Thinking of doing an IT diploma/degree? Read this first.

[warning]

Degree in computer science but jobs hard to come by
By Mavis Toh

The Straits Times
January 04, 2009

For the eight years he has been in the workforce, Mr Jacky Leo has held a permanent job only once.

From 2003 to 2004, he was a helpdesk specialist at a telecommunications company. He enjoyed 14 days of annual leave, medical benefits, insurance coverage and a mobile phone subsidy.

'I even had about three months' bonus,' said Mr Leo, 31.

In 2004, he left to pursue a degree in computer science at Deakin University in Melbourne.

For years, before his only permanent job and after his graduation, he could only find contract work.

Each time, he worked as a merchandiser or a systems support engineer for periods of one to two years. He received no bonuses or medical benefits and at times even no contributions to his Central Provident Fund.

'It's unfair when you do the same job as others but get less because you're on contract,' he said. 'But I just couldn't find a permanent job.'

One reason, Mr Leo said, is that most jobs in the IT industry are contract-based.

IT jobs also require various certifications and each course can cost several thousand dollars. In 2007, he considered paying $16,000 for a three-month systems training course conducted by a private training school but backed out at the last minute. 'What if I paid so much and still didn't get the job?'

In March last year, he flew to Australia in the hope of securing a financial system support engineer position. He failed.

Now back in Singapore, he is jobless. He lives with his parents in a Jurong West flat and is getting by on his savings.

He doesn't have much in his CPF account and doesn't even dare think about marriage.

'I'm financially unstable and it'll continue if I keep getting contract jobs.'

He has registered for a taxi training course in February as a backup plan to his job search.

Meanwhile, he trawls the Web daily for job openings and is registered with five recruitment agencies.

'My next job will most probably still be a contract one, but to survive, I have no choice.'

[warning]

I've been working for a month now in a project under an IT consulting mnc. OT every single day since 1st day. Everyday work from 10am to 12am or later, and it only seem to get worse. It's a vicious cycle and everyday is stay later and slowly come slightly later also. Somemore no OT pay.

Morning come in is do nothing and wait for bug fixes from other teams. Deployment and fixes are always done at 7pm but never 7pm but 1030pm. Usually after evening then got things to do. The working condition is so dam jialat and yet all people there are doing that. Wth man. Seriously wasting our time. Saturday also can get called back to work. Beginning to feel very numb and won't look at time, cos i "dunno" what time is knock off time. Anybody experience anything worse??

My contract only state 8:30 to 5:30pm but virtually i'm working 16 hrs per day or more but in time report must put 8 hrs. Dam cock. I felt i've tasted worst man.

from: Extreme Working Hrs? - Flowerpod Forums - Beauty, Makeup, Skincare, Health, Lifestyle, Entertainment, Love & Relationships

[warning]

[warning]

STRAITS TIMES Mar 7 2011: Yes, there are job enclaves

I CONCUR with Ms Laurelle Ho ("Employment enclaves"; last Tuesday) about ethnic enclaves of foreign nationals in multinational companies in Singapore.

About three years ago, my nephew, who had been working in an IT department in Citibank for a number of years, had his service terminated, together with all his Singaporean colleagues, due to restructuring.

But all his Indian national colleagues were retained. Incidentally, the senior officers in the department were Indian nationals.

The Government should consider introducing a quota for foreign nationals in companies based in Singapore.

Rohim Kalil

[warning]

Read this thread:
Local IT Talents Dying ??? - MyCarForum

[warning]

Sub-standard FTs in the IT sector are flooding Spore. This is happening in the Technology division of all investment banks - RBS, Barclays, ML, UBS, etc for IT support functions. The FTs are being recruited under the skilled manpower category and come in as EPs..then they convet to PRs. Investments banks, to cut cost, are recruiting vendor companies from India to supply the resources.

from: FTs flooding Singapore - in IT sector - AsiaOne Forum

[warning]

The eye-opener came when I started my internship. I realized that most IT companies have already outsourced their programming to Tiongs or ABNNs. There are nearly no local programmers in me and my friend's company. That is where I started feeling down, as my GPA has been pulled down by programming subjects that were of 0% career prospect.

It is not that these foreigners are better at programming, in fact their application has more bugs. But because they were willing to accept a much lower pay, hence they were employed. So much for meritocracy. I think our local programmers are much better than them.

from: [WOT ADVICE] Be careful when deciding between JC or Poly - www.hardwarezone.com.sg

[warning]

The eye-opener came when I started my internship. I realized that most IT companies have already outsourced their programming to Tiongs or ABNNs. There are nearly no local programmers in me and my friend's company. That is where I started feeling down, as my GPA has been pulled down by programming subjects that were of 0% career prospect.

It is not that these foreigners are better at programming, in fact their application has more bugs. But because they were willing to accept a much lower pay, hence they were employed. So much for meritocracy. I think our local programmers are much better than them.

from: [WOT ADVICE] Be careful when deciding between JC or Poly

[361Degree]

But that's a 2009 article.?

[k3vin]

well, a lot of my friends in computer science nus, comp engin (software) ntu has received job offers in excess of 3k. So perhaps these are more stories that come from only one end of the pond?

Almost all of my friends who graduated are employed and as the percentages from the local uni/polys show, the large majority is employed with decent starting pay not pay along the lines of the foreign workers but 3k+ for uni grads.