An article published in the Straits Times (ST) on Thursday, January 10, informed that Polytechnic graduates in Singapore have experienced a raise in salary for the third consecutive year, crossing the $2,000 mark, presently at $2,007.
However, employment rates for these diploma holders have also dipped to 91 per cent this year.
Reasons that the article have attributed to the dip in employment are that more poly grads are moving on to further their studies at universities as well as the tighter employment rules on foreign students implemented recently.
But what do the students and parents have to say about this piece of news?
“Well, I think polytechnic students have been doing better for themselves over the years and being a poly student myself, this is of course a piece of good news,” said Bryan Chan, 20, a final-year International Business student from Singapore Polytechnic (SP).
A fellow polytechnic student, Lisi, 19, currently in his second year of pursuing his Diploma in Aviation and Management Services in Temasek agrees, “I’m glad to hear that. I think poly students should actually be paid higher than that but I guess some raise is better than no raise.”
Mrs Yap, a mother of a Year 2 Ngee Ann Poly student was generally happy upon hearing this news, she however still feels the pay “is still on the low-side.”
While the general consensuses amongst the public are positive, some have looked further ahead into the future, saying that the pay raise is only the surface of their worries.
“I don’t think it’s the starting pay that matters much, it’s the competition as well as the ability to climb up the corporate ladder and get pay raises that are more important in the future,” Bryan explains.
It has been known that university graduates climb higher and faster than diploma holders in the same company and/or working fields hence the due concern over this matter.
Thus, many poly grads are pressured to further their studies after getting their diploma.
“I still have to spend 2 years in NS (National Service) after I graduate from poly and the $2,000 plus dollars is definitely not going to be enough. So I need to go to a university to get a better headstart,” Adam Goh, 20, a final-year Accounting student from SP.
While employers sited in the ST article states that the “willingness to learn and a great attitude” in their potential employee is still the overall deal breaker for them, the reality of the issue still hits too close to home for many.
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