POLY GRADS IN GREAT DEMAND
More graduates find full-time permanent employment, and overall employment rate and monthly salaries have also increased.
Singapore, 21 January 2008 – Polytechnic graduates are well sought-after by employers, with more of them landing full-time permanent jobs. The latest Graduate Employment Survey by the five polytechnics reveals an increase in the overall employment rate and monthly salaries of both fresh and post-National Service (NS) graduates. For both categories of graduates, the percentage of economically active graduates in full-time permanent employment has also improved.
The highly-positive survey findings could be attributed to Singapore’s strong economic climate and robust industry growth in 2007. The results are also a significant affirmation of the value that polytechnic graduates have added to the Singapore economy.
Fresh Graduates
Some 7,832 fresh graduates took part in the Survey. As at 1 October 2007, 93 per cent of fresh graduates who are economically active1 found jobs within six months. This is an improvement, compared to the overall employment rate of 91.3 per cent in 2006. About 75.3 per cent of economically active fresh graduates are in full-time permanent employment2 , an improvement from 72.1 per cent in 2006.
Fresh graduates in full-time permanent positions also command higher salaries. The average gross monthly salary3 is $1,805, which represents a 5.5 per cent increase compared to $1,711 in 2006. Of the fresh graduates with full-time permanent jobs, 87.7 per cent have taken up jobs in the private sector while the remaining 12.3% per cent are in the public sector.
Post-National Service Graduates
Post-NS graduates have also done well. The overall employment rate of 3,416 respondents is 92.7 per cent, an increase from 91.1 per cent in 2006. In addition, the percentage of economically active Post-NS graduates holding full-time permanent jobs also showed an increase – from 79.9 per cent in 2006 to 82.3 per cent in 2007.
Post-NS graduates in full-time permanent employment are also earning higher salaries. The average gross monthly salary is $2,171, an increase compared with $2,029 in 2006. Post-NS graduates with full-time permanent jobs, 78.3 per cent joined the private sector while the remaining 21.7 per cent took up positions in the public sector.
Monthly Salaries by Course Categories
The highest gross monthly salaries of fresh graduates are from these sectors: Maritime, Engineering, Information Technology, Accountancy, Business, Finance & Law. As for Post-NS graduates, those who command the highest starting salaries are from Maritime, Accountancy, Business, Finance & Law, Information Technology, and Built Environment.
A comparison of the course categories is in the table below:
| Course Category | Fresh Graduates | Post-National Service Graduates | ||
| Basic* | Gross+ | Basic* | Gross+ | |
| Accountancy, Business, Finance & Law | $1,668 | $1,780 | $2,037 | $2,282 |
| Built Environment | $1,645 | $1,723 | $1,987 | $2,213 |
| Chemical & Life Sciences & Other Sciences | $1,638 | $1,749 | $1,961 | $2,170 |
| Engineering (Electrical & Electronic) | $1,698 | $1,895 | $1,931 | $2,133 |
| Engineering (Mechanical & Manufacturing) | $1,728 | $1,923 | $1,946 | $2,168 |
| Health Sciences | $1,657 | $1,744 | $1,875 | $2,031 |
| Information Technology | $1,701 | $1,796 | $2,024 | $2,187 |
| Maritime | $1,807 | $1,981 | $2,064 | $2,364 |
| Media & Design | $1,642 | $1,710 | $1,979 | $2,077 |
| All Courses | $1,678 | $1,805 | $1,973 | $2,171 |
| * Basic Salary refers to the average monthly salary of graduates who were working in full time permanent jobs as at 1 October 2007. Fixed allowances were included.
+ Gross Salary refers to the average basic salary plus overtime pay and commissions of graduates who were working in full-time permanent jobs as at 1 October 2007. Bonuses were excluded. |
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Background Facts about the Survey
- The annual Graduate Employment Survey was jointly conducted by Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Republic, Singapore and Temasek polytechnics between October 2007 and December 2007.
- The Survey, conducted to ascertain the employment status of polytechnic graduates, attracted a total of about 11,000 respondents. They were asked to respond based on their employment status on 1st October 2007.
- The respondents comprised polytechnic graduates who had completed their studies in 2007 and were not liable for National Service after graduation, and Post-NS polytechnic graduates of 2004 who had completed their full-time National Service between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007.
| Nanyang Polytechnic Ms Liang Hwee Ming Tel: 6550 0224 / 9739 0287 |
Singapore Polytechnic Mr Kenny Chua Tel: 6772 1622/ 9797 9718 |
Ngee Ann Polytechnic Ms Sadia Ahmad Tel: 6460 6232 / 8282 2515 |
| Temasek Polytechnic Ms Vimala Christie Tel: 6780 5019 / 9790 0319 |
Republic Polytechnic Mr Benjamin Chow Tel : 3100 1779 / 9423 4423 |
APPENDIX I: KEY EMPLOYMENT INDICATORS
The overall employment rate of Fresh Graduates, as well as the employment rate of those in Full-Time Permanent jobs, was found to be significantly higher in 2007 as compared to 2006. The employment rate of Fresh Graduates in Part-Time or Temporary jobs had declined as compared to last year. As for Post-NS Graduates, a significant difference was found in the employment rate of those holding Full-Time Permanent jobs between 2006 and 2007.
Full-time Permanent Employment refers to employment of at least 30 hours a week and where the employment is not temporary. It includes those on contracts of one year or more. Part-time employment refers to employment of less than 30 hours a week. Temporary employment refers to casual, interim or seasonal employment, including those on contracts of less than one year.
In 2007, both the average monthly basic and gross salary commanded by the fresh graduates with Full-Time Permanent jobs increased significantly. Similarly, the post NS graduates holding Full-Time Permanent jobs had received significantly higher average monthly basic and gross salary.
The private sector continued to be the main employer of Polytechnic graduates, with 87.7% and 78.3% of Fresh and Post NS graduates respectively joined the sector in 2007. The shift towards more hiring in the private sector seen in 2007 as compared to the previous year is significant.
LIST OF DIPLOMA COURSES INVOLVED IN THE SURVEY
ACCOUNTANCY, BUSINESS, FINANCE & LAW
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ENGINEERING (MECHANICAL & MANUFACTURING)
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