometimes, we bear the costs … we control the price. But at the end of the day, the worker will be affected. We cannot give them better rewards, and we want to reward our staff who perform well," Mr Loi said.
Old Town White Coffee, which has eight outlets here, is in the middle of a revamp involving renovations and menu changes. TODAY understands that this will translate to an increase in prices, of not more than 50 cents, at four outlets - City Square Mall, JCube, Orchard Cineleisure and Square 2 - that have been upgraded in recent months.
The upgrading for a "fresher and more contemporary ambience" is part of the company's strategy to retain customers and, hence, manage rising costs, said Ms Dawn Liew, General Manager of Kopitiam Asia Pacific, which manages the Old Town outlets in Singapore.
"Rising costs are part and parcel of doing business and this spreads across an array of items. In saying that, rentals are becoming a lot steeper," she said.
The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf also raised its prices,by 10 or 20 cents, two months ago, but only for food items.
Prices at Starbucks, Wang Cafe, Spinelli Coffee Company and Toast Box remain the same.
-TODAY
- wong chee tat :)
Saturday, July 27, 2013
TTSH warns of possible job offer scam
TTSH warns of possible job offer scam
By Vimita Mohandas
POSTED: 26 Jul 2013 11:15 PM
Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has warned of a possible scam where emails were sent to residents in the Philippines in its name to lure them into paying money.
SINGAPORE: Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has warned of a possible scam where emails were sent to residents in the Philippines in its name to lure them into paying money.
The emails requested payment of some 3,750 pesos (about S$109.50) for employment opportunities at the hospital and to attend a supposed coaching session.
Interested applicants were invited to attend a “Tan Tock Seng Hospital Working Visa Interview Coaching” session which, according to the emails, will be held in the hospital’s office at the Philippines on August 3-4.
In its Facebook page, TTSH stressed that it did not send out any emails of such nature.
It said that the address used in the emails, tantocksenghosp@live.com, is a bogus email address.
The hospital also said it does not have a consultancy firm in the Philippines, nor does it collect payment from candidates for any training or coaching.
It advised interested applicants to contact the hospital’s Human Resource Department directly for any enquiries on job opportunities, at hr_enquiry@ttsh.com.sg.
TTSH has reported the matter to the police.
Similar incidents had taken place in February when hoax email messages were sent to Filipinos, offering jobs at Jurong Health Services (JurongHealth) and Singapore General Hospital.
- CNA/nd
- wong chee tat :)
By Vimita Mohandas
POSTED: 26 Jul 2013 11:15 PM
Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has warned of a possible scam where emails were sent to residents in the Philippines in its name to lure them into paying money.
SINGAPORE: Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has warned of a possible scam where emails were sent to residents in the Philippines in its name to lure them into paying money.
The emails requested payment of some 3,750 pesos (about S$109.50) for employment opportunities at the hospital and to attend a supposed coaching session.
Interested applicants were invited to attend a “Tan Tock Seng Hospital Working Visa Interview Coaching” session which, according to the emails, will be held in the hospital’s office at the Philippines on August 3-4.
In its Facebook page, TTSH stressed that it did not send out any emails of such nature.
It said that the address used in the emails, tantocksenghosp@live.com, is a bogus email address.
The hospital also said it does not have a consultancy firm in the Philippines, nor does it collect payment from candidates for any training or coaching.
It advised interested applicants to contact the hospital’s Human Resource Department directly for any enquiries on job opportunities, at hr_enquiry@ttsh.com.sg.
TTSH has reported the matter to the police.
Similar incidents had taken place in February when hoax email messages were sent to Filipinos, offering jobs at Jurong Health Services (JurongHealth) and Singapore General Hospital.
- CNA/nd
- wong chee tat :)
Monday, July 1, 2013
Eurozone crisis cools, but unemployment hits record
Eurozone crisis cools, but unemployment hits record
POSTED: 01 Jul 2013 6:50 PM
The eurozone unemployment rate rose to a previous record-high of 12.1 percent in May, official data showed on Monday, days after EU leaders promised action against the jobless crisis at a summit in Brussels.
BRUSSELS: The economic crisis in southern Europe may be easing, a key survey signalled on Monday, but unemployment figures showed the eurozone jobless rate hit a previous record-high of 12.1 percent in May.
The Eurostat figures offered little hope of a quick end to the social fallout from austerity seen in many countries, with the unemployment rate for the entire European Union being unchanged at 10.9 percent.
Provisional official data in Italy showed the unemployment rate rising to a record high level of 12.2 percent, an increase of 0.2 points from the April level and 1.8 percentage points higher over 12 months.
