REACH - 12. Singapore Manpower
3 Mar 2020 (6pm - 10pm)

REACH
[3:28 PM, 3/3/2020] : https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/new-co-funding-training-scheme-for-mature-workers-to-gain-skills-to-enter-the-tech-sector
[3:31 PM, 3/3/2020] : https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/parliament-ep-salary-criteria-raised-tighter-rules-on-hiring-foreign-workers

📢 Our discussion for this evening will be on Manpower 📢
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[6:01 PM, 3/3/2020] Ricky Lim:

(1) Feel that Singapore manpower can be tackle in 3 fronts :-

A. Government

- Transform business through ITM (Industry Transformation Map)

- Government has done a good job in an attempt to train workers and retain workers with many initiatives like Skillfuture, TechSkills Accelerator etc to enable workers to be put into transformed jobs.

- Government has come out with incentives to entice business to train and re-train workers as well as attract workers to get themselves train in new skills for new job roles.

- Government has also come out with policies to help 40, 50, 60 workers to retrain, put into transform jobs and put them into industries that require their skills.

- Government has helped workers to move workers from one industries that shed workers to other industries that required workers.

- Government has also done a good job in reducing and tightening the inflow of foreigners while getting local Singaporeans to get themselves train for transformed jobs.

- Government however can do more to coax business to come out with career plan for each of their employees on how they intend train and re-train their workers in Singapore - so that workers are assured that a proper structured training and career plan are done for each workers to ensure they are gainfully employed even when job role changes due to disruptive tech.

- Government can ensure this by giving incentive to business that do so.


B. Business

- Business should attempt to come out with career plan, training plan for their workers - to ensure that each workers is gainfully employed.

- Business that treasure their workers will ensure highly motivated staff to produce their best for the company.

- Business who treat workers like commodity - with eyes to cut cost at the slightest chance - will less likely to attract talents and good workers to work for such company.


C. Individual workers

- Should get themselves train, re-train and acquire the required skills that will contribute and value-add to the company that employed them.

- This is particularly important for workers reaching 40s, 50s and 60s years old.

- Individual workers to safeguard against sudden disruption of jobs - that cause retrenchment, individuals should take up "legacy insurance or job disruptiion insurance" at young age before or during the time they join the workforce.

eg. At 20 over years old or so, each workers should be encouraged to take up a "legacy insurance" for a period 20 years (add up to about 40 over years old - upon maturity).

In the event if a workers lose their jobs due to tech disruption - the worker will have a lump sum mature insurance to help them tie over the period they lose their jobs --- while they search for a new jobs.

Workers at 40s or 50s or 60s years old - have huge financial commitment as they need to feed their young children, old parents and service loans - like housing and other financial commitment.

This "legacy insurance" with a lump sum payment will help any displaced workers to tie over their financial commitment and put food on their table top --- without the tremendous stress they will have to go through.

This "insurance" is on top and above the CPF that they can only tap on after 55 years old.

Insurance companies with many good saving plans such as NTUC Income can offer such "legacy insurance or job disruption insurance" --- to protect Singaporean workers.

Workers meanwhile can get themselves re-train or look for jobs - minus the tremendous stress of the need to pay bills while they are out of jobs.

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REACH
[6:05 PM, 3/3/2020] +65 8637 0487: 📢 Topic Today 📢

Do you think the new initiatives  [TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA)] and Mid-Career Advance programme will help Singaporeans aged 40 and above secure jobs?

Parliament: New co-funding training scheme for mature workers to gain skills to enter tech sector
https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/new-co-funding-training-scheme-for-mature-workers-to-gain-skills-to-enter-the-tech-sector
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(1) Features of the TechSkills Accelerator are :-
- ICT is a highly demand, fast growing sector.
- Workers can be in ICT fields or need not be. But must be 40 years old and above to apply for this programme.
- Workers are re-train into ICT fields
- This is a tripartite programme involving - Gov, Union and Business
- Business must be committed to employ workers under this programme for 2 years.
- Gov will fund training, subsidise workers salaries partially - and a larger talent pool for business to tap.

(2) This is a good programme.
- Workers who will be displaced can have a good chance to get employed into ICT fields - due to high demand and growing opportunities.
- But the problem is, workers employ under this programme will likely to start somewhere at entry level or mid-level eg. software engineer, business analyst, data analyst or data scientist, cyber security engineer.
- Thus a lower salary will be expected - which means 40s and above workers will likely take a pay cut.

(3) Thus to ensure a successful TechSkills Accelerator progamme --- there must be a component to "make up" for  their reduced income --- which would be the "legacy insurance" --- if workers take up such insurance at 20 over years old - and when mature by 20 years - ie. 40 over years old, they will get a lump sum payout - that will compensate for their loss or reduced income.

