Former STE engineer here
'It is like that one lah. you have to learn to accept it. dun be a smart alec.'
When I tendered,
'you go other company can survive? what company is this? Is it stable?'
I took a paycut and went to another 2 more SME after that before I manage to join an MNC but the role I got is a downgrade because I lack experience but with good attitude and luck because they were my former customers in the SME previously whom I left a good impression. Now my pay is higher than if I stayed on in STE. I know the culture in STE sucks and full of JLB, parachutes and those who won't survive in the outside world. But just leave if you don't like the company because they won't change so no need to whine about it. I left and have no regrets.

Like you, when I left STE I had an increment that will take years in STE to match from yearly increments. I left when I feel that my learning experiences had plateaued. One issue I see with STE is that the learning experiences are very niche. Years after I joined, I am still doing the same thing in general, with variations here and there. Then again, "niche" is a word that you cannot apply because they hardly have any real subject matter experts to consult.

When I joined the new company, although it's still a multitasking role, there are much more things to learn about, like handle projects, maintain systems, perform trials for R&D products, join project tenders, etc. These are experiences that cannot be learnt in a single engineer role in STE. You need to be a PM, engineer, marketing, etc. to experience all these.

Many of those I know who left STE joined the private sector for only a short while before going back to STE or joined public service. Coincidentally, all these people excel in their studies.

Niche is a nice way of putting it.
When I left STE to the SME, I could not get used to the multi tasking and pace. But slowly got used to it. When I moved to my current MNC, I could not get used to a systematic and structured management, their demand in knowledge and experience, the exposure and corporate code of conduct are all culture shock to me. The culture is very different from STE but more suitable for me. I get global exposure and learn a lot of things. But I known people from ST being unable to adjust themselves to the pace and performance driven culture in the private sector so they returned back to STK, M or E. If you CMI in the private sector, then acknowledge it and go back to ST. Really up to the individual No right or wrong.

After reading this thread, I am glad STE rejected all my applications as an engineer.

I am working in private sector for 9 years with a diploma and got a part time degree 2 years back.

Maybe they deem NTU NUS as the potentials instead.

Moving forward, I have managed to get offered by DSO, and shortlisted by ministries and stat boards if not for the rejection by STE.

It is a blessing in disguise indeed.

I left STE to pursue a higher pay in a MNC but didn't realised that the higher pay resulted in longer working hours.

Yes I'm earning more now. 300 more but I wonder does it justify the longer hours now.
Cause sometimes when I am being yelled at by customer and have to work thru the night...

I wonder is the pay worth it?
I then made a humiliating step...

I went back to STE and I realised how slack STE is.
Maybe that's why they justify the much much lower pay.

I also realised that lower pay means lower stress also

This ultimately depends on what you want. DO you want to keep improving and develop yourself?

When a job is too slack for me, I will feel bored and wasting my life. Thus, I have to make a decision whether to have a not so slack job while learning at the same time or to have a slack job and be stagnant forever.

I won't think $300 extra doesn't justify the extra work. I would think that this extra actually lets me do things that are new to my ex job and this is the value added.

Yes meeting difficult customers sucks, but to think it from another perspective, it actually teaches you how to deal with different people. It builds up your skills and that is a soft skills not obtainable easily.

Yes, I do think that anyone in any SME will learn more than inside STE in the same period of time.

Not all divisions in STE has work-life balances though. Some need to work through the night as well.

But I learn most in MNC.
Except that MNC culture is not for everyone. Too global, too competitive, too fast. So those who cannot take it have to go. That's why we have a global community in this company. But those who can take it can continue getting the better rewards.
Like the other poster who mentioned how slack STE is, that's why the pay is lower.

when you jump to another company, make sure it is worth the jump.
300 is not worth the jump.