EU leaders agreed to deploy up to 8.0 billion euros ($10.4 billion) in programmes to fight youth unemployment at a summit in Brussels last week after US President Barack Obama warned of the risk of a "lost generation" in Europe.
The Eurostat report, which revised previous figures, showed the eurozone rate reached 12.1 percent in March, then inched down to 12.0 percent in April -- a slight improvement that ended two years of increases -- before rising again in May.
The results were far worse than in May of last year, when eurozone unemployment was at 11.3 percent and the EU jobless rate at 10.4 percent.
For under-25s the picture was even worse, with the rate for the eurozone rising to 23.0 percent for the EU as a whole from 22.8 percent in May 2012 and to 23.8 percent for the eurozone from 23.0 percent over the same period.
Eurostat said 26.4 million men and women in the EU are now out of work.
There were wide differences between EU members, however, with unemployment actually decreasing in May in 10 countries on a 12-month comparison.
The best results were in Latvia, where the rate fell to 12.4 percent from 15.5 percent and Estonia, where it went down to 8.3 percent from 10.0 percent.
The worst was Cyprus, an island nation that has been plunged into a banking crisis over the past year that has drastically cut down its financial sector and where the jobless rate rose to 16.3 percent in May 2013 from May 2012.
Unemployment data is a lagging indicator, and in a separate set of figures, however, eurozone manufacturing showed signs of continued improvement in June.
The Markit Eurozone Composite Purchasing Managers Index, a survey of what businesses see happening in their production processes, rose to 48.8 in June -- a 16-month high -- from 48.3 in May.
The PMI index is considered to be a reliable indicator of the future trend of activity.
Ireland saw an improvement and Spain remained stable, while the rates of contraction eased in Austria, France, Greece, Italy and the Netherlands.
"Strong improvements in Spain, Italy and France more than offset a mild German setback as exporters there struggle with weakness in China and competition from Japan," said Christian Schulz, an economist at Berenberg bank.
"On current trends, the end of recession in the crisis countries is approaching fast. Spain's manufacturing PMI left contraction territory for the first time since April 2011 and Italy was not far behind," he said.
The PMIs for Italy and Spain were higher than Germany's for the first time since the eurozone debt crisis reached its peak in 2011.
Meanwhile, William Jackson, the emerging markets economist at Capital Economics in London,said that the latest batch of "emerging European" PMI indicators for several countries in central Europe added "to the growing sense that things are improving in the region."
But he also commented: "Even so, we still expect the recovery to be pretty lacklustre."
- AFP/al
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 01 Jul 2013 6:50 PM
The eurozone unemployment rate rose to a previous record-high of 12.1 percent in May, official data showed on Monday, days after EU leaders promised action against the jobless crisis at a summit in Brussels.
BRUSSELS: The economic crisis in southern Europe may be easing, a key survey signalled on Monday, but unemployment figures showed the eurozone jobless rate hit a previous record-high of 12.1 percent in May.
The Eurostat figures offered little hope of a quick end to the social fallout from austerity seen in many countries, with the unemployment rate for the entire European Union being unchanged at 10.9 percent.
Provisional official data in Italy showed the unemployment rate rising to a record high level of 12.2 percent, an increase of 0.2 points from the April level and 1.8 percentage points higher over 12 months.
EU leaders agreed to deploy up to 8.0 billion euros ($10.4 billion) in programmes to fight youth unemployment at a summit in Brussels last week after US President Barack Obama warned of the risk of a "lost generation" in Europe.
The Eurostat report, which revised previous figures, showed the eurozone rate reached 12.1 percent in March, then inched down to 12.0 percent in April -- a slight improvement that ended two years of increases -- before rising again in May.
The results were far worse than in May of last year, when eurozone unemployment was at 11.3 percent and the EU jobless rate at 10.4 percent.
For under-25s the picture was even worse, with the rate for the eurozone rising to 23.0 percent for the EU as a whole from 22.8 percent in May 2012 and to 23.8 percent for the eurozone from 23.0 percent over the same period.
Eurostat said 26.4 million men and women in the EU are now out of work.
There were wide differences between EU members, however, with unemployment actually decreasing in May in 10 countries on a 12-month comparison.
The best results were in Latvia, where the rate fell to 12.4 percent from 15.5 percent and Estonia, where it went down to 8.3 percent from 10.0 percent.
The worst was Cyprus, an island nation that has been plunged into a banking crisis over the past year that has drastically cut down its financial sector and where the jobless rate rose to 16.3 percent in May 2013 from May 2012.
