Career lifespan in SG...

[Solar]

Was having a chit-chat session with a couple of friends over lunch.. the topic drifted to our career lifespan in SG.

 

One guy pointed out.. look around us.. where are those IT people (management/engineers) who are 50yr and above? We don't see any other than the very few (can count by fingers) who made it to very senior management..

 

Seems bleak.. guys.. what's your take on this? The rest of those seniors..all gone to sell insurance or what?

[Nolicense]

retrenched bro.. sell insurance also very hard fight.

[Solar]

All of us..married late and got kids late from 30s. That means at 50, the kids should be 18-20yr old.. going university or near.. like that how.. let the kid take loan for the uni cos Ah pa got no job?

 

Know anybody's career actually managed to survive beyond 50?

Let's not talk about those in senior management.. just average joes, like Unix engineer, Account or Data Center manager, etc.

Frankly speaking, I've been working so many years, I've not seen or heard even one..

[Rickster]

I'm not sure how shall I reply to your queries on why there is no 50 year olds doing IT. But during the 70s or even 80s, only very large corporations and companies are actively using IT and IT staffs are mainly foreigners.

 

I have an uncle, in his early 40s and currently with the IT management of transitlink. For him, he is already an early bird during the 80s when he did a degree in IT. During that time, IT professionals as well as courses are very far and few apart.

 

Perhaps you can also get a better answer to your question if you look at how many 50 year olds in Singapore actually knows how to use a computer

Edited March 24, 2008 by Rickster

[Darth_mel]

Maybe we will fight for table-cleaner job at MacDonalds when in our 50s...

[Tanjm348]

To be frank.....gone are the days of "iron rice" bowl in any career. Regardless of age we should all start looking for other ways for making $$ past the age of 50...eg investments in property etc.

 

Although I'm in my early 34 this year, sometimes I wonder what sort of life style I will be able to lead at the age of 50. Will I be able to treat my work as a hobby or work for a living?

[Apollo]

at midlife crisis... stay healthy and fit, got chance to b a coupier in any of the casino. according to news leeport, sands pledge 3 outta 4 jobs goes to locals.

 

same article say tat may only fill 1 outta 4 due to high turnover. probably despite the hooha, pay is not fantastic. but i go vegas, look like the typical job for many older pple.

 

it's rare to see a young punk dishing out cards.

[Jayzee]

I think we should open up and give ourselves a chance to do something we like. Like open our own small business..

[Solar]

That's a good suggestion which we didn't see..

Those in 50s should be during the mainframe era right?

Can't be all those are FT right?

Strange part is that there isn't anyone left..local or FT.

Yes, the oldest we see around us are about 40s.

 

The other concern that we have is the employability at that age.

Wonder how its like comparing SG and overseas.. like in the States?

[Solar]

Hope not man...one of the guys actually thought of migrating out of SG while he still can. We are all around mid 30s.

He said that in Western countries like the States or Australia, while there could be a glass ceiling, people with ability to work won't get discriminated due to age.

 

Worse case, claim welfare.. won't get into the predicament in SG.. what's your view on this?

[Solar]

Investments should be our part-time job all along lah.. not until 50s.

I think it'll be god's-gift to be able to work as a hobby at any age. But in reality, it may not be.

 

Just concerned whether we are still able to hold on to our jobs at 50s..

As we're not doing manual, labour-type of jobs, the experience we have should be able to value-add to the company. It'll be a shame to get the sack cos we're old..

[Solar]

Uncle.. leeport sometimes blow sunshine into peasants' ass to gain acceptance. Who knows what's going to happen in reality?

Maybe in SG context, 50s considered too old to dish out cards properly. Young ones got nimble hands?

Anyway, I'm not pinning hope onto the IR.

 

We are good at what we do..some of us actually like it too.. not to mention also, our pay, and commitments (as mentioned earlier, got kids at Uni-going age), it is quite difficult to give that up.

[Ultramega]

IT used to be a very well-paid industry.

 

maybe they earn enough to retire so now enjoying life.

 

or maybe they got retrenched because their salary is too high and don't match the industry standard anymore.

[Solar]

Not everyone can do that lah.. some may have the means, but most would be unwilling due to the capital required or the ability/calibre be a biz owner.

 

Like my group of friends, yes, we complain about our customers squeezing us, engineers choot pattern, vendors act blur, but then again, we enjoyed what we do.

 

Then one fine day (today), one guy asked, where on earth are those 50s? Angmor counterpart overseas, yes, but not locally in SG.. to continue make use of our expertise 40s, 50s and beyond, we have to 'export' ourselves overseas?

[Kezg1]

Sori hor...PRC oredi on most job liao

[Sabian]

food for thought: assuming

 

if u start work at 25 and retire at 60 and live to 90.

it means what u earn for 35 yrs of working life is to last u from 25-90.

 

35yr income to support 65 yrs of living expenses. (haven't count inflation, setting up family yet... )

[Sfhuang]

Agree with you that the future is indeed bleak for engineers and IT people. Have to move up the value chain (become consultants/GMs/sales directors) or else will kenah kicked out sooner or later.

Edited March 24, 2008 by Sfhuang

[Jeffang]

most of the IT people reach 30 or 30+ they will have some money, and most of them will go setup their own IT company...

 

you cannot still be a engr when u are 40 or 50!

and the company will use new people to take over you... anyway is cheaper then you!

Edited March 24, 2008 by Jeffang