Engineering career anyone?

[Sosaria]

The 2 mro companies do they both start with S? Lol. I saw one company recruiting for trainee technician (not even engineer) minimum is diploma. Normally technician nitec/higher nitec can already, market really bad nowadays.

 

I think it's the same S company that's recruiting degree holder for trainee LAE ??

 

So all the qualifications move one step up. Last time, NITEC --> Today, diploma requested. Last time, diploma --> Today, degree.

 

Paper qualification is really cheapened these days... really just paper.

 

But back to topic, yes, another point to show how engineering qualification is getting more and more cheap and less value these days...

Edited December 5, 2014 by Sosaria

[Porche]

Another alternative will be switching to sales, I did that and comfortable with it

[Little_prince]

 

If I may add my 2 cents to describe this from a football point of view:

 

Backend is like the goalie/defenders.

Frontend is like the strikers.

 

When the goalie/defender lets in a goal, it is their fault.

When a striker misses an open goal, it will be deemed as ball is round, one of those things, unlucky etc.

 

Fishy is correct, the strikers can score many goals but if the goalie/defenders keep on letting in also can't win the game right?

 

In short, a bank needs both Frontend and Backend to function but as we live in a real world, fact is Frontend will always be more glamorous and paid better but never underestimate the importance of Backend which is the heart beat of the bank!

 

 

ya. The prob with backend is.that it is too easily replaceable and moved.

 

In the 90s the ang moh banks shift to hk and sg cuz cheaper than their home.coubtry.

 

Now likely to shift to india and china

[Spring]

ya. The prob with backend is.that it is too easily replaceable and moved.

 

In the 90s the ang moh banks shift to hk and sg cuz cheaper than their home.coubtry.

 

Now likely to shift to india and china

Yes bro agreed n I will add Malaysia to the 2 countries u mentioned. In the early days, we had the advantage of being proficient in English n had the education to take up these jobs but that advantage has eroded as our rental n higher labour costs has put paid to that.

 

On a separate note and at the risk of antagonising the engineers on this thread, it has been said that those complicated structured financial products were thought out by engineers who moved to the financial industry. Their mathematical, analytical training n aptitude made it possible for them to design these products which the otherwise normal finance graduates would not be able to do so!

 

If true, you engineers can take pride but also be the bane of investors haha😃

[Little_prince]

Yes bro agreed n I will add Malaysia to the 2 countries u mentioned. In the early days, we had the advantage of being proficient in English n had the education to take up these jobs but that advantage has eroded as our rental n higher labour costs has put paid to that.

 

On a separate note and at the risk of antagonising the engineers on this thread, it has been said that those complicated structured financial products were thought out by engineers who moved to the financial industry. Their mathematical, analytical training n aptitude made it possible for them to design these products which the otherwise normal finance graduates would not be able to do so!

 

If true, you engineers can take pride but also be the bane of investors haha😃

I know a guy with a phd in theoretical physics from Cambridge doing that. Lol

[Fishy]

 

If I may add my 2 cents to describe this from a football point of view:

 

Backend is like the goalie/defenders.

Frontend is like the strikers.

 

When the goalie/defender lets in a goal, it is their fault.

When a striker misses an open goal, it will be deemed as ball is round, one of those things, unlucky etc.

 

Fishy is correct, the strikers can score many goals but if the goalie/defenders keep on letting in also can't win the game right?

 

In short, a bank needs both Frontend and Backend to function but as we live in a real world, fact is Frontend will always be more glamorous and paid better but never underestimate the importance of Backend which is the heart beat of the bank!

 

 

 

quite sure u must be in backend. cheers.

 

1 thing I wish to add: GK and the strikers go to different rest room during half time and after the match so nobody really understands what each other is going through. GK/ DEF will know its difficult to score but strikers will never understood the pain faced by the rear and footballer of the year award always go to the strikers. This year's nomination though... is unusual.