(4) However, at 40 or 50 over years old - if these mature workers take up a 20 years period "legacy insurance" to be mature at 20 years time ---- i.e. at 60 or 70 years old --- these mature workers will have received another lump sum payout --- which will be the compensation for the loss or reduced income.
Then mature workers will have less resistance to take up this TechSkills Accelerator progamme -- that may come with a "reduced salary" - being an entry level or mid-level entry ICT jobs.
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Phyllis
[6:30 PM, 3/3/2020] : 又来了...
Jonathan
[6:30 PM, 3/3/2020] : V long post again like essay haiz..😂

[6:30 PM, 3/3/2020] Ricky Lim:
not for you. so you need not read.

Phyllis
[6:30 PM, 3/3/2020] : How not to read 😱

[6:31 PM, 3/3/2020] Ricky Lim:
too bad.

Janice
[6:31 PM, 3/3/2020] : It sounds promising, but what kind of salary can one expect on that scheme?
Someone aged 40+ is likely to have to support aging parents and school kids, paying for school, tuition and so forth. Would companies be willing to pay enough to allow the main breadwinner to pay the bills while being trained through the scheme?
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[6:42 PM, 3/3/2020] Ricky Lim:
(1) An entry level software engineer or IT infrastructure engineer with degree - is about $4,000 over.

(2) A senior one can fetch about $5,000 or $6,000.

(3) So a 40s, 50s or 60s over mature workers --- will likely to fetch more than the above salaries if they have 20, 30 or 40 years old experience.

(4) A compensated amount to cover the "reduced income or loss income" ---- will definitely remove the resistance to take up the TechSkills Accelerator programme.

(5) And the most likely income - will be the proposed "passive income" - a "legacy insurance or job disruptive insurance" - to cover the lost income.

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Janice
[6:48 PM, 3/3/2020] : what about former software engineers who were displaced back when companies were encouraged to hire foreign talent, and have since been under employed in jobs that do not need their degree or any education for that matter?
Can they use this to get  proper employment?

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[6:55 PM, 3/3/2020] Ricky Lim:
(1) I guess this will be up to the Government to scrutinised those Companies who attempt to do thiis to displace local Singaporeans under the discrimination against Singaporean workers' policies.

(2) I believe the TechSkills Accelerator programme is an attempt by Gov, Union and Business - to married Singaporeans PMETs to jobs and vice versa.

(3) It will take times to iron out any sharp edges.

(4) As for individual workers who want to protect themselves and their children from such job disruption -- taking up a "legacy insurance" --- will be a sure bet to insure ourselves from "reduced income" due to job disruption.   And translated into "no drop in income" --- in whatever disruptive tech or job disruption.
I felt that Governemt should highlight this to Singaporean public at large --- so that Singaporeans are better in insuring against themselves and their families --- for such mid-career crisis.

Janice
[6:51 PM, 3/3/2020] : I know of a programmer who was replaced by FTs after the company went to India China and Philippines on annual hiring sprees. That company retrenched 10% of their staff each year to make room for fresh blood.
That programmer who was 40 at that time found a job as a security guard.

[6:53 PM, 3/3/2020] : I wasn't hit by that round but knew it could have been me. So when I heard it was going to be an annual exercise I quit and started my own business back in those days.

Alvin
[6:55 PM, 3/3/2020] : What would you be doing now? Anything related to IT?
Janice
[6:57 PM, 3/3/2020] : not really. just an operations job that pays ok, whatever I can get to get by.

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Janice
[7:00 PM, 3/3/2020] : I think this scheme is one way to help displaced individuals.
Another alternative is to make it easier for such induviduals to start a  business. The legalities, taxation issues and navigating through all that stuff can be quite intimidating.
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[7:10 PM, 3/3/2020] Ricky Lim:
(1) I support those who are enterprising to start their own business - as it means also creating jobs for others.
(2) But business do come with their risk.
(3) I am sure Gov have many schemes to help SMEs.
(4) But the majority of people prefer to look for jobs - and thus I believe Gov is focusing its effort on - because without workers, business cannot grow and Economy cannot grow.
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REACH
[7:00 PM, 3/3/2020] : 📢 Next Topic 📢
Anyone a freelancer in this group? If yes, will you attend courses under the SkillsFuture Series, as well as selected sector-specific training programmes? Tell us!
Parliament: Freelancers to get training allowance of $7.50 an hour for eligible courses in next 3 months
https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/parliament-freelancers-to-get-training-allowance-of-750-an-hour-for-eligible-courses-in

Leonard
[7:03 PM, 3/3/2020] : We are so short of programmers now in the market esp the Singaporean NRIC type .. did this guy try to get back or he actually went obsolete himself

Janice
[7:03 PM, 3/3/2020] :
I am not a freelancer now, but was one at a time in my life
Yes! The main concern of a freelancer is paying the bills. No work, no pay. So that certainly help.

Janice
[7:04 PM, 3/3/2020] : That was a long time ago. I lost touch with him so no sure how he is now.

