Originally Posted by Serve the nation

Hello there

Joining a big ministry has its pros and cons too. A big ministry is likely to take on operational jobs as well, otherwise it cannot justifies the headcount. When a ministry becomes big, it becomes a good training ground for scholars. The farmers will have limited career progression within the policy department because the scholars are rotated in to:

1) Create an impression for the scholars that they are progressing in their career; and

2) Let them experience leading a team.

If you want to join a ministry to do policy work, you must really do it for our country. The monetary rewards are not really that good but there's work satisfaction. Without the passion to serve, you will burn out very fast.

During your stint, you will see many scholars rotating in and out as your supervisor because your team is the training ground for them. Some people get demoralised for certain reasons, but ultimately both of you serve our country in different ways. Remember, Singapore is already 50 years old. The scholarship system has been working for some time, generating a fair number of scholars within the government network. They themselves also start to feel stifled in their career progression. Unless the government starts to rotate them out to the private sector, to start up new businesses or take over certain business units at a healthy rate, you will have to be mindful of the situation and make your next move carefully.


To conclude, limited upward progression but ample opportunities for lateral movements since it's likely to have many departments. Also ask yourself if you have the passion to serve our country. That's most important.