[Spring]

 

 

quite sure u must be in backend. cheers.

 

1 thing I wish to add: GK and the strikers go to different rest room during half time and after the match so nobody really understands what each other is going through. GK/ DEF will know its difficult to score but strikers will never understood the pain faced by the rear and footballer of the year award always go to the strikers. This year's nomination though... is unusual.

 

Haha, you are right!

Hence the slant towards Backend/GK/Def and to add salt to the wound, when I played football previously used to prefer playing as defender and a lousy one I must add!

 

Cheers!!

[Baal]

 

Haha, you are right!

Hence the slant towards Backend/GK/Def and to add salt to the wound, when I played football previously used to prefer playing as defender and a lousy one I must add!

 

Cheers!!

 

Me also during Primary school haha. Usually those w more athletic prowess will be the striker. I also defender...

[FaithAng]

Same story many years back, Government try very hard to introduce Engineering for the Manufacturing Sector … Set up PEI, PGTC, German Institute, etc … It was a success in the beginning because Mould & Die, Electronic, etc … was strong in Singapore, later we slowly lost out to our Neighbors due to rising cost … History is repeating itself …

 

How many years is many years back 20?

[ShellVpower]

 

How many years is many years back 20?

 

I know of a friend who’s in the automotive trade working as an engineer. He said he does not make much and after the previous boss retired his headquarter sent a new one who’s on the conservative side when coming to dishing out bonus and increment. But he explains that this is a competitive industry and without adequate protection by prioritising Singaporeans in the employment segment, you simply just have to raise your bar to compete. He explains that attitude towards work is paramount to gaining recognition on top of some luck. His employers are giving him the chance to prove his mettle by sending him to Germany for training every year and flying him around his area of responsibilities to gain experience. He finds the room for development extremely spacious even though he has no degree. What I know is that he currently runs the quality and engineering systems and processes in Asia Pacific with the Germans and Chinese for the automotive industry.

He’s making 3 times as much than when he was in a local engineering company in a span of 6 years. He mentioned that he was overlooked for a promotion during his days in a local company because he didn’t have a degree. He mentioned to me about the part when his General manager spoke to him after he was nominated for promotion directly related to what he has been doing, in fact, proven to be capable of going up, in view of exemplary performance by his peers and direct superior. The first question his GM asked was if he has a degree. And when he heard my friend only had a diploma, he told him to get a degree first before brushing his eligibility off. His friend who didn’t really enjoyed working there got promoted instead because he took a degree hardly related to the work he was doing.

From what I see in him, I feel that in order for engineering to succeed, apart from an excellent attitude with results meeting great work performance, employers must also do their part to identify talents. The business must also thrive with prospects showing people why this place is worthy for you to invest your efforts. A dual carriage support has to be present to make this work. Otherwise, we can simply just see this whole industry die down and go to our cheaper but not necessary better (who in time will become as good) competitors.

[Porker]

 

I know of a friend whos in the automotive trade working as an engineer. He said he does not make much and after the previous ....

Good post!

[Vulcann]

Really no local takers. Being consultants also pai tan...

 

From ST Forum:

 

Employ stop-gap move as local talents beefs

 

Published on Feb 10, 2015 1:41 AM

 

I ECHO the concerns over hiring abilities raised by the president of the Singapore Institute of Architects, Mr Theodore Chan ("Architecture profession facing same problem"; Jan 29).

 

These same concerns plague the consultant engineering industry. Engineering consultancy espouses an innovative blend of art and science to tackle contemporary challenges, such as efficiency in built environments.

 

Thus, it is especially essential, given Singapore's land-scarce situation.

 

Yet, similar to architecture, amid the forecast population and built development growth, we too suffer a dearth of engineers and technicians within the local pool of Singaporeans and permanent residents.

 

This deficient supply has not been made easier by the stricter hiring quotas on foreign engineering technicians.