Unemployment data is a lagging indicator, and in a separate set of figures, however, eurozone manufacturing showed signs of continued improvement in June.
The Markit Eurozone Composite Purchasing Managers Index, a survey of what businesses see happening in their production processes, rose to 48.8 in June -- a 16-month high -- from 48.3 in May.
The PMI index is considered to be a reliable indicator of the future trend of activity.
Ireland saw an improvement and Spain remained stable, while the rates of contraction eased in Austria, France, Greece, Italy and the Netherlands.
"Strong improvements in Spain, Italy and France more than offset a mild German setback as exporters there struggle with weakness in China and competition from Japan," said Christian Schulz, an economist at Berenberg bank.
"On current trends, the end of recession in the crisis countries is approaching fast. Spain's manufacturing PMI left contraction territory for the first time since April 2011 and Italy was not far behind," he said.
The PMIs for Italy and Spain were higher than Germany's for the first time since the eurozone debt crisis reached its peak in 2011.
Meanwhile, William Jackson, the emerging markets economist at Capital Economics in London,said that the latest batch of "emerging European" PMI indicators for several countries in central Europe added "to the growing sense that things are improving in the region."
But he also commented: "Even so, we still expect the recovery to be pretty lacklustre."
- AFP/al
- wong chee tat :)
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013
Job adverts slip 0.7% on-quarter in Q1
Job adverts slip 0.7% on-quarter in Q1
POSTED: 27 May 2013 7:51 PM
Job advertisements in Singapore fell 0.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the last quarter of 2012, according to international recruitment consultancy Robert Walters.
SINGAPORE: Job advertisements in Singapore fell 0.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the last quarter of 2012, and dropped 7.3 per cent from January to March.
The advertising numbers were released by Robert Walters, an international recruitment consultancy.
The Robert Walters Asia Job Index tracks advertisement volumes for professional positions across the leading job boards and national newspapers in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.
The index showed that job advertisements in Singapore for IT supervisors and administrators fell by 12.1 per cent.
Robert Walters said this correlates to the trend of companies shifting their hubs to cheaper locations in Southeast Asia to mitigate a stronger Singapore dollar.
While retail remains the largest sector by advertising numbers, the total number of advertised roles fell slightly by 0.6 per cent in Q1 compared to the previous quarter.
Advertisements for property management roles rose by 11.9 per cent in Q1 compared to Q4 last year.
The report noted that Singapore continues to build new developments to cater for a growing population.
Advertisements for accounting and finance roles increased by 4.1 per cent on the previous quarter.
The report attributed this largely to a sustained insurance market and growth in private banking and asset management, an area that is being supported by the growing number of wealthy expatriates moving to Singapore.
The total number of job advertisements for professional positions in Asia rose 4 per cent in the first quarter of 2013 from the last quarter of 2012.
From January to March 2013, recruitment advertising volumes across Asia grew by 20.6 per cent.
All territories except Singapore showed an increase in recruitment advertising in Q1 compared to Q4 2012.
The retail sector continued to be a strong area for job advertising. Advertising numbers increased in Malaysia (by 18.3 per cent), Hong Kong (10.9 per cent) and Japan (8.5 per cent).
- CNA/al
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 27 May 2013 7:51 PM
Job advertisements in Singapore fell 0.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the last quarter of 2012, according to international recruitment consultancy Robert Walters.
SINGAPORE: Job advertisements in Singapore fell 0.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the last quarter of 2012, and dropped 7.3 per cent from January to March.
The advertising numbers were released by Robert Walters, an international recruitment consultancy.
The Robert Walters Asia Job Index tracks advertisement volumes for professional positions across the leading job boards and national newspapers in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.
The index showed that job advertisements in Singapore for IT supervisors and administrators fell by 12.1 per cent.
Robert Walters said this correlates to the trend of companies shifting their hubs to cheaper locations in Southeast Asia to mitigate a stronger Singapore dollar.
While retail remains the largest sector by advertising numbers, the total number of advertised roles fell slightly by 0.6 per cent in Q1 compared to the previous quarter.
Advertisements for property management roles rose by 11.9 per cent in Q1 compared to Q4 last year.
The report noted that Singapore continues to build new developments to cater for a growing population.
Advertisements for accounting and finance roles increased by 4.1 per cent on the previous quarter.
The report attributed this largely to a sustained insurance market and growth in private banking and asset management, an area that is being supported by the growing number of wealthy expatriates moving to Singapore.
