Not just unemployment, job mismatches are also a concern
Worries over employment are on the rise in Singapore amid Covid-19.
Despite the Government helping to create opportunities for Singaporeans, such as through its SGUnited Jobs initiative and SGUnited Traineeships programme, senior general manager at Robinsons, Mr Danny Lim, said yesterdayone worry is job mismatches.
"Jobs mismatching is a very valid concern, and as much as there are many courses put out there, the reality is that it might not suit everyone," he said.
He was speaking at a dialogue with members of the Pro-Enterprise Panel, a private-public platform under the Ministry of Trade and Industry that comprises business leaders and senior government officials working towards reducing the regulatory burden on companies.
The online session, chaired by Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Chee Hong Tat and the recently appointed Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling, saw more than 20 businesses and business leaders in attendance.
Mr Lim told The New Paper: "There is a vacancy limit to these courses and jobs, and with so many people laid off in this climate, it is natural for them to jump into roles or courses that may not suit them, to put food on the table."
In response, Ms Low, who is also Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, said there are 40,000 new job opportunities and another 30,000 training spots for job seekers looking to upgrade skills.
"There's a perception that all the jobs created are within the financial or IT sectors, but that is not quite true. These numbers may sound good, but really, the devil's in the details," she said.
But she agreed with Mr Lim that it is important for the Government to make sure job seekers match up to their jobs or at least the training pathways based on their current skill sets.
"We would like to see how moving forward... this (can be) an area for (the Government) to focus on," she added.
Mr Chee said helping businesses stay afloat by cutting red tape and regulatory barriers is even more urgent now.
Mr Lucas Tok, marketing and retail lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic, told TNP yesterday that Covid-19 has pressured job seekers to get jobs that may not be their cup of tea. But he added it is important for one to reinvent himself in today's challenging job climate.
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