http://therealsingapore.com/content/s%E2%80%99porean-phd-can%E2%80%99t-find-job-sg-writes-mp-hri-kumar
Re: Advice on some Singapore-styled standards
Good day Sir, I hope that the start of 2013 has been looking great for you thus far. I do understand you could be busy at this time of the year, especially with the advance of the Chinese New Year festive within a week. However, I seek your attention and if possible, some advices on some Singapore-styled standards with a sense of earnestness.
Please allow me to give you a brief background and account of my dire straits. My name is Andrew Lee. I have just returned from overseas studies after a lengthy 8-years stint. At this moment, I am still clueless to the Singapore “Ways of Life” and find it hard to comprehend. Therefore, I am seeking your advices on such matters, in eager pursuit for the most accurate and reliable information.
Firstly, I would like to highlight that I had given up the “Aussie” way of life to return home. In Perth, Australia which had served as second home to me, a place where I had found an enriching custom of lifestyle. Something which I had found hard to swallow, in comparative to the exorbitant fees Singaporeans would encounter to be able to enjoy the same type of Australian lifestyle. This can however, be countered via the form of a high paying employment – part of the elite of Singapore society. Albeit my concerns in this ever-growing flow of steeping living costs and inflation, expressed across all aspects of common life products, my biggest concern is as a Singaporean, where can I stand? I do not seek luxury or prestige but ask for just sustainability to provide for me and my family with a comfy meaningful lifestyle.
I have returned Home with a doctorate, PhD which many conceived as a great qualification that would open doors to above said premium employment. This is sadly not the truth, even in this credential graded meritocracy city. The reason I chose to pursue my studies abroad was mainly because the nature of my interest and passion, including the favoured course of study was unavailable in this nation of mine.
Despite being excluded for an Agri-food Veterinary of Sinapore (AVA) scholarship application for Veterinary Sciences due to the lack of A levels. I persevered and was awarded a scholarship for my PhD studies at Murdoch University to be able to further my education, improving my research skills and techniques. I officially completed and was conferred my doctorate on 8 Aug 2012. This achievement including becoming commissioned as a SAF Army Officer is my pride and testimonials to show that nothing is unachievable or impossible. Not to sound boastful or brags, but these achievements were due to individual merits, not reliant on who my dad is or who we know in this small over-congested island. I am a high achiever and will continue to do so in all aspects of my life, yet the current frustrations and struggles seem to be uncalled for. Hence, I seek your insight on the below issues with a genuine heart.
Prior to my return in Dec 2012, I have been constantly looking for a reason to return home. Something that my fellow Singaporeans have persuaded against and truly frowned upon, reckoned to be a big fool as well. I often asked myself “What is there in Singapore that can make me give up the chance of a better way of Aussie life?’. The answer was apparent “There is no place like Home.” I have my elderly parents here, my mates from childhood to manhood, last but not least the sumptuous mouth-watering food galore. These were factors that driven my return to Home ultimately.
In the intervening time, I have been looking at the job opportunities available here in Singapore since Feb 2012, in hope of a solid trigger for the relocation. Once more, I found absolute disappointments in many ways. There was not an abundance of “interesting” positions that I had felt a calling towards, except for one supervisory role within AVA. This particular job was eye-catching to me because it involved working alongside a prized fish, Asian Arowana, which happens to be my favourite hobbyist aquatic fish. This was demonstrated in my poly Final Year project which was based to determining the aetiological agents and consequently administering treatment against two devastating disease: dropsy and ulcer diseases, both of which reported a high mortality rate.
When this arowana supervisory job was first posted in Jan 2012, I started asking Miss Yee Ling from Economic Development Board (EDB) about how to best secure this job position. Preceding to this request she, on behalf of EDB and me had been in frequent correspondence about the “benefits” for overseas Singaporeans to return Home. Hence, I took it upon myself to task and seek information which could benefit my application. This was in hope that AVA – Human Resource would seriously consider me for the role and grant me the resolution to come Home. Yet, I received no answer from Ms Yee Ling, perhaps due to her busy workload. In desperation, I contacted AVA-HR to better understand the job requirements and application process. With a pressing closing application date, I decided to put in an application without a response from Ms Yee Ling. Which I place no blame upon; as I had always conducted myself on my own credits and achievements, not believing in “pulling strings” (something I recently learnt to appreciate). I hoped that my relevant experience and leadership qualities would impress enough for an interview with earnest and excitement.