The total number of job advertisements for professional positions in Asia rose 4 per cent in the first quarter of 2013 from the last quarter of 2012.
From January to March 2013, recruitment advertising volumes across Asia grew by 20.6 per cent.
All territories except Singapore showed an increase in recruitment advertising in Q1 compared to Q4 2012.
The retail sector continued to be a strong area for job advertising. Advertising numbers increased in Malaysia (by 18.3 per cent), Hong Kong (10.9 per cent) and Japan (8.5 per cent).
- CNA/al
- wong chee tat :)
Monday, December 10, 2012
Supply of Indonesian maids expected to fall next year
Supply of Indonesian maids expected to fall next year
By Seet Sok Hwee, Karen Ng | Posted: 09 December 2012 2145 hrs
SINGAPORE: Maid agencies expect the number of Indonesian maids coming to work in Singapore to drop by 30 per cent, once the minimum wage for all Indonesians kicks in next month.
With the minimum wage, salaries for those working in Jakarta can go up to S$300 per month.
This may cause the maids to choose to work in Jakarta instead of Singapore.
Some domestic helpers from Indonesia say they enjoy better labour benefits there.
Besides, it is closer to their hometown and the cost of living there is not as high as in Singapore.
Maid agencies say Singaporeans should pay their maids more to make it more attractive for them to come here to work.
From January, all foreign maids in Singapore will be getting one mandatory day off per week instead of having no days off.
Some employers say they would rather pay more to their maids - to get them to work on their rest days.
"The employers themselves are working. So we do know, due to some feedback, they would like to have their own rest day during the weekend," said Carene Chin, executive director of Homekeeper Maid Agency.
"So (employers) don't mind paying extra to compensate the maid to have their rest day."
There are maids who welcome the chance to earn more money.
"I prefer to work. One day (off), one time in one month is ok for me already. So I can send more money to my family," said a maid working in Singapore.
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
By Seet Sok Hwee, Karen Ng | Posted: 09 December 2012 2145 hrs
SINGAPORE: Maid agencies expect the number of Indonesian maids coming to work in Singapore to drop by 30 per cent, once the minimum wage for all Indonesians kicks in next month.
With the minimum wage, salaries for those working in Jakarta can go up to S$300 per month.
This may cause the maids to choose to work in Jakarta instead of Singapore.
Some domestic helpers from Indonesia say they enjoy better labour benefits there.
Besides, it is closer to their hometown and the cost of living there is not as high as in Singapore.
Maid agencies say Singaporeans should pay their maids more to make it more attractive for them to come here to work.
From January, all foreign maids in Singapore will be getting one mandatory day off per week instead of having no days off.
Some employers say they would rather pay more to their maids - to get them to work on their rest days.
"The employers themselves are working. So we do know, due to some feedback, they would like to have their own rest day during the weekend," said Carene Chin, executive director of Homekeeper Maid Agency.
"So (employers) don't mind paying extra to compensate the maid to have their rest day."
There are maids who welcome the chance to earn more money.
"I prefer to work. One day (off), one time in one month is ok for me already. So I can send more money to my family," said a maid working in Singapore.
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
Monday, November 12, 2012
S'pore needs to restructure economy to sustain growth: Tharman
S'pore needs to restructure economy to sustain growth: Tharman
Posted: 11 November 2012 2350 hrs
SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said Singapore's economic growth will be weak in the short-term mainly because of the gloomy world economy.
And the challenge for Singapore, he said, is to restructure its economy to ensure sustained growth over the long-term.
Mr Tharman, who's also Finance Minister, was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a community event in his Jurong GRC.
Many countries in the world are now bracing themselves for the possibility of a "fiscal cliff" in the US.
This means a huge economic crisis may be looming for the US - if its deeply divided Congress is not able to come to an agreement.
Congress, which is made up of the House of Representatives and Senate, will still be controlled by two parties in the new Obama administration.
The Republicans regained control of the House, while the Senate is dominated by the Democrats.
Mr Tharman pointed out that even if the US gets past this hurdle, the bigger challenge is to put its mid-term budget on a more sustainable path for the years ahead in order to restore investor confidence.
He said: "That's what's necessary to really get the economy to restart. And it requires common ground to be found on both taxes and spending on the parts of the Democrats and the Republicans.
"The experience of the first term was one of intense partisanship. Hopefully in the second term, there will be a willingness to find common ground. The initial signs are positive but it's too early to say."
The effects of sluggish growth in the US and Eurozone are likely to cascade to Singapore, even though Mr Tharman said Asia continues to do reasonably well.
