Middle class blues

[VolksBarSG]

Why not?

 

Are you absolutely sure that Singaporeans can do the jobs that these FTs do?

 

Why do you think our local unis all offering courses that all these FTs are doing?

[Viceroymenthol]

You PAP IB isit...might as well ask me if I want my meals in a hawker centre, a food court or restaurant lah.

 

Moderation means that no local PMETs have to be retrenched in order for these foreigners to have a job. Moderation is when all the local PMETs all have jobs and the FTs can also have jobs without displacing any locals. Understand not?

 

Even when the local PMET is a lazy good for nothing stupid idiot, cannot think, cannot talk properly, cannot write properly, cannot do work? I am sure we have all met these PMETs some time or another and we are left scratching our heads wondering how this idiot ever graduated from university.

 

You know what you will end up with?

 

Something like the Bumiputera policy. When even incompetent fools are guaranteed a job by virtue of their birth.

[Solar]

despite so many years into this immigration for talent/workers thingy, imo our mom is still not mature yet.

look at how australia deals with theirs.

 

in addition to a quota of immigrants approved per year, they have reviews every 6 months and adjust their jobs-in-demand list, and this list is a result of feedback and discussion with the industry's needs where they could not find locals for the job.

they also have professional bodies there to ascertain that certain trade is qualified and have the right experience in their field to weed out fakes.

example of professionals are nurses, doctors, mining, oil/rig-related professionals, and trades like plumbers and hair-dressers.

IT managers used to be on that list.. then was later removed.

 

mom is not transparent...perhaps don't even have this list available?

[Viceroymenthol]

Why do you think our local unis all offering courses that all these FTs are doing?

 

 

If you have worked in global MNCs before, you will understand that paper qualifications are just a formality. What matters most is the competency and quality of the employee himself, and this can be somewhat gauged through interviews.

 

Just because some four-eyed local nerd ace'd his local uni exam papers doesn't mean squat if he is not the right fit for the company and culture.

Edited July 3, 2013 by Viceroymenthol

[VolksBarSG]

If you have worked in global MNCs before, you will understand that paper qualifications are just a formality. What matters most is the competency and quality of the employee himself, and this can be somewhat gauged through interviews.

 

Just because some four-eyed local nerd ace'd his local uni exam papers doesn't mean squat if he is not the right fit for the company and culture.

 

Correct, but you asked if 'can do' mah. Of course can lah, but with bosses with your kind of mindset where got chance to prove it?

[Solar]

Why not?

 

Are you absolutely sure that Singaporeans can do the jobs that these FTs do?

 

on this one.. we just fired one myanmar network 'consultant' from our project..

it was during the solutioning that he was found to be just a mediocre, only done some simple network support work.

half the time don't understand what the client said/wanted.

 

immediately we told the network department to send us another guy.

 

then another guy was sent in.. this time could better understand the requirement and came out with the network design in a few days.

 

so the question is, why this myanmmar guy got into sg and got hired in the first place?

no proper screening by whoever let him in, and subsequently by the company's hr

[VolksBarSG]

Even when the local PMET is a lazy good for nothing stupid idiot, cannot think, cannot talk properly, cannot write properly, cannot do work? I am sure we have all met these PMETs some time or another and we are left scratching our heads wondering how this idiot ever graduated from university.

 

You know what you will end up with?

 

Something like the Bumiputera policy. When even incompetent fools are guaranteed a job by virtue of their birth.

 

That's why we got KPI. Use that one with a '3 strike' warning system if the PMET is falling below expectations that if they dun buck up after 3 warning a FT will potong jalan their job. Besides, most of our local PMETs are highly competent, hardworking professionals. These aren't young guys looking for a quick buck the easy way. Many local PMETs are mature adults in their late 30s and 40s leh, mind you.

[Solar]

If you have worked in global MNCs before, you will understand that paper qualifications are just a formality. What matters most is the competency and quality of the employee himself, and this can be somewhat gauged through interviews.

 

Just because some four-eyed local nerd ace'd his local uni exam papers doesn't mean squat if he is not the right fit for the company and culture.

 

true..paper is formality in many cases... especially if you know someone

[VolksBarSG]

true..paper is formality in many cases... especially if you know someone

 

Like how higher office in SG is a MARRY-tocracy right?

[Solar]

Like how higher office in SG is a MARRY-tocracy right?

 

this thingy happens everywhere lah.. local or not..

sometimes people call it 'networking'..

 

those already born and bred here.. no choice (can't revoke their citizenship for being cmi right?)

but we can limit the cmi ones from coming into sg...

[VolksBarSG]

this thingy happens everywhere lah.. local or not..

sometimes people call it 'networking'..

 

those already born and bred here.. no choice (can't revoke their citizenship for being cmi right?)

but we can limit the cmi ones from coming into sg...

 

True lah, everywhere oso same. We CAN ban the CMI fuggers from coming into SG...but DID we?

[Tonyhawk]

my humble opinion.

 

We got here too easy and too fast.

 

Our initial years of growth (first 20 years or so) was a result of rapid industrialisation. the manufacturing boom from a cheap hardworking labour force is not rocket science. Political stability and well planned infrastructure development, coupled with our strategic location along shipping lines, propelled us from third world to second.

 

But anybody can do low cost and hard work. its always been there. And as our low cost, hard work, competitive edge eroded with the emergence of IN, CN, etc., we tried, in the more recent past 20 years, to keep up with the growth, to attain first world, by switching into higher "value-added" sectors : banking, finance, law, medical-tourism, service-tourism (CASINO), R&D. GDP per capita went through the roof, but we paid a price. the price is that some sectors paid off, while others were punished, somewhat unjustly.