I was truly astonished to receive a generic unsuccessful notice for the job position much to my dismay at an early wake-up call of 6am, on the day after application close date in Feb 2012. What I really find hard to comprehend is that a decision can be made thus quickly. In addition, my quest for why the application was unsuccessful fell on deaf ears with AVA-HR.
It was only after a week after the unsuccessful notice that I managed to get in touch with Ms Yee Ling. She provided more disheartening news that I was considered to be overqualified for the job as they were only making an allowance for for a poly-grad. Despite the relevant experiences and the fact that I had already expressed much interest in the job, even willing to take on a lower remuneration (from what my Australian job could offer) and the desire to return Home for this job failed to impress.
Although I was truly disheartened by the conditions of the rejection, I remained positive and persisted with repeated applications for the same job position throughout the year of 2012. It does appear that persistence is not the key virtue AVA-HR was impressed with. The last instance I saw the same position being advertised was in Nov 2012 for closing in early Dec 2012. I pondered if further application could do any good and consequently refused to submit another one.
It is widely known that in Singapore, if you want your path paved smoothly. It truthfully depends on who your family is, who they know and where you reside and more importantly if you know the right person for your needs. With this in mind, I decided to call upon a good mate of mine, who might know someone in AVA-HR to relate to them that I am serious and passionate about this position. No response til date. This one way communication seems to spread among the job employment market in both private and government-related agencies.
Apart from AVA, the other agencies I tried are Astar, DXO and even Cisco. I have yet to hear back from any of them. Having monitored the job openings for almost a year, it makes one wonder if the turnover rates for these job roles are categorically quick, with an average of 1-2 months. It could also be attributed to false advertising to astound the general public across the globe to think that Singapore has a very dedicated and variant employment hub. Whether these were genuine advertisements and/or if those job roles truly exist eluded me as I cannot/ have yet to get any responses from the applications. Please pardon my sarcasm if you do find any. However, I do not find any of these situations cynical or funny at all.
Please Sir, can you kindly please advise/ clarify on the below:
1. Is polytechnic education deemed as a second tier education system? This has been observed especially when dealing with civil service groups. Please kindly advise.
2. Is it true that only degrees from selected universities are regarded valid, whilst the others are invalid in the eyes of the civil service groups? I have heard numerous cases in this regard from my former classmates. These invalid universities include those that have set up distant learning centers here in Singapore with their local version of overseas degree. Please clarify if possible: Whether a PhD in Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University is viewed invalid within the civil service agencies? This could help explain why my job applications have never been shortlisted.
3. Are we Singaporeans devised to become second class citizens in our own nation, with the influx and favoritism for “Foreign Talents”? Please kindly advise or enlighten as I do not understand why I cannot aim for low-paying roles or high position ones, commonly filled by non-citizens. This is despite my willingness to accept unglam unsung heroes “dirty jobs”. Yet the living costs for an individual residing in Singapore, which requires more than $800+ (after CPF reductions) presses me to strive for more. A foreigner from neighbouring country gets paid same wage rates, without need for CPF contributions I.e. he gets more spending money doing the same job. This is particularly disturbing, especially since CPF contributions were mainly meant to work towards a HDB lease. How depressing it would be for a Singaporean to never be able to earn enough for a roof over his head at the current property values. Furthermore, we only have the chance to retire after 65. Correct me please if I have gotten the recommended age limit muddled as it has changed tremendously alongside our nation’s progression into a first world country. Thank you.
4. This point relates to the above mentioned age recommendation for retirees. As Singaporeans in acclaimed first world country, are we required to serve our workforce till our late 60s when the average lifespan is mid 70s, provided you have not dropped dead and are not ill-ridden? Leaving us too old to ever have the chance to truly enjoy retirement, as observed in many other first world country. In my opinion, we are truly getting a really short end of the stick just for that status.
I hope that you understand my grief and please kindly address the above issues if you can spare the time. It would be very much appreciated as these enlightenments could help elect if Singapore is the place for me and my family, including my future generations. Having been the product of Singapore’s demanding education policy, with observations of overseas family lifestyle including child’s education system, I have to decide what would be best for me and my family. I do not wish to sound pragmatic but I have the best interests for my family. I truly believe I can achieve it. I have never and will not allow others in power to decide my path or destiny. Not to sound like an ingrate or quitter but this grim unemployment situation of mine is causing much displeasure among my family. It has also affected my social life including contributions to the community, not to say the least. A resolution has got to be finalised soon.
Thank you for taking time out of your hectic schedule to read this whine of thine.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Have a good week ahead and Gong Xi Fatt Cai in advance. Cheers.
Best regards,
Your resident
No comments:
Post a Comment