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SINGAPORE: Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Singapore’s economy, the electronics sector has continued to grow, with more than 130 companies in the industry offering more than 2,800 job, training and internship opportunities since April .
Of these, about 1,880 are for jobs, according to the latest labor situation report from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) published on Monday (October 19). About 95 percent of job opportunities were for professional, managerial, executive and technical (PMET) roles.
Most were for technical roles, such as manufacturing engineering technicians, mechanical or electronic engineers, and industrial and production engineers.
There were also non-technical roles, such as buyers and purchasing agents, sales and marketing executives, as well as business development managers.
Salaries for these roles range from S $ 1,800 to S $ 8,500, depending on the skills required, the ministry said.
READ: 2,800 job seekers placed on company internships and adjuncts under SGUnited jobs and skills programs
THE ELECTRONIC INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO EXPAND
The report noted that electronics was the only industry within the manufacturing sector that saw an increase in total employment locally, hiring 1,000 people even amid the largest contraction recorded for the second quarter of 2020.
“This was due in part to increased demand for digital goods and services to help people stay connected, even with travel restrictions, safe distancing measures and remote work arrangements in place,” MOM said in its report.
“In addition to increasing the ability to meet demand for electronic components, companies are also transforming to focus on higher-value manufacturing activities using technology such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, robotics and automation.”
Speaking to reporters during a visit to the facilities of semiconductor firm Globalfoundries in Woodlands, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said that the semiconductor industry contributes around 7 percent of Singapore’s gross domestic product. , up from less than 1 percent in 1990.
“As of September 2020, we have already registered S $ 5.7 billion of investment in fixed assets and S $ 376 million of total business spending in the electronics sector. This will create around 1,100 other jobs in the next three to five years, ”he said.
Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing and Manpower Minister Josephine Teo during a visit to GlobalFoundries Singapore on October 19, 2020 (Photo: MTI).
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ELECTRONIC INDUSTRY
Job seekers may think they need technical training to apply for a job in the electronics industry, said Human Resources Minister Josephine Teo.
“It is true that many of the jobs are technical in nature. But that doesn’t mean that if you don’t have a background in electronics, you can’t find a way to enter this sector, ”said Ms Teo.
“You may have had a technical role, but in a different sector. There are ways in which your skills can be transferred, with the addition of domain knowledge you can still access opportunities in electronics.
“At the same time, there are also PMET-level jobs within electronics, which don’t always require technical training,” he said, adding that these roles include sales, purchasing or business development.
Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing and Manpower Minister Josephine Teo at GlobalFoundries Singapore. (Photo: MTI)
MOM said it is “not necessarily true” that employers in the electronics industry only hire job seekers from the same industry or people with technical skills.
“Many people from other industries mid-career have been able to successfully enter (or re-enter) the industry,” the ministry said.
“Employers also value the transferable skills and wealth of experience of mid-career people,” he added.
Those who are interested in joining the electronics industry but lack the relevant skills can “bridge the skills gaps” through Workforce Singapore’s (WSG) career conversion programs.
WSG offers 10 Professional Conversion Programs (PCP) and the Place-and-Train Program, imparting different skills, from engineering, supply chain and logistics, manufacturing, operations to technical skills.
Job applicants with limited or no prior experience can take advantage of company-organized internships and adjuncts under the SGUnited and SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways internship programs to gain exposure to work in the industry.
Roles offered include Lab Technologist Trainee, Plant Data Automation Trainee, and Production Technology Trainee, among others.
MOM also highlighted training courses under the SGUnited Skills Program, such as the Semiconductor Technology Program offered by Singapore Polytechnic and the Converged Information Infrastructure Program offered by Nanyang Polytechnic.
READ: COVID-19: Changing careers is challenging for some job seekers despite opportunities
Between April and September this year, more than 220 people have been placed in jobs and internships in the electronics sector, according to the report.
MOM said 180 found jobs or took on new roles, about half of which were over 40 years old. More than 40 people have signed up for internships since June.
In the first nine months of this year, about 51,700 job seekers have received basic career advice or job search assistance through the WSG and job search services offered by the Institute for Employment and Employability of the National Congress of Trade Unions (NTUC) (e2i).
“This 49 percent year-on-year increase in the number of assisted job seekers is due to increased outreach through an expansion of the WSG and NTUC e2i touchpoints, as well as increased demand from job seekers who want make a career transition, “said MOM.
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