Ron
[7:05 PM, 3/3/2020] : Good initiative by Govt. Politically, it is a plus. Noticed many companies supporting the initial 500 jobs are Temasek related companies. I applaud the support. 500 out of approx 1500 over 40 years of age laid off in Q3 is 33%. Not shabby. But in reality, the challenges are tough on both sides - employer and employee. Biologically, after 40 years of age, learning a new skill will not be easy. Additionally, many of those who were laid off were likely non IT people and had likely chosen a non IT career due to their lack of aptitude in the first place. Besides, jumping into a likely lower grade lower paid job, could prove to be mentally challenging for many. But, after all that, we still have to try. Kudos to Govt and the companies who supported the program.

Leonard
[7:07 PM, 3/3/2020] : Jobs are gone for a reason .  Don’t look back the same type of job when it is gone .

Thomas
[7:16 PM, 3/3/2020] : To tell frankly, the pay is quite high compare to our neighbouring countries. At programmer level, it’s very hard to compete and that’s why companies outsource to neighbouring countries. Sungapore retain the project manager to manage the project. Then the chicken and egg issue. If our young don’t have the grounding of programming, how are they good at being project manager
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[7:32 PM, 3/3/2020] Ricky Lim:
(1) Singaporeans PMET must not be "mono-skill" or "mono-task" - in order to demand better salary as compared to neighboring countries.
(2) Singapoerans PMETs must be able to be "multi-skills", "multi-tasks" - and be able to look at issues with larger horizon and bigger prospective.
(3) For eg. an entry-level software engineer or IT infrastructure engineer - may focus on programming and system integration.
(4) But they must be also be able to be a system analyst, soluton architect and project manager -- in order to command a higher salary.
(5) I feel that some local PMETs have such traits - while some prefer to drill deep into technical grounding.
(6) But both business and PMETs must be able to work hand-in-hand to plot a career plan and training plan --- so that both PMETs and business will benefit --- as business can only grow when workers contribute into areas that the business want.

anntat
[7:27 PM, 3/3/2020] :
yes, it is a great scheme.. thank you for it.. esp the training allowance - freelancer

Alvin
[7:31 PM, 3/3/2020] : I see. The programming jobs nowadays very different from those last time. I studied programming and software engineering but doing systems now.
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REACH
[8:30 PM, 3/3/2020] : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-covid-19-cases-update-moh-mar-3-12494806

[8:31 PM, 3/3/2020] : [Sent by Gov.sg]
COVID-19: 3 Mar Update
As of 12pm
New cases: 2
Total COVID-19 cases in Singapore: 110
Discharged today: 0
Total discharged: 78
Total remaining in Hospital: 32
1 new case is linked to a known cluster, contact tracing is underway for the other case.
Most in hospital are stable or improving. 7 are in the ICU.
Go.gov.sg/moh3mar
With more cases overseas, the number of cases in Singapore is expected to increase
Latest Travel Advisory
🛫 Outgoing: Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel to Hubei Province in China, and non-essential travel to:
- Mainland China
- Iran
- Northern Italy
- Japan
- Republic of Korea
🛬 Incoming: Mainland China, Iran, Northern Italy, Republic of Korea
- From 4 Mar 2359h, all new visitors who have been to these countries in the last 14 days will not be allowed into, or transit through Singapore
- Returning residents and long-term pass holders will be placed on Stay-Home Notice upon their return
More: go.gov.sg/travel3mar

Siulin
[8:46 PM, 3/3/2020] : Why still increasing 😰

YT
[9:01 PM, 3/3/2020] : Because of socially irresponsible people who continue to go to work, go for meetings, despite having cold or cough symptoms. Or maybe even fever. As long as we have such people around, we won't see the end if infections. So, please, every one, please tell five others to be socially responsible.  If they are sick, don't go to work. Don't go to office. Don't go to school. Go see a doctor then stay at home. Don't go for meetings. I hope more will spread this message instead of spreading the virus!

Ricky Lim
[9:28 PM, 3/3/2020]:
(1) Singapore is a small space which is very compact - that is, very high density of population per sq km.
(2) If Singapore did not do a good job in isolation, contact tracing, quarantine and cure ---- Singapore will be like Hubei or S Korea --- where the number of infected is not 1 or 2 or 3 --- but in the hundreds or thousands per day.
(3) For such infection rate, Singapore has done a tremendous good job.
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XaniceAfcai
[9:44 PM, 3/3/2020] : I can't imagine.. If no contract tracing then.. With sg population and space so small, it is not surprised all kana virus. Touch wood..

[9:46 PM, 3/3/2020] Ricky Lim:
(1) That is why we are very lucky and bless to have a good Government and a cooperative people.
(2) THe whole population can be infected within days - if we have not.

XaniceAfcai
[9:47 PM, 3/3/2020] : 👍
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Siulin
[9:55 PM, 3/3/2020] : No mood at all

[9:59 PM, 3/3/2020] Ricky Lim:
just live normally.
everything is in the heart - good or bad.

XaniceAfcai
[9:59 PM, 3/3/2020] :
May God bless. Ah mi tuo fo..
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