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13 Jul 2012, 2.55PM

45 comments & replies |by Psychologist (Master) | Learn and Earn

When unemployed older Singaporeans have been seeking work for six months or more - it is the most severe form of social stress on the individual, the family and the nation. The consequences of extended periods of joblessness are significant for older workers age 45, who are unemployed (for one reason or another) often face financial, personal, and healthcare hardships as well as the loss of their unemployment income.

In short, unemployment lasting six months or more is a prolonged burden on older job seekers that detrimentally affects all areas of he individual life, even more so than short spells of joblessness, older workers are traumatized, unhappy with the government and where in many baby boomers won't turn to their grown up children. While the prospect of any period of unemployment is disconcerting for many older workers here, the MOM must review the re-employment policy intensively and make it mandatory for prospective employers to accept these citizens who contributed to our economy while they were employed in the past. Workers accustomed to relatively high wages in the management are unlikely to find employers who will be generous today. Rather, a modest source of income is what many of these older citizens (and applies to all long-term unemployed) need when the job market today cannot deliver, the government must review alternative plans to help these older citizens and not foreigners who brought in their unemployed families.

722 views | 45 comments & replies |

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Guest

17 Jul 2012, 12.06AM

I'm just 42. I have a Masters Degree, numerous professional certifications, 20 years of experience and I haven't been able to get a single interview in 6 months ever since my previous company brought in a guy from China, had me train him and retrenched me!!!

You tell me Singapore is a "succesful" country, loads of jobs, and we "need" foreigners!?!?!? If it's all that good and there are SO MANY jobs that we need foreigners, then tell me why are so many of our professionals facing the same problem I am right now?

Which other so-called Democratic country can a local get replaced like this with a foreigner that had never even set foot in the country before and have no avenue for recourse?

I was getting good reviews all along, the entire time I was with this MNC. Some Directors and Senior Managers even went up to the MD and HR to fight my case but in the end... China man is cheaper get it?

All my qualificarions and years of experience yet I am to compete with a 3rd world country person whom I had to train. This is how the government polices marginalizes us and we need to welcome these "talents"!?

Guest

18 Jul 2012, 2.22PM

My friend also has MBA and was working in a Bank until 6 mths ago.

My ex-boss spouse holds a Degree and MBA, too. But 2 years ago, landed in am UNwanted job with 50% paycut!

My ex-classmate from the Stat Board was worse! She has been a degree but jobless for more than 3 years
as she was not able to use SAP or Oracle, commonly used in the market.

My own cousin with a degree could only secure a M1 Sales Executive job off-site after 1 year of job search and barely drawing $2K!

The government has indeed done a very job in forecasting and planning, although this is only what they do.

Guest

1 Sep 2012, 1.18PM

My ex-classmate from the Stat Board was worse! She has been a degree but jobless for more than 3 years as she was not able to use SAP or Oracle, commonly used in the market.

The reason of laid off could be either technology or communication/relationship issues in many cases e.g., this exclassmate. In our era, when we have an undergrad degree or postgrad degree and intelligence and oversaturated abundance of knowledge online and easily available library books and resources---what is a reasonable excuse for not learning a software?

Where is our self taught creativity and eager mentality?

Will we lazily deny a continuous trend on the red dot and the rest of the world as more upper and mid management have less power when they do not update and upgrade themselves!

Having a degree and experience without technical expertise will result in more Singaporeans 40-50's obsolete- a dinosaur! Do blame ourselves if we have this propensity to be laid off, sit and send resumes without results. And be accountable as a transparent individual- don't force govt or MNC to assume responsibility for our lacking skills!

I remembered seeing an online shot of PM using fingers pecking methodology on keyboard showing his determination to upgrade his skills to update his communication delivery system with his citizens. He has tenacity! He has perseverance! At his age he had never touched a PC in his schooling and working previous history, today he proves a faith to conquer a technical challenge made in the current era!

What a positive role model he is as a Singaporean-certainly his force is his worth to conquer his weaknesses!

Under his focused leadership, why are we so slow to emulate his confident attributes?

We should be capable to remove the boulder in our eye unless we prefer to leave the obstacle in our life unattended!

