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July 15, 2009
Job market on students' minds
By Chua Hian Hou
FOREIGN workers, and their impact on the job market, was on the top of students' minds at a seminar on the global financial crisis on Wednesday, when they got a chance to quiz politicians and industry experts.
The event at Anderson Junior College was attended by more than 300 students from a dozen Singapore schools.
Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong, the guest-of-honour, opened by speaking about the impact of the economic crisis.
While the economy has shown signs of recovery, jobs could still be lost in the coming months, he said.
This was why the Government is focused on helping workers keep their jobs and training laid-off workers so they can secure other opportunities, he said.
While initiatives, like the Jobs Credit scheme, are fairly new and their impact not yet clear, 'if necessary we will introduce new programmes,' he said.
Mr Gan was confident Singapore would ride out the crisis, but said 'our challenge is how we can capitalise on opportunities in the new global environment and retool our strengths to position Singapore for the future'.
He also urged students to welcome foreigners, in the same way that their ancestors were welcomed when they came to Singapore in search of a better life.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
July 15, 2009
Job market on students' minds
By Chua Hian Hou
<a href="http://www.parliament.gov.sg/AboutUs/images/Prof-GanKimYong.JPG"><img src="http://www.parliament.gov.sg/AboutUs/images/Prof-GanKimYong.JPG"></a>
Foreign workers take your job, not mine!
Foreign workers take your job, not mine!
FOREIGN workers, and their impact on the job market, was on the top of students' minds at a seminar on the global financial crisis on Wednesday, when they got a chance to quiz politicians and industry experts.
The event at Anderson Junior College was attended by more than 300 students from a dozen Singapore schools.
Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong, the guest-of-honour, opened by speaking about the impact of the economic crisis.
While the economy has shown signs of recovery, jobs could still be lost in the coming months, he said.
This was why the Government is focused on helping workers keep their jobs and training laid-off workers so they can secure other opportunities, he said.
While initiatives, like the Jobs Credit scheme, are fairly new and their impact not yet clear, 'if necessary we will introduce new programmes,' he said.
Mr Gan was confident Singapore would ride out the crisis, but said 'our challenge is how we can capitalise on opportunities in the new global environment and retool our strengths to position Singapore for the future'.
He also urged students to welcome foreigners, in the same way that their ancestors were welcomed when they came to Singapore in search of a better life.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