"Demand will be weak, but our real challenge in Singapore is in restructuring our economy. We've got to persevere in restructuring our economy so that we can get sustained growth over the long term, over the next five to 10 years based on productivity growth. That's the big challenge. Demand will be weak in the short term but it's not a fundamental problem for us because our unemployment rate is low, and that's the bottom line of the short-term. Unemployment rate is low, jobs are available and training places are available. Our real challenge therefore is to focus on restructuring our economy so that we can move one whole level higher - productivity, skills, expertise," Mr Tharman shared.
He said this means using management methods and technology to improve efficiency and productivity so that workers can get paid more.
"They can have more satisfying jobs and we can grow our economy without growing employment year after year, especially foreign employment. So we got to find the right balance. It's something that affects every sector of the economy. And, we look at the most developed countries and we can see how it's done. They too went through that transition. In some cases not very long ago, they went through the same transition. They ramp up on labour and they have to upgrade, do with less labour, but using technology and everyone playing that part, including customers, everyone playing that part. You can move up to a higher level. That way, our workers can get good wages, get good jobs," he said.
Mr Tharman added that the government will provide every form of support to help companies, especially small and medium enterprises, to make this transition.
- CNA/ck
- wong chee tat :)
Posted: 11 November 2012 2350 hrs
SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said Singapore's economic growth will be weak in the short-term mainly because of the gloomy world economy.
And the challenge for Singapore, he said, is to restructure its economy to ensure sustained growth over the long-term.
Mr Tharman, who's also Finance Minister, was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a community event in his Jurong GRC.
Many countries in the world are now bracing themselves for the possibility of a "fiscal cliff" in the US.
This means a huge economic crisis may be looming for the US - if its deeply divided Congress is not able to come to an agreement.
Congress, which is made up of the House of Representatives and Senate, will still be controlled by two parties in the new Obama administration.
The Republicans regained control of the House, while the Senate is dominated by the Democrats.
Mr Tharman pointed out that even if the US gets past this hurdle, the bigger challenge is to put its mid-term budget on a more sustainable path for the years ahead in order to restore investor confidence.
He said: "That's what's necessary to really get the economy to restart. And it requires common ground to be found on both taxes and spending on the parts of the Democrats and the Republicans.
"The experience of the first term was one of intense partisanship. Hopefully in the second term, there will be a willingness to find common ground. The initial signs are positive but it's too early to say."
The effects of sluggish growth in the US and Eurozone are likely to cascade to Singapore, even though Mr Tharman said Asia continues to do reasonably well.
"Demand will be weak, but our real challenge in Singapore is in restructuring our economy. We've got to persevere in restructuring our economy so that we can get sustained growth over the long term, over the next five to 10 years based on productivity growth. That's the big challenge. Demand will be weak in the short term but it's not a fundamental problem for us because our unemployment rate is low, and that's the bottom line of the short-term. Unemployment rate is low, jobs are available and training places are available. Our real challenge therefore is to focus on restructuring our economy so that we can move one whole level higher - productivity, skills, expertise," Mr Tharman shared.
He said this means using management methods and technology to improve efficiency and productivity so that workers can get paid more.
"They can have more satisfying jobs and we can grow our economy without growing employment year after year, especially foreign employment. So we got to find the right balance. It's something that affects every sector of the economy. And, we look at the most developed countries and we can see how it's done. They too went through that transition. In some cases not very long ago, they went through the same transition. They ramp up on labour and they have to upgrade, do with less labour, but using technology and everyone playing that part, including customers, everyone playing that part. You can move up to a higher level. That way, our workers can get good wages, get good jobs," he said.
Mr Tharman added that the government will provide every form of support to help companies, especially small and medium enterprises, to make this transition.
- CNA/ck
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Singapore's F&B service sector reaches out to job seekers
Singapore's F&B service sector reaches out to job seekers
By Dylan Loh | Posted: 05 November 2012 1412 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore's food and beverage service sector hopes to get more Singaporeans to join the industry and make up the core of new hires to fill positions ranging from rank-and-file to managerial.
The Food & Beverage Managers' Association, with the support of Workforce Development Agency (WDA), held its first career clinic on Monday at VivoCity shopping mall.
The one-day clinic aimed to provide job seekers with insights into career and training opportunities within the sector.
The clinic had 10 participating organisations, ranging from hotels to restaurants.
Career opportunities available in the industry include positions such as chefs, bartenders and servers.