Guest

18 Jul 2012, 3.19PM

Have you trry getting the help of CALIBERLINK - www.caliberlink.com.sg/ .. it might be useful ..

Also, have you explore being a Business Advisor Program funded by SPRING:

www.bap.sim.edu.sg/BAP/biz_ad.asp

I just retired at 65 years old .. having many years of experience with MNCs .. now working with a SME immediately after retirement ... with no break in employment .. you just need to be focus and do not expect to be paid what MNCs have been paying you .. be realistic ... it is better to have a job than none at all

Guest

18 Jul 2012, 4.29PM

No interview even how Is he or she suppose to get any job?

Guest

18 Jul 2012, 4.34PM

Attend this JOB FAIR on 21 July 2012 specially targetted at PMEs .. you will be interviewed on the spot.

Guest

19 Jul 2012, 10.21AM

Interviewed on the spot sounds like assistant role.

Confimred MoM, E2i, Caliberlink . . .have only given citizens more and more lousy and underpaid jobs for the past 7 years.

Never vote for PAP.

Guest

19 Jul 2012, 6.06PM

e2i and Caliberlink do not provide jobs .. they only facilitate employers to get access to PMEs .. how do e2i and Caliberlink give lousy and underpaid jobs if they are NOT the employer .. you got mixed up .. how to be an OPPOSITION?

Guest

20 Jul 2012, 9.16PM

you got mixed-up yourself.

Cos the government can only get their agencies to squeeze out UNwanted jobs. Since they endorsed and faciliate, of course they are also responsible to the PMEs. NEVER vote for PAP.

Guest

1 Sep 2012, 1.48PM

great idea- please send us the URLs showing Opposition promises to get us positions we wanted guaranteed ---when elected!

REACH Administrator

19 Jul 2012, 8.28PM

Dear Contributors,

While we value constructive discussion and debate, we prohibit the advertising of products or services or any other forum activity that flouts our Terms of Use.

Thanks and regards
Ling (REACH Administrator)

Guest

19 Jul 2012, 8.58PM

Caliberlink is a WDA agency specifically set up to assist PMEs to get employment6 .. tax payers money and so is REACH ... shouldn't you both work together?

Guest

14 Jul 2012, 6.05PM

There are alot of things they can do, but do not want to do. Just look around the globe, each problem can surface with more than 10 alternatives. But the government is famous for being a 3 -prong Banker= they will still make alot of money, regardless what happens.

That is why only silly people will work free for them and give them suggestions and ideas. With such an attitude, the best solution is NOT to vote for PAP.

Guest

16 Jul 2012, 5.57AM

What logic? As citizens, if you are have any suggestion .. give them .. it will help many others .. whether voting for PAP or not .. it may be even help thosae who vote against PAP .. any suggestion????

Guest

18 Jul 2012, 2.34PM

simple logic. . . .why should citizens give them suggestions? Their 800 grassroot leaders have helped them for the past decade but the government still failed.

Can you guarantee that valid suggestion given can REALLY help others? Don't you know how they work there?
the sspeak to the Director in the Stat Board. Don't be lazy.

Frankly, it is much easier NOT to vote for PAP at all reason being- "The government cannot re-invent itself".

Guest

18 Jul 2012, 4.51PM

How sure are you that another team of politiciams can do better????

Guest

19 Jul 2012, 10.24AM

Sorry. Did PAP brainwash your juice like that many others stuents?

WHO said 40% wanted a BETTER team of politicians? All we know is that PAP has failed although they hold the perennial power, have full access to national data, carry decent national portfolios BUT . . . .

Did the Cowards ever allow Opposition to even TRY for the next 30 years?

Guest

19 Jul 2012, 6.11PM

We are in a democracy .. if you do not have the majority vote .. how can a minority be given a chance to rule Singapore .. what logic???

Guest

20 Jul 2012, 9.18PM

wrong. . .if we are a true democracy, then 40% votes won by Opposition means that there should be 40% seats in parliament. I am glad you slapped PAP, but just not hard enough.

Guest

24 Jul 2012, 5.39AM

40% votes mean 40% representation in Parliament .. which country in the world have this???? Just out of your mind

Guest

21 Jul 2012, 12.19AM

If we were a true democracy, the PAP wouldn't have a stranglehold on the Main Stream Media.

