Gerald Giam: Hiring challenges point to more worrying trend of insufficient Singaporeans entering in-demand fields

During a recent visit with residents, business owners talked to Workers’ Party MP Gerald Giam about their challenges in finding people to fill various jobs.

“Their concerns were not simply about difficulties obtaining work passes for foreign workers. Instead these hiring challenges point to a more worrying trend of insufficient Singaporeans entering fields that are in demand by industry,” the Aljunied GRC Member of Parliament wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday (July 12).

The group of business owners, whom Mr Giam talked to at a kopitiam, told him about the difficulties they face in filling technical positions, production lines and service roles.

The MP added that the concerns about there not being enough Singaporeans to fill in-demand fields should not be dismissed as merely “a result of pickiness or an unwillingness to endure hardship.”

He added that “instead, a more productive approach would be to examine why more young Singaporeans choose not to enter disciplines like engineering or switch to other fields upon graduation.”

He then proceeded to ask whether “pay, working conditions, the image of the industry, management expertise, lack of career progression, or a combination of all these factors” are what is at play in Singaporeans not choosing to pursue these in-demand careers.

Mr Giam added, however, that these factors will need to be addressed if Singapore is to moderate an over-reliance on foreign workers while at the same time creating “exciting job opportunities” for Singaporeans.

He then appealed for feedback from anyone with similar experiences.

“Do you run a business facing these recruitment challenges? Are you a job seeker who is facing difficulties landing a job despite your efforts to upgrade your skills? Do comment below or reach out to me by WhatsApp at 89250747 and share your experiences with me.”

One commenter obliged by telling the MP that policies are somewhat responsible for the situation.

“Is not Singaporean are not willing to enter or be in the field of engineering, this mindset is absolutely wrong. The employers and MOM policy are to be blamed for importing too many India engineered, firewall IT engineers into Singapore resulting the work culture is loop-sided.”

The netizen also provided an example from the company of one of their colleagues.

“A real example my colleague company is flooded with engineers from India as for production from Malaysia, China, Philippines as technician, Supervisor FT too vs local long service one or two out of five supervisors, shipping n warehousing from Malaysia and mostly all the long service local blue Singaporean engineering manager, softwares personnel or troubleshooting engineers all gone or retrenched. Pity them but is a real reality…so many jobs Singaporean could do but all gone to FT.” /TISG

WP MPs vote against PAP and PSP motions on jobs, foreign talents