Outreach efforts like this "career clinic" are organised to let the public understand the opportunities available in the industry, and entice more to join up.
About three out of 10 positions in food-and-beverage outlets here are waiting to be filled.
There are some 6,000 food and beverage establishments in Singapore. The boom in the sector is expected to continue its momentum in the coming years, which means more job openings in future.
Minister of State for Manpower and Health, Dr Amy Khor, said: "We need to continue to publicise and let Singaporeans know that there are good quality jobs in the industry with good training opportunities and career pathways and prospects. Even if they start at the bottom at the shop floor for instance, they can progress upwards and that there are many opportunities."
Back-to-work women and older workers are among those the government hopes can supplement the sector's manpower needs.
The government is encouraging firms in the industry to implement more flexible and part-time work arrangements so more can be attracted to join.
Subsidies and assistance schemes are also in place to help companies improve productivity through process and job redesigns so firms can reduce their manpower requirements.
In addition, WDA will continue to support the sector with skills upgrading programmes to increase the number of higher skilled workers.
Such programmes have allowed some to make a career switch and join the food-and-beverage industry.
Anil Kumar's passion for food was enough to convince him to cross over from the mechanical industry.
The 41-year-old earned a pastry and bakery diploma under the Workforce Skills Qualifications programme.
Starting as an intern in 2008, Anil has worked at a few places before becoming a service captain at the restaurant where he now works.
"I got bored with the job that I was doing before because it was pretty much a work that doesn't bring me anywhere. And the fact that I love food, that was the reason why I crossed over from mechanic to the food and beverage industry," he said.
Cheong Hai Poh, who is president of Food and Beverage Managers' Association of Singapore, said there are opportunities in the industry to help workers fast-track their careers.
Mr Cheong said: "You can be fast-tracked if you are performing well. You can move from a waiter to a captain within one to two years, and from a captain to assistant manager. It depends on your own performance, knowledge and skill."
- CNA/xq/fa
- wong chee tat :)
By Dylan Loh | Posted: 05 November 2012 1412 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore's food and beverage service sector hopes to get more Singaporeans to join the industry and make up the core of new hires to fill positions ranging from rank-and-file to managerial.
The Food & Beverage Managers' Association, with the support of Workforce Development Agency (WDA), held its first career clinic on Monday at VivoCity shopping mall.
The one-day clinic aimed to provide job seekers with insights into career and training opportunities within the sector.
The clinic had 10 participating organisations, ranging from hotels to restaurants.
Career opportunities available in the industry include positions such as chefs, bartenders and servers.
Outreach efforts like this "career clinic" are organised to let the public understand the opportunities available in the industry, and entice more to join up.
About three out of 10 positions in food-and-beverage outlets here are waiting to be filled.
There are some 6,000 food and beverage establishments in Singapore. The boom in the sector is expected to continue its momentum in the coming years, which means more job openings in future.
Minister of State for Manpower and Health, Dr Amy Khor, said: "We need to continue to publicise and let Singaporeans know that there are good quality jobs in the industry with good training opportunities and career pathways and prospects. Even if they start at the bottom at the shop floor for instance, they can progress upwards and that there are many opportunities."
Back-to-work women and older workers are among those the government hopes can supplement the sector's manpower needs.
The government is encouraging firms in the industry to implement more flexible and part-time work arrangements so more can be attracted to join.
Subsidies and assistance schemes are also in place to help companies improve productivity through process and job redesigns so firms can reduce their manpower requirements.
In addition, WDA will continue to support the sector with skills upgrading programmes to increase the number of higher skilled workers.
Such programmes have allowed some to make a career switch and join the food-and-beverage industry.
Anil Kumar's passion for food was enough to convince him to cross over from the mechanical industry.
The 41-year-old earned a pastry and bakery diploma under the Workforce Skills Qualifications programme.
Starting as an intern in 2008, Anil has worked at a few places before becoming a service captain at the restaurant where he now works.
"I got bored with the job that I was doing before because it was pretty much a work that doesn't bring me anywhere. And the fact that I love food, that was the reason why I crossed over from mechanic to the food and beverage industry," he said.
Cheong Hai Poh, who is president of Food and Beverage Managers' Association of Singapore, said there are opportunities in the industry to help workers fast-track their careers.
Mr Cheong said: "You can be fast-tracked if you are performing well. You can move from a waiter to a captain within one to two years, and from a captain to assistant manager. It depends on your own performance, knowledge and skill."