Did you even pay attention to the coverage over the last elections? Any cr*p sprouted by a PAP candidate was covered in gold and framed like the God given truth by the printed media. Any opposition was, "As claimed by so-and-so", all that was missing was the writer adding, "Haha.. so cute".

The News on TV was worse... PAP candidates were given loads of airtime, the opposition? 2? 3 seconds before being cut off.

With this sort of biased reporting by the only news source a lot of the elderly or less educated voters have, the PAP regime still only had 60% votes (or so they claim - do you realize they squeezed that 60.1% by counting in all the walkover voters for the PAP? I kept careful tally that night and the PAP only got 58.something of legit votes).

Guest

1 Sep 2012, 1.54PM

exactly! how could so many citizens be disillusioned without concrete reasons to be sure, yet aimlessly dream another team might deliver?

Guest

14 Jul 2012, 9.48AM

Please do not expect Ministry of Messpower to do anything for citizens.

They have taiji this burden to be handled by Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment to handle for the past 6 years. But of course, with their silly "moral suasion method", it has not produce any desirable results. Time to close down the Wayang Department!

Anyway, I did speak with them some time ago. They are a bunch of clowns easily brainwashed by recrutiment agencies, with childish lies and illogical answers. One famous statement they provide is- These recruitment agencies are asking for your Date of Birth, marital status and NRIC not to discriminate you. Yeh sure, then why ask for such personal information when they claim it has nothing to do with their system, structure, procedures nor client's request???

Really time to close it down rather than to waste tax payers money and cannot produce desirable results. Why decide to expand and relocate to Brash Basah? They should reduce messpower by 25% and relocate to Pasir Panjang!

Guest

14 Jul 2012, 10.51AM

PAP has this medical condition called- metathesiophobia.

Guest

14 Jul 2012, 4.03PM

You suggest close down .. what other alternative can you propose to address this .. useless just to be critical but do not offer any alternative .. just know how to complain...

Guest

14 Jul 2012, 4.52PM

Yes, Complain King

Then do not complain, where is your suggestion? Don't act like PAP, wayang all the time.

Guest

14 Jul 2012, 4.58PM

I assume that PAP has given the greenlight and endorsement to pay citizens to contribute $100K each for useful ideas? Then make sure that 80% of the Directors are dismissed without PAY, backdated for 36 mths!

Guest

15 Jul 2012, 5.11PM

What alternative suggesstion do you have then?

Guest

14 Jul 2012, 5.02PM

Frankly, the government has owed us too many things ie explanations, reports, monetray loss . . .etc

1. Ministry of Messpower
How many wrongful issuance of EP were undone between 2005 to 2011?
What has been done to stop foreign companies from Transferring semi-skilled employees to SG?

2. TAFEP
How many Recruitment Agencies have erased from their system and stopped asking for age and Date of Birth since 2007?
What kind of soft-copy templates have they sent -out to company MD/ CEO when they broke this guideline?

3. E2i
How many previous Engineers found another Engineering job with the same pay since 2007?
What kind of ex- Engineers found new job in?

No point hiding their failures for the past 6 years. It only shows that they have not shown proud results to even justify an increment!

Guest

16 Jul 2012, 5.54AM

You are looking at the "faults" .. no suggestion how one can solve this?

Guest

18 Jul 2012, 2.30PM

Give me 3 valid reasons WHY citizens must give suggestions? Did your parents teach you only half the "story" to kill a uiseless child like you?

Guest

18 Jul 2012, 3.31PM

What is wrong with asking for age and date of birth .. this is not confidential and you will be ask this anyway when you are being interviewed ... I think you should be proud of how old you are .. be transaprent .. convince the prospective employers on your abilities andf not use age as a potential barrier ...

Guest

20 Jul 2012, 9.21PM

It is WRONG for Employers and Recruitment AGencies to discriminate candidates base on age. That is why TAFEP was set- up in the first place. However, TAFEP has not been able to produce desirable results for many years and it seems that $500K spent so far, should be condemned. Or rather, close it down and get a stronger and more capable body to head a similar Department. Let them loose face now so that they can produce better results within 12 mths.

Guest

24 Jul 2012, 5.47AM

How do you make youe "new" TAFEP work better than the current TAFEP ... hire people like you???