 

Admittedly, efforts have been made to ameliorate this situation.

 

The foreign hiring restrictions were enacted alongside expanding efforts to boost local productivity - do more with less.

 

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has been one of many at the forefront of this call.

 

Nevertheless, although improvements to productivity should continue, a minimal level of human resource remains a necessity and cannot be entirely disposed of yet.

 

Questions of varying levels of productivity, growth and expansion end, at some level, on whether we can hire more.

 

On this note, the Ministry of Education has, in an effort to boost local skilled supply, rightly initiated programmes like the Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review (Aspire), which enhances the ability of Institute of Technical Education and polytechnic engineering students to better progress into the industry.

 

However, even with such restructuring and training, it will take some time before these graduates can fill productive roles within the industry at large.

 

Till then, as a stop-gap measure, it might be reasonable to revise the hiring quotas on foreign engineering technicians.

 

This would grant the industry much-needed relief as we await a recalibration of local supply.

 

When so many within the broader industry have raised the same concern, it can only show the presence of a real, wide and structural problem besetting these sectors.

 

The current situation is not improving. It requires urgent attention.

 

Ling Shiang Yun

 

President

 

Association of Consulting Engineers Singapore

 

(Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/employ-stop-gap-move-local-talent-beefs-20150210)

[Mustank]

 

 

Really no local takers. Being consultants also pai tan...

 

 

 

From ST Forum:

 

Employ stop-gap move as local talents beefs

 

Published on Feb 10, 2015 1:41 AM

 

I ECHO the concerns over hiring abilities raised by the president of the Singapore Institute of Architects, Mr Theodore Chan ("Architecture profession facing same problem"; Jan 29).

 

These same concerns plague the consultant engineering industry. Engineering consultancy espouses an innovative blend of art and science to tackle contemporary challenges, such as efficiency in built environments.

 

Thus, it is especially essential, given Singapore's land-scarce situation.

 

Yet, similar to architecture, amid the forecast population and built development growth, we too suffer a dearth of engineers and technicians within the local pool of Singaporeans and permanent residents.

 

This deficient supply has not been made easier by the stricter hiring quotas on foreign engineering technicians.

 

Admittedly, efforts have been made to ameliorate this situation.

 

The foreign hiring restrictions were enacted alongside expanding efforts to boost local productivity - do more with less.

 

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has been one of many at the forefront of this call.

 

Nevertheless, although improvements to productivity should continue, a minimal level of human resource remains a necessity and cannot be entirely disposed of yet.

 

Questions of varying levels of productivity, growth and expansion end, at some level, on whether we can hire more.

 

On this note, the Ministry of Education has, in an effort to boost local skilled supply, rightly initiated programmes like the Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review (Aspire), which enhances the ability of Institute of Technical Education and polytechnic engineering students to better progress into the industry.

 

However, even with such restructuring and training, it will take some time before these graduates can fill productive roles within the industry at large.

 

Till then, as a stop-gap measure, it might be reasonable to revise the hiring quotas on foreign engineering technicians.

 

This would grant the industry much-needed relief as we await a recalibration of local supply.

 

When so many within the broader industry have raised the same concern, it can only show the presence of a real, wide and structural problem besetting these sectors.

 

The current situation is not improving. It requires urgent attention.

 

Ling Shiang Yun

 

President

 

Association of Consulting Engineers Singapore

 

(Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/employ-stop-gap-move-local-talent-beefs-20150210)

Be engineer?)?!?! Siao ah?!?!???

So many ft cum in, undercut salary

Cheaper better faster

Hard lag

Be banger, rawyer, dogtor is the bestest liao

Unless of course the degree so satki until can becum defence scientist then is true engineering

All the rest is just cheap pay banglah

Jit tong Cheng

[Vidz]

Engineering losing its shine in Singapore

Joanna SeowMy PaperTuesday, Feb 10, 2015

SINGAPORE - When Marcus Chew decided to become an electrical and electronics engineer in 2002, it sounded like an interesting career choice.