- CNA/xq/fa
- wong chee tat :)
Monday, October 29, 2012
S'poreans unable to enjoy work-life balance: survey
S'poreans unable to enjoy work-life balance: survey
Posted: 29 October 2012 1112 hrs
SINGAPORE: Workers have identified overloading of work and high-pressure deadlines as the main reasons for not being able to achieve work-life balance in Singapore.
A recent survey on work-life balance in Singapore found that nearly nine out of 10 workers surveyed worked beyond their official hours.
Beyond working hours, 70 per cent chose to complete unfinished work in the office while the remaining 30 per cent chose to bring work home.
The survey by recruiter Jobstreet.com also found that only 30 per cent of the respondents claimed that their companies had initiatives in place to promote work-life balance.
45 per cent indicated that their companies pay lip service to work-life balance with policies in place just for show.
Respondents suggested corporate tax relief and enforcement of policies as steps that the government can take to encourage more companies to promote work-life balance at the workplace.
About 650 workers and 135 employers participated in the survey that was conducted in September.
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
Posted: 29 October 2012 1112 hrs
SINGAPORE: Workers have identified overloading of work and high-pressure deadlines as the main reasons for not being able to achieve work-life balance in Singapore.
A recent survey on work-life balance in Singapore found that nearly nine out of 10 workers surveyed worked beyond their official hours.
Beyond working hours, 70 per cent chose to complete unfinished work in the office while the remaining 30 per cent chose to bring work home.
The survey by recruiter Jobstreet.com also found that only 30 per cent of the respondents claimed that their companies had initiatives in place to promote work-life balance.
45 per cent indicated that their companies pay lip service to work-life balance with policies in place just for show.
Respondents suggested corporate tax relief and enforcement of policies as steps that the government can take to encourage more companies to promote work-life balance at the workplace.
About 650 workers and 135 employers participated in the survey that was conducted in September.
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
Saturday, May 21, 2011
44% of employers struggle to fill vacancies
44% of employers struggle to fill vacancies
ALMOST half of employers in Singapore have problems filling vacancies in their companies, according to a survey conducted by a human resource firm.
Up to 44 per cent of employers have found it difficult to fill critical positions, said ManpowerGroup in a press release on Friday.
Sales representatives and engineering talents were the hardest to recruit, and have topped the list for at least five years. They are followed by technicians and drivers.
Out of all employers interviewed, one-third felt that applicants tend to lack the skills and experience necessary for the job.
This signals an imbalance between the number of available workers in the workforce and the number of qualified workers.
When asked what strategies employers were pursuing to overcome their difficulties filling positions, the most common responses in Singapore were to enhance benefits packages, focusing more on staff retention and broadening recruitment outside of Singapore .
Close to 40,000 employers across 39 countries and territories were questioned in the survey.
Jobs most in demand in 2011 in Singapore
1. Sales Representative
2. Engineers
3. Technicians
4. Drivers
5. Accounting & Finance Staff
6. IT Staff
7. Skilled Trades
8. Customer Service Representatives & Customer Support
9. Labourers
10. Management / Executive (Management / Corporate)
Jobs most in demand in 2010 in Singapore
1. Sales Representative
2. Engineers
3. Production Operators
4. Teachers
5. Customer Service representatives & Customer Support
6. Drivers
7. Management/Executive (Management/Corporate)
8. IT staff
9. Sales Manager
10. Skilled Trades
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
International banks preferred by Singapore graduates
International banks preferred by Singapore graduates
Posted: 15 November 2010 2202 hrs
SINGAPORE: International banks have emerged as the preferred employers by Singapore graduates.
According to the Singapore Graduate Barometer 2010 survey which involved some 3,700 final-year students and graduates, Barclays Capital claimed the top spot in overall rankings.
Singapore Technologies Engineering came in second and Citibank was third.
The top ten leading graduate employers included J P Morgan, Credit Suisse and MediaCorp.
The survey revealed that Singaporean students value professional development and promotion opportunities the most.
And a good work-life balance is valued higher than a demanding position.
Survey respondents also indicated that the ability to develop specialised skills is important in their first job.
GTI Media announced the list of most sought-after employers at the Singapore's 100 leading graduate employers awards on Monday evening.
-CNA/ac
- wong chee tat :)
Posted: 15 November 2010 2202 hrs
SINGAPORE: International banks have emerged as the preferred employers by Singapore graduates.
According to the Singapore Graduate Barometer 2010 survey which involved some 3,700 final-year students and graduates, Barclays Capital claimed the top spot in overall rankings.
Singapore Technologies Engineering came in second and Citibank was third.