Guest

13 Jul 2012, 4.02PM

Can anyone define at what age is one considered an "older" worker ?

Guest

13 Jul 2012, 4.51PM

Age 45 as sated above ... is this OLD? . I thought our lief expectancy now is in mid 80s .. half way to 80 .. and we consider OLD????.

Guest

1 Sep 2012, 2.02PM

old in technical subject matter expertise ( not in life expectancy) as almost all discipline involved tech know how

Guest

14 Jul 2012, 6.01AM

OLD at 45 .. then .. let them have:

1. Concession Bus Ride
2. Subsidized Medical and Hospitalisation at govt hospitals
3. Allow CPF withdrawal

These will certainly unemployed OLDIES!

Guest

14 Jul 2012, 4.54PM

So many Poor Performing Government Agencies in Singapore.

Till date, the lazy Directors from E2i has not replied to my phone and feedback query. It has been more than 8 mths. Are they such cowards that even basic reply, they canot provide?

Time to shut them down and get Opposition to lead. Give them full authority and full access to information. Let them try to outshine the present traditional mal-function structure and system.

Guest

18 Jul 2012, 3.28PM

If the e2i officers do not respond to your phone calls .. have you try going down to their office and see them face to face .. I am sure they have no choiice but to meet you when you are physically there ....

Guest

15 Jul 2012, 9.02AM

Based on my observations, the government has

Stregnthen WDA:
They have arranged for Singaporeans to attend unwanted courses. Most of the young are the people who end- up with jobs, not the adults in their 40s. But worse, not brave enough to UNDO their mistakes. As the current 50K foreign trash are still around.

Gave out 5 Carrots during Budget 2012.
The World famous nations with the most GLCs contributed to half of the GDP here ( foreign website news). Without enough strong local private ownership ie HK has Hutchinson, TVB. . .etc , Singapore workforce will still face discrimination by own Stat Boards and Foreign Companies.

But why even 100k HR Managers, Snr Engineers . . . shows obsolete in skills? Is it because NUS is not able to provide specialised program ie Petroleum Management Degree, English Literature Degree that is killing us?

Guest

15 Jul 2012, 9.35PM

It is a poor reflection on Singaporean organisations in the private and public sector that this is so prevalent in Singapore. It is shameful and we need to do something about it. Instead of blaming the PAP for this, the public and private sectors need to do their part.

Guest

16 Jul 2012, 6.02AM

Any suggestion what the public and private sector should do?

Guest

17 Jul 2012, 11.21AM

Clear your head first then think. What is the purpose of business? To generate profit for shareholders right? Part of that process is to cut overheads. Left to their own devices, any business owner would source for the cheapest labour they can get. That's where sweatshops, etc get formed.

It's the government's role to pass effective legistlation to prevent exploitation of their local workforce! That's where seperation of duty plays a HUGE role. In other countries people are wary of politicians who own too many companies cause they will twist laws to favor their businesses.

Here in Singapore though, all the ministers are directors and shareholders of countless companies and their private assets (property, etc) are hidden from public scrutiny. Yet they claim so loudly to be clean!

Look at the laws they pass though! All tilted to favor businesses and scr*ws the Citizens over and over. Do we have any real worker compensation or protection laws? Do companies here have to even show that they can't get local workers before bringing in cheaper alternatives?

Look at why they are cheaper too... Look at the cost of living where they can plan to return and retire in time! Now look at the exchange rate and after conversion, are they reallly cheaper? Back home they'll just make a fraction of what they are squeezing out of Singapore at a Singaporean's expense!

Look at housing costs here too while we're at it. Does it make any logical sense that our government has virtually no laws preventing foreign ownership on this tiny dot when countries many times our size see the vital need to protect their property from foriegn ownership and pass tight laws?

How many private properties do our legistlators have? How much conflict of interest is there in keeping housing affordable for locals and their personal profiteering by artificially jacking up housing costs to appreciate their housing portfolio?

They can scream as loudly as they can that they are clean and honest, but their corruption and dishonesty screams even louder. We just have to open our ears and listen!

Guest

18 Jul 2012, 4.48PM

Rising housing costs is not only happening in Singapore .. it is happening in HK, Shanghai and India ...