But after graduation and four years into his job at a semiconductor firm, the profession was fast losing its shine.

“The pay went up by around $50 a year, no matter how hard you worked. It was very demoralising,” said the 33-year-old, who also found designing speaker circuits for radios a far cry from what he had signed up for.

“My idea of engineering was like Iron Man, but it wasn’t like that,” he added with a laugh, referring to the comic superhero created by a fictional engineer.

Like about half of his fellow engineers, Mr Chew left the field, and is now a civil servant looking at quality assurance for training.

Engineering, long the backbone of Singapore’s economy, has been losing its lustre in the eyes of the young for over a decade. Many covet jobs in banking and finance instead.

So, despite initiatives over the years, including school contests and workshops, firms are increasingly hard-pressed when it comes to finding engineers.

Last year, for the third year running, engineering jobs took the lion’s share of professional occupations with the most vacancies.

Five – including civil and mechanical engineering – are among the top 10 jobs on the list, according to the latest Manpower Ministry statistics for last year.

Besides poorer pay prospects, people think engineering jobs involve getting one’s hands dirty and are boring, partly because engineers are not recognised for their work.

“Steve Jobs is famous, but not the engineers behind the iPad,” noted Nanyang Polytechnic engineering lecturer Edwin Foo.

Curbs on Employment Pass renewals are also leaving open more positions formerly filled by foreigners, said Institute of Engineers, Singapore (IES) honorary fellow and government adviser Lui Pao Chuen.

The result is a talent crunch. Instead of getting experienced engineers, companies like LongTech Engineering have to train new hires from scratch.

Operations director Boyd Sheum said: “If they stay only two or three years, then your effort goes down the drain. That’s the painful part.”

Industries such as manufacturing and construction will suffer if the shortage of skilled staff continues, experts have warned.

To stem the bleeding, companies and industry groups are trying to show students that engineering is cool and interesting.

For example, robotics classes can spur their interest, said Dr Foo. “As our population ages, we may need more robots and automation, so this is a field that will be important and exciting.”

The Singapore Contractors Association offers six-month industry attachments, and IES is raising funds for 50 undergraduate scholarships it hopes to give out next year.

Once graduates are hooked, keeping them is the next goal. A leadership programme for young engineers was launched by IES and the National Trades Union Congress last year, with two more programmes for managers and chief technology officers planned.

Also, there is room for salaries to rise, said IES president Chong Kee Sen. “Employers have to relook the pay scale of mid-level engineers, and look at career progression for them so they see future prospects,” he said.

 

He estimates that an engineer with at least five years of experience earns between $5,000 and $7,000 a month.

 

[email protected]

- See more at: http://business.asiaone.com/career/news/engineering-losing-its-shine-singapore#sthash.ijQep6xo.dpuf

 

 

**************************************

 

well done. so good ah??

Edited February 10, 2015 by Vidz

[Alg]

 

He estimates that an engineer with at least five years of experience earns between $5,000 and $7,000 a month.

 

 

 

Wahahahahahahaha.....include CPF, bonus, 13mth, MC claims, annual leave all divide by 12 is it?

 

IES president Chong Kee Sen must be out of touch with engineering......

[Kusje]

 

Wahahahahahahaha.....include CPF, bonus, 13mth, MC claims, annual leave all divide by 12 is it?

 

IES president Chong Kee Sen must be out of touch with engineering......

 

Depends which industry. O&G (before the latest price drops) can hit that range easily (but won't far exceed it).

 

These days, those O&G support companies are all moving out of SG.

[Ingenius]

I train engineers-to-be, and on the first day of their years long training, i always tell them, if you are in to make lots of money, you are in the wrong course. After that, i will mould them into engineers of tomorrow.

[Kb27]

There's a shortage of engineers, bcuz everyone wants to be a property agent and make big bucks.