The top ten leading graduate employers included J P Morgan, Credit Suisse and MediaCorp.
The survey revealed that Singaporean students value professional development and promotion opportunities the most.
And a good work-life balance is valued higher than a demanding position.
Survey respondents also indicated that the ability to develop specialised skills is important in their first job.
GTI Media announced the list of most sought-after employers at the Singapore's 100 leading graduate employers awards on Monday evening.
-CNA/ac
- wong chee tat :)
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Singapore's ICT sector grew despite recession in 2009
Singapore's ICT sector grew despite recession in 2009
By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 06 March 2010 2233 hrs
By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 06 March 2010 2233 hrs
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SINGAPORE : Despite the economic downturn last year, the
information and communications sector was the only area that saw growth.
And this trend is set to continue in 2010.
In addition, more jobs can be expected in the infocomm industry.
Last year, the strong areas of employment growth included digital media and animation, software development and research & development.
Acting Information, Communications and the Arts Minister Lui Tuck Yew said this at a gala dinner for the industry on Friday night.
He said the government will continue to ensure Singapore continues to maintain a pro-infocomm and pro-business environment - all to make Singapore an ideal place for investment.
Mr Lui said: "I expect IT spending to go up. The prognosis for the IT sector for 2010 is good. We know that in 2009, despite the downturn, it was one of the bright spots in terms of economic performance.
"For 2010, both the IDA (Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore) survey, and the SITF (Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation) survey indicated that 70 per cent or more of the companies have plans to expand their operations.
"2010 will be an even better year for them. And we think that this will result in more hiring and more opportunities for people."
As for homes, more than eight in 10 households are now connected to the internet. This is one of the fastest growth in years.
In 2008, three out of four households had an internet connection.
In addition, more jobs can be expected in the infocomm industry.
Last year, the strong areas of employment growth included digital media and animation, software development and research & development.
Acting Information, Communications and the Arts Minister Lui Tuck Yew said this at a gala dinner for the industry on Friday night.
He said the government will continue to ensure Singapore continues to maintain a pro-infocomm and pro-business environment - all to make Singapore an ideal place for investment.
Mr Lui said: "I expect IT spending to go up. The prognosis for the IT sector for 2010 is good. We know that in 2009, despite the downturn, it was one of the bright spots in terms of economic performance.
"For 2010, both the IDA (Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore) survey, and the SITF (Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation) survey indicated that 70 per cent or more of the companies have plans to expand their operations.
"2010 will be an even better year for them. And we think that this will result in more hiring and more opportunities for people."
As for homes, more than eight in 10 households are now connected to the internet. This is one of the fastest growth in years.
In 2008, three out of four households had an internet connection.
-
CNA/ms
- wong chee tat :)
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
1-in-3 Singapore professionals "happy" to take up contract work
1-in-3 Singapore professionals "happy" to take up contract work
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 April 2009 1946 hrs
SINGAPORE: A survey has shown that one in three professional workers in Singapore are happy to take on contract work, but this figure still falls short of the global average of one in two.
The web poll by recruitment consultant Robert Walters saw 4,288 respondents from 17 countries.
700 respondents were from Singapore; of which half said they would consider contract work only if permanent positions were not available. 17 per cent said they would not consider contract work at all.
Across the Asia Pacific, those from Australia and New Zealand were most open to the idea, with six in 10 responding favourably.
42 per cent of professionals in Hong Kong said they would be happy to take on contract work; an equal proportion would consider it if there were no permanent openings; while 16 per cent said no to contract work.
Robert Walters said the numbers reflected more realistic attitudes in the economic downturn.
- CNA/yt
Does this reflect changing of attitudes in the current situation? What do you think?
- wong chee tat :)
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 April 2009 1946 hrs
SINGAPORE: A survey has shown that one in three professional workers in Singapore are happy to take on contract work, but this figure still falls short of the global average of one in two.
The web poll by recruitment consultant Robert Walters saw 4,288 respondents from 17 countries.
700 respondents were from Singapore; of which half said they would consider contract work only if permanent positions were not available. 17 per cent said they would not consider contract work at all.
Across the Asia Pacific, those from Australia and New Zealand were most open to the idea, with six in 10 responding favourably.
42 per cent of professionals in Hong Kong said they would be happy to take on contract work; an equal proportion would consider it if there were no permanent openings; while 16 per cent said no to contract work.
Robert Walters said the numbers reflected more realistic attitudes in the economic downturn.
- CNA/yt
Does this reflect changing of attitudes in the current situation? What do you think?
- wong chee tat :)
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