Negative real starting salary again
According to the Straits Times news report “Job prospects and salaries remained good for poly grads last year” (Jan 15) – “The median monthly salary was $2,000, similar to the year before.” – Since inflation was projected last month to be at 1–1.5 per cent in 2014 – it means that the real starting salary increase is once again negative.
Salary decreased 11% last year
According to the Singapore Yearbook of Manpower Statistics 2014 (page H30) – the median gross monthly starting salary of poly graduates in full-time permanent employment was $2,000 in 2007 and $2,250 in 2013.
So, the starting salary actually decreased by 11 per cent last year from $2,250 to $2,000.
Hence, once again – our 150th ranked Press Freedom media has been caught mis-reporting by saying that the median salary was “similar to last year”.
Poly graduates real starting salaries decreased by -25% last 7 years
This means that their starting salaries increased by zero per cent in the last seven years.
Since inflation was about 25 per cent from 2007 (CPI 91.3) to 2013 (CPI 115.8) and an estimated one per cent for 2014 – in real terms – their starting salaries decreased by -25 per cent in the last seven years.
All employment indicators dropped
Not only has salaries suffered such a huge drop – the employment rate of fresh polytechnic graduates dropped to 89.2 per cent compared to 89.8 per cent in 2013, the percentage of those with full-time permanent jobs also fell from 62.7 per cent to 59.4 per cent, the employment rate for post-National Service (NS) graduates dropped from 92.8 per cent to 92.4 per cent.
The percentage of post-NS graduates with full-time permanent jobs fell from 74.2 per cent to 73 per cent.
The percentage of graduates who take up part-time or temporary employment increased. For fresh graduates, the figure went up from 27.1 per cent in 2013 to 29.8 per cent last year, while the figure for post-NS graduates went up from 18.7 per cent to 19.3 per cent over the same period.
Mis-reporting of those pursuing further studies
“In a statement released on Wednesday, the polytechnics said those in part-time or temporary jobs, when queried further, said they were pursuing or preparing to commence further studies” This is another mis-reporting because the Channel NewsAsia news report said the “majority” instead of the way it is written in the subject news report which gives the impression that most if not all were pursuing further studies.
After all, the majority could be just 51 per cent.
Win battles lose war
TRS Contributor