SINGAPORE: Nearly 1,500 jobs, traineeships, attachments and training opportunities have been made available by more than 270 precision engineering firms under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package since April, as the industry continued to grow despite the current pandemic-fueled downturn.
Jobs made up the bulk of the opportunities, with 750 being professional, manager, executive and technician (PMET) roles and 230 for non-PMETs, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in its latest weekly jobs situation report on Monday (Sep 14).
AdvertisementAdvertisementOut of the 440 traineeships and attachments, 360 were for PMETs and 80 for non-PMETs.
Meanwhile, there were 60 training positions for PMETs and 20 for non-PMETs.
Overall, about eight in 10 were PMET positions such as product engineers, electrical and electronics engineer, and quality assurance inspectors.
Firms were also hiring non-PMETs roles such as production operators, welders and pipe fitters.
AdvertisementAdvertisementSalaries for roles offered in the precision engineering sector varied according to the job nature and skills requirements, said the MOM report. This ranged from S$1,500 for entry-level technicians to S$6,000 for higher-skilled engineers.
The MOM also said that more than 260 job seekers found jobs in the precision engineering industry through the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package between April and July.
Of those, more than 40 per cent were mid-career individuals who took part in career conversion programmes. These individuals tend to be from the electronics, energy, chemicals, logistics, infocomm technology, and oil and gas industries.
Since April, more than 30 job seekers have also taken up traineeships and attachments in the industry.
POCKETS OF GROWTH
Precision engineering is a key part of the global manufacturing economy, supplying critical products and expertise for the manufacturing of complex components and equipment used in other industries such as semi-conductors, medical technology, marine, offshore and aerospace.
In Singapore, it hires more than one-fifth of the 473,000 workers in the broader manufacturing sector. It contributed about S$38 billion in total output last year.
[h=3]READ: Companies seek new opportunities to stay afloat amid COVID-19 pandemic[/h]The industry has continued to see “pockets of growth” amid the ongoing downturn, growing about 11.4 per cent in the first seven months of 2020, compared to the same period last year.
Companies serving the medical technology and semiconductor sectors were among those the better performers, said MOM, citing increased demand of COVID-19 related products such as diagnostic kits and ventilators.
Others that have seen growth include firms that supply machinery and systems, and precision modules and components that make up technology appliances to facilitate remote working, as well as those that provide digital solutions such as automation and robotics.
Job seekers who are new to precision engineering but keen to enter the industry can tap on career conversion programmes to bridge their skill gaps, MOM said.
Traineeships or attachments are other options for new entrants to gain exposure and relevant skills.
Alternatively, job seekers can take up training courses under the SGUnited Skills programme.
This is the fifth of a series of weekly updates on the local labour by the MOM. It has been doing so since mid-August, covering various industries such as the local start-up scene, biomedical sciences and tourism, as part of providing job seekers with “a comprehensive look” of work and training opportunities.
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