 

Every tom dick and harry today, knows which industries pay well. Ask any 18 year old today which career he'd like to have, and the answer is obvious. the one that pays. But for the 45-50 year old, PMET in manufacturing, or even the 35 year old who did his PHD in bio-engineering or the like, its too late to switch. screwed by policies. Even today, im sure we're desperately trying to lure/con the uniniated into the less popular, engineering/science disciplines. These folks would have been fine, but have had their cost of living driven up by their better paid counterparts.

 

These folks could have grown and evolved slowly up the food chain. But we took the easy way out, succumbed to the lure of easy money of the other lucrative fields. Now its irrecoverable, imo. We didnt give our manufacturing sector a chance to move up the chain, to evolve beyond hard work and low cost. and so today, we only compete on those terms. cost and "hard work". Our best and brightest have long fled those industries.

 

The next 20 years will be very interesting. the demise of manufacturing and the rise of our service industry has played out. whats next? whatever it is, i pray for our children that our leaders get it right.

[Ingenius]

Well written! Concur.

[Mustank]

my humble opinion.

 

We got here too easy and too fast.

 

Our initial years of growth (first 20 years or so) was a result of rapid industrialisation. the manufacturing boom from a cheap hardworking labour force is not rocket science. Political stability and well planned infrastructure development, coupled with our strategic location along shipping lines, propelled us from third world to second.

 

But anybody can do low cost and hard work. its always been there. And as our low cost, hard work, competitive edge eroded with the emergence of IN, CN, etc., we tried, in the more recent past 20 years, to keep up with the growth, to attain first world, by switching into higher "value-added" sectors : banking, finance, law, medical-tourism, service-tourism (CASINO), R&D. GDP per capita went through the roof, but we paid a price. the price is that some sectors paid off, while others were punished, somewhat unjustly.

 

Every tom dick and harry today, knows which industries pay well. Ask any 18 year old today which career he'd like to have, and the answer is obvious. the one that pays. But for the 45-50 year old, PMET in manufacturing, or even the 35 year old who did his PHD in bio-engineering or the like, its too late to switch. screwed by policies. Even today, im sure we're desperately trying to lure/con the uniniated into the less popular, engineering/science disciplines. These folks would have been fine, but have had their cost of living driven up by their better paid counterparts.

 

These folks could have grown and evolved slowly up the food chain. But we took the easy way out, succumbed to the lure of easy money of the other lucrative fields. Now its irrecoverable, imo. We didnt give our manufacturing sector a chance to move up the chain, to evolve beyond hard work and low cost. and so today, we only compete on those terms. cost and "hard work". Our best and brightest have long fled those industries.

 

The next 20 years will be very interesting. the demise of manufacturing and the rise of our service industry has played out. whats next? whatever it is, i pray for our children that our leaders get it right.

 

damm well said!!!

 

[RadX]

damm well said!!!

 

 

agree....a good analysis. Yes, the next 20 yrs would be interesting....

 

Well one thing, healthcare and education are our pillars still, and it still puts food on the table

[Jerms]

I think sometimes it

[Jamesc]

agree....a good analysis. Yes, the next 20 yrs would be interesting....

 

Well one thing, healthcare and education are our pillars still, and it still puts food on the table

You are absolutely right.

 

Health care is a wonderful industry.

 

People will spend a lot of money to live longer

 

and the longer they live, the more money they will

 

need to spend on health care.

 

Edited July 3, 2013 by Jamesc

[Lala81]

my humble opinion.

 

We got here too easy and too fast.

 

Our initial years of growth (first 20 years or so) was a result of rapid industrialisation. the manufacturing boom from a cheap hardworking labour force is not rocket science. Political stability and well planned infrastructure development, coupled with our strategic location along shipping lines, propelled us from third world to second.

 

But anybody can do low cost and hard work. its always been there. And as our low cost, hard work, competitive edge eroded with the emergence of IN, CN, etc., we tried, in the more recent past 20 years, to keep up with the growth, to attain first world, by switching into higher "value-added" sectors : banking, finance, law, medical-tourism, service-tourism (CASINO), R&D. GDP per capita went through the roof, but we paid a price. the price is that some sectors paid off, while others were punished, somewhat unjustly.

 

Every tom dick and harry today, knows which industries pay well. Ask any 18 year old today which career he'd like to have, and the answer is obvious. the one that pays. But for the 45-50 year old, PMET in manufacturing, or even the 35 year old who did his PHD in bio-engineering or the like, its too late to switch. screwed by policies. Even today, im sure we're desperately trying to lure/con the uniniated into the less popular, engineering/science disciplines. These folks would have been fine, but have had their cost of living driven up by their better paid counterparts.

 

These folks could have grown and evolved slowly up the food chain. But we took the easy way out, succumbed to the lure of easy money of the other lucrative fields. Now its irrecoverable, imo. We didnt give our manufacturing sector a chance to move up the chain, to evolve beyond hard work and low cost. and so today, we only compete on those terms. cost and "hard work". Our best and brightest have long fled those industries.

 

The next 20 years will be very interesting. the demise of manufacturing and the rise of our service industry has played out. whats next? whatever it is, i pray for our children that our leaders get it right.

 

Good points.

The only worry is that we've placed all our eggs in one basket

But the hard truth is that as a small nation, we can only pool our bets in one direction.