Daily Lessons from Life 28 August 2014 - Nurturing talent: Different strokes for different folks

"Nurturing talent: Different strokes for different folks - The Straits Times Aug 28, 2014

SINGAPORE - Two years ago, the Government announced an expansion of university places to give 40 per cent of each school cohort a shot at university education right here at home by 2020.

It translates to 16,000 places yearly and the additional spots will be provided mainly by the Singapore Institute of Technology and SIM University which will have a more applied, practice-oriented focus and produce a different type of graduate.

Parents and students no doubt cheered the move, and the promise of a better future for young Singaporeans. But now with the Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review (Aspire) committee recommending pathways in which Institute of Technical Education and polytechnic students can work and further their qualifications, some parents and students are left confused.

"Why this flip-flop?" asked businessman Terence Koh who has two sons studying engineering in the polytechnic.

But as Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said yesterday, his ministry is not changing its stance.

Neither is the Aspire panel trying to dissuade ITE and polytechnic graduates from pursuing degrees. Rather, it is pointing out that for some students at least, a diploma plus deep and relevant skills may pay off better in the long run.

Fresh graduates earn $3,000 a month on average. A 2007 Ministry of Manpower (MOM) study showed that every extra year of schooling increases a worker's earnings by 13.7 per cent. The rate is higher for tertiary education.

MOM figures also indicate that currently the Singapore economy can support a large number of graduates. About half of Singapore residents aged 25 to 29 hold degrees and 44 per cent of those in this age group earn at least $3,000 a month.

One only needs to look at the situation in South Korea and Taiwan where graduate unemployment is high and starting salaries for degree holders have fallen. In Taiwan, starting salaries for fresh university graduates are about $1,200 - less than half that for those here.

Degree hopefuls should also note that not all degrees are created equal. Those opting for one that does not emphasise quality are likely to be disappointed when it doesn't land them the jobs they want. This is already the case for many private school graduates who complain of employers not recognising their qualifications or paying them less than graduates from reputed universities."

2 years ago when the initiative to increase the university places to 40% of each school cohort, some, including me had already asked the questions:

1. do we need that many graduates? If so, this is very good. If not, the phenomenon of 'graduates doing what used to be non-graduate jobs' will simply increase and the 'graduates' will get a lower pay for a 'lower value job'. It is as simple as that. At that time, I was also thinking about the Population White Paper of 6.9m population with more than 70% of Singaporeans holding PME jobs and thought maybe there is a MATCH here! Alas, maybe that was too ideal a situation to have;

2. for me, the undergraduate degree is good for the first time job seekers. Prospective employers are conditioned by the society that if someone graduate from a university, he/she had been tested by some common standard and came out of it whole. That person must be better than someone who had not gone through the same 'elimination' process. Of course, if one came from a 'better and more reputable university' than the other, the reliance placed just goes higher. E.g. a NUS vs. Harvard vs. Cambridge vs. whatever degree. So, when there are many competitors for the same jobs, the employers just use this yardstick to expedite the 'first round selection'. The candidates then have to prove themselves to the interviewers at the interview to 'win' the job!;

3. ONCE someone has started work, I am more interested in the experiences and work performance than the 'old past educational qualification'! Can he/she perform? adaptable? learning new knowledge, skills (inter-personal soft skills besides the technical hard skills), tools, etc and quickly applying to achieve results? THESE count! NOT the 'past old educational qualification'!;

4. given that society 'pay the job applicants based on educational qualification' as evident by the MOM survey results reported here, it is natural for the parents and the kids to want to get a degree. IF this is the rule rather than the exception, it will encourage 'degree seeking behaviours'. Period. The public sector is trying to do MORE to 'promote non-graduate' career track. In fact, MOM Minister Tan said that evolution started in the SAF 6-7 years ago when some NCOs can become commanders that used to be reserved only for Commissioned Officers! Maybe we will see more.

Until then, this will be a tough sell.

p/s: It seems that the government is worry that people are investing their money to get a degree that may not get them the jobs and pays they expected and this will create discontent as well as waste of precious resources!