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SINGAPORE: Since April, more than 270 precision engineering companies have made nearly 1,500 jobs, internships, adjuncts, and training opportunities available under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package, as the industry continues to grow despite the current pandemic-driven recession.
Jobs made up the bulk of the opportunities, with 750 positions for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMET) and 230 for non-PMET, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in its latest weekly work situation report on Monday. (September 14). ).
Of the 440 internships and annexes, 360 were for PMET and 80 for non-PMET.
Meanwhile, there were 60 training posts for PMET and 20 for non-PMET.
Overall, approximately eight out of 10 were PMET positions, such as product engineers, electrical and electronic engineers, and quality assurance inspectors.
Companies were also hiring non-PMET roles, such as production operators, welders, and pipe fitters.
Salaries for positions offered in the precision engineering sector varied based on the nature of the job and skill requirements, according to the MOM report. This ranged from S $ 1,500 for beginning technicians to S $ 6,000 for more skilled engineers.
The MOM also said that more than 260 job applicants found work in the precision engineering industry through SGUnited’s Jobs and Skills Package between April and July.
Of those, more than 40 percent were mid-career people who participated in career conversion programs. These people are typically from the electronics, energy, chemicals, logistics, communications technology, and oil and gas industries.
Since April, more than 30 job seekers have also done internships and adjunct jobs in the industry.
GROWTH POCKETS
Precision engineering is a key part of the global manufacturing economy, providing critical products and expertise for the manufacture of complex components and equipment used in other industries such as semiconductors, medical technology, marine, offshore, and aerospace.
In Singapore, it employs more than a fifth of the 473,000 workers in the general manufacturing sector. It contributed around S $ 38 billion in total production last year.
READ: Businesses seek new opportunities to stay afloat amid COVID-19 pandemic
The industry has continued to see “pockets of growth” amid the ongoing recession, growing about 11.4 percent in the first seven months of 2020, compared to the same period last year.
Companies serving the semiconductor and medical technology sectors are among the top performers, MOM said, citing increased demand for COVID-19-related products such as diagnostic kits and ventilators.
Others that have seen growth are companies that supply machinery and systems, and precision modules and components that make up the technological devices to facilitate remote work, as well as those that provide digital solutions such as automation and robotics.
Job applicants who are new to precision engineering but want to enter the industry can take advantage of career conversion programs to close their skills gaps, MOM said.
Internships or attachments are other options for new entrants to gain relevant exposure and skills.
Alternatively, job seekers can take training courses under the SGUnited Skills program.
This is the fifth in a series of weekly updates on the local workforce by the MOM. He has been doing this since mid-August, covering various industries, such as the local startup scene, biomedical sciences, and tourism, as part of providing job seekers with a “holistic view” of job and training opportunities.
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