Press Release Date: 21 Jan 08
Overall employment rate and monthly salaries increased
More graduates find full-time permanent employment
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 % of fresh graduates who are economically active found jobs within six months. This is an improvement, compared to the overall employment rate of 91.3 % in 2006. About 75.3% of economically active fresh graduates are in full-time permanent employment, an improvement from 72.1 % in 2006.
Fresh graduates in full-time permanent positions also command higher salaries. The average gross monthly salary is $1,805, which represents a 5.5 % increase compared to $1,711 in 2006.
Of the fresh graduates with full-time permanent jobs, 87.7 % have taken up jobs in the private sector while the remaining 12.3 % 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 %, an increase from 91.1 % in 2006. In addition, the percentage of economically active Post-NS graduates holding full-time permanent jobs also showed an increase – from 79.9 % in 2006 to 82.3 % 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.
Of the Post-NS graduates with full-time permanent jobs, 78.3 % joined the private sector while the remaining 21.7 % 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 and Accountancy, Business, Finance & Law. As for Post-NS graduates, those who command the highest gross monthly salaries are from Maritime, Accountancy, Business, Finance & Law, Built Environment and Information Technology. A comparison of the course categories is in the table below:
| Course Category | Fresh Graduates
Basic* | Fresh Graduates
Gross+ | Post-NS Graduates
Basic* | Post-NS Graduates
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.
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.
A more detailed report of the survey findings is at Appendix I.
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