SINGAPORE: About 330 jobseekers have taken up jobs with start-ups under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package between April and June, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in its second report on the local jobs market on Thursday (Aug 20).
About half were mid-career professionals who took part in the professional conversion programmes.
Advertisement Advertisement Another 150 fresh and recent graduates have entered the start-up scene under the SGUnited Traineeships Programme since June.
To date, more than 1,600 start-ups have joined the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Programme, offering more than 4,600 jobs and 860 traineeships and attachments to local jobseekers.
[h=3]READ: Higher grants, more mentorship support for first-time start-up founders under enhanced programme[/h]These include “unconventional” roles such as gallery manager executive, as well as tech-related positions such as software developers and app developers.
Advertisement Advertisement Start-ups are also on the lookout for non-tech roles like sous chefs and business development leads.
In its report, MOM said salaries offered by start-ups are “not necessarily below the industry norm”.
For instance, the median salary offered for software developers is S$6,000 - in line with industry norm.
Other roles that start-ups are actively seeking include chefs, engineering professionals, managers in sales, marketing and business development, as well as administrative professionals. The median salary offered for these positions range from S$2,700 to S$5,250, said the report.
[h=3]READ: Fortitude Budget - More than 40,000 jobs to be created as part of S$2b employment, training package[/h][h=3]READ: 'We are not returning to a pre-COVID-19 world': Chan Chun Sing maps out 'new path' for Singapore[/h]COST-SAVING MEASURES BY FIRMS
MOM also said it has received about 6,300 notifications from employers about their cost-saving measures as at end-July.
This affected about 224,800 employees, both local and foreign.
About half of those affected came from the three sectors of accommodation and food services, construction, and wholesale and retail trade, MOM said.
Since Mar 12, employers with at least 10 employees have been required to notify MOM if they implement cost-saving measures that affect the monthly salaries of their employee.
The number of employers making such submissions reached a peak during the “circuit breaker” period - hitting 2,800 in April - but has since decreased “significantly”, said MOM.
According to the report, the number of employers that submitted notifications on cost-saving measures submitted to the MOM fell to 1,200 in May before dipping to 900 and 600 in June and July. It was 800 in March.
The number of employees affected in April rose to 83,000 as more firms took on cost-saving measures, from the 46,000 in March. However, this figure moderated “sharply” to 38,600 in May, 34,400 in June and 22,800 in July.
“This suggests that companies were making concerted efforts to hold back retrenchments, likely encouraged by the broad-based support measures provided by the Government,” MOM said.
[h=3]READ: COVID-19: 24,000 offered jobs, work attachments under SGUnited package between March and July[/h][h=3]READ: Challenging job-hunting landscape as recruitment agencies see fewer vacancies and more applications [/h]The top three cost-saving measures implemented by firms include adjustments to monthly salary components, no-pay leave and a shorter work week.
Local employees make up slightly less than half of all employees affected.
Based on engagements by MOM and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices, employers have “generally been responsible and implemented cost-saving measures fairly”, the report said.
While these cost-saving measures are recommended as alternatives to retrenchments, job losses “will still happen” given the mounting pressure on businesses amid the pandemic-induced downturn.
MOM said the Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation will continue to render support to displaced workers by matching them to new job opportunities in growth sectors through its employment facilitation services.
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