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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Another question for Dr Tan Khee Giap...</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>11:12 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 3) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>32589.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><TABLE class="cf gJ" cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD class="gF gK"><TABLE class="cf ix" cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
BT Kojak
to spptkg
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD class=gH>show details 2:11 AM (0 minutes ago)
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Dear Dr Tan,
You were quoted by the ST article "100,000 new jobs up for grabs this year" today:
Associate Professor Tan Khee Giap of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy said most of the new jobs will be in sectors such as hotel and food and beverage, thanks to the two new integrated resorts. Many employers are already crying out for more workers, he said. 'The question is how fast we can train Singaporeans to take up the new jobs.'
It's ironic to read that on the forum page in the same ST paper today (see below), we have a son telling Singaporeans how difficult for his father to get a job in the tourism industry despite his attending of 1-year of training course. So, looks like what you said is wrong then? That is, despite training Singaporeans, the hotels and resorts are not taking them in. Perhaps they prefer to hire cheaper and younger foreigners then?
Best rgds
Kojakbt
Moderator
3in1kopitiam Forum
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May 2, 2010
Jobless dad told he's too old or over-qualified
I read the letter, 'Older male job seekers can't get past age bias' (April18), with a sense of familiarity. My father, who is nearing 57, is jobless and has not been able to find a stable, full-time job for close to six years.
He belongs to the group of male professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) who have become jobless in their 50s.
He has a master's degree in engineering and was a manager in a major engineering firm, but lost his job in May 2004.
He has taken on various temporary jobs, such as relief teaching and doing door-to-door surveys. He even attended a year-long course on tourism management, only to find himself still unemployed despite the retraining, as the service and tourism industry does not want older workers like him.
Over the years, he has attended many job fairs, but has been told he is too old or 'at the retirement age', despite his qualifications and experience.
My father has sent out close to 600 job application letters, but managed to get only a handful of interviews, only to be rejected later because of his age. I have painfully witnessed this cycle for the past six years. This was for jobs in the civil service as well as private firms.
He tells me that besides the age factor, he faces the problem of being deemed 'over-qualified' for lower-level jobs. Naturally, his self-esteem nosedived. He became so discouraged by the constant rejections that my mother and I had to send job applications for him for a period.
I hope the Ministry of Manpower and National Trades Union Congress can help. Do well-educated, former PMETs in their 50s have to resort to finding work as cleaners, gardeners or security guards? Are these the only viable job options for them at that age?
How can they become meaningfully employed and make use of their wealth of knowledge and experience?
Kenneth Goh
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Options</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
BT Kojak
to spptkg
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD class=gH>show details 2:11 AM (0 minutes ago)
</TD><TD class=gH></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Dear Dr Tan,
You were quoted by the ST article "100,000 new jobs up for grabs this year" today:
Associate Professor Tan Khee Giap of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy said most of the new jobs will be in sectors such as hotel and food and beverage, thanks to the two new integrated resorts. Many employers are already crying out for more workers, he said. 'The question is how fast we can train Singaporeans to take up the new jobs.'
It's ironic to read that on the forum page in the same ST paper today (see below), we have a son telling Singaporeans how difficult for his father to get a job in the tourism industry despite his attending of 1-year of training course. So, looks like what you said is wrong then? That is, despite training Singaporeans, the hotels and resorts are not taking them in. Perhaps they prefer to hire cheaper and younger foreigners then?
Best rgds
Kojakbt
Moderator
3in1kopitiam Forum
------------------------------<!--<WBR />-->------------------------------<!--<WBR />-->------------------------------<!--<WBR />-->---------------
May 2, 2010
Jobless dad told he's too old or over-qualified
I read the letter, 'Older male job seekers can't get past age bias' (April18), with a sense of familiarity. My father, who is nearing 57, is jobless and has not been able to find a stable, full-time job for close to six years.
He belongs to the group of male professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) who have become jobless in their 50s.
He has a master's degree in engineering and was a manager in a major engineering firm, but lost his job in May 2004.
He has taken on various temporary jobs, such as relief teaching and doing door-to-door surveys. He even attended a year-long course on tourism management, only to find himself still unemployed despite the retraining, as the service and tourism industry does not want older workers like him.
Over the years, he has attended many job fairs, but has been told he is too old or 'at the retirement age', despite his qualifications and experience.
My father has sent out close to 600 job application letters, but managed to get only a handful of interviews, only to be rejected later because of his age. I have painfully witnessed this cycle for the past six years. This was for jobs in the civil service as well as private firms.
He tells me that besides the age factor, he faces the problem of being deemed 'over-qualified' for lower-level jobs. Naturally, his self-esteem nosedived. He became so discouraged by the constant rejections that my mother and I had to send job applications for him for a period.
I hope the Ministry of Manpower and National Trades Union Congress can help. Do well-educated, former PMETs in their 50s have to resort to finding work as cleaners, gardeners or security guards? Are these the only viable job options for them at that age?
How can they become meaningfully employed and make use of their wealth of knowledge and experience?
Kenneth Goh
</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%"> </TD><TD class=msgopt width="24%" noWrap>
