Really that bad for engineers?

There is a statement below saying engineers can make 5-7k a month within 5 years. For Singaporeans, if you are NS 2nd upper and willing to suc coc in DSO, DSTA, CSIT, then 5k 5 years may be possible.

If you have a PHD in EECS in fancy USA university like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, then work in finance engineering modeling stocks and derivative, you can make probably 100-200k as fresh.

If you are 1st class honor or 2nd upper + masters, and ended in top USA tech like Google, Facebook, you probably can make 5-7k in 5 years.

Most of rest of you prepare to go unemployed, or get contend with doing janitor.

://business.asiaone.com/career/news/engineering-losing-its-shine-singapore


SINGAPORE - When Marcus Chew decided to become an electrical and electronics engineer in 2002, it sounded like an interesting career choice.

But after graduation and four years into his job at a semiconductor firm, the profession was fast losing its shine.

“The pay went up by around $50 a year, no matter how hard you worked. It was very demoralising,” said the 33-year-old, who also found designing speaker circuits for radios a far cry from what he had signed up for.

“My idea of engineering was like Iron Man, but it wasn’t like that,” he added with a laugh, referring to the comic superhero created by a fictional engineer.

Like about half of his fellow engineers, Mr Chew left the field, and is now a civil servant looking at quality assurance for training.

Engineering, long the backbone of Singapore’s economy, has been losing its lustre in the eyes of the young for over a decade. Many covet jobs in banking and finance instead.

So, despite initiatives over the years, including school contests and workshops, firms are increasingly hard-pressed when it comes to finding engineers.

Last year, for the third year running, engineering jobs took the lion’s share of professional occupations with the most vacancies.

Five – including civil and mechanical engineering – are among the top 10 jobs on the list, according to the latest Manpower Ministry statistics for last year.

Besides poorer pay prospects, people think engineering jobs involve getting one’s hands dirty and are boring, partly because engineers are not recognised for their work.

“Steve Jobs is famous, but not the engineers behind the iPad,” noted Nanyang Polytechnic engineering lecturer Edwin Foo.

Curbs on Employment Pass renewals are also leaving open more positions formerly filled by foreigners, said Institute of Engineers, Singapore (IES) honorary fellow and government adviser Lui Pao Chuen.

The result is a talent crunch. Instead of getting experienced engineers, companies like LongTech Engineering have to train new hires from scratch.

Operations director Boyd Sheum said: “If they stay only two or three years, then your effort goes down the drain. That’s the painful part.”

Industries such as manufacturing and construction will suffer if the shortage of skilled staff continues, experts have warned.

To stem the bleeding, companies and industry groups are trying to show students that engineering is cool and interesting.

For example, robotics classes can spur their interest, said Dr Foo. “As our population ages, we may need more robots and automation, so this is a field that will be important and exciting.”

The Singapore Contractors Association offers six-month industry attachments, and IES is raising funds for 50 undergraduate scholarships it hopes to give out next year.

Once graduates are hooked, keeping them is the next goal. A leadership programme for young engineers was launched by IES and the National Trades Union Congress last year, with two more programmes for managers and chief technology officers planned.

Also, there is room for salaries to rise, said IES president Chong Kee Sen. “Employers have to relook the pay scale of mid-level engineers, and look at career progression for them so they see future prospects,” he said.

He estimates that an engineer with at least five years of experience earns between $5,000 and $7,000 a month.

- See more at: ://business.asiaone.com/career/news/engineering-losing-its-shine-singapore#sthash.FMkHQkY3.dpuf

I am an engineer, not doing engineering work, but sorta in an engineering job. One of those named entities $7250 per mth in 10 yrs, excluding bonus. Not too bad methinks.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Its better you go glassdoor and show me a URL about any people even at CTO level can hit 200k

Most technies work in cost center such as R&D. The revenue center like sales are teemed with people who sweet talk and do not know anything about dirtying their hands. Sales manager do not become technical manager. Their career path is sales director or country manager.

It is common for sales director to make 200k. But altogether how many of them?

All these shows that engineering is hopeless. Its better to learn talking coc

Totally agreed. Sales managers don't become tech manager. Their SEs do. These are engineers in the sales organization. One e.g here: ://.glassdoor.com/Salary/F5-Networks-Singapore-Salaries-EI_IE9222.0,11_IL.12,21_IN217.htm

There are more senior SEs getting 150~200K.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Totally agreed. Sales managers don't become tech manager. Their SEs do. These are engineers in the sales organization. One e.g here: ://.glassdoor.com/Salary/F5-Networks-Singapore-Salaries-EI_IE9222.0,11_IL.12,21_IN217.htm

There are more senior SEs getting 150~200K.

Show me a senior engineer drawing 150k - 200k. Show me.

For every above 100k per anum SE you how, I can show you from glassdoor another 99 drawing 40-60k.

[nilnuk]

Hi all,
Saw the recent news and outlook on engineering career in Singapore. Feel that it is very hard to earn a living in the future.

I have been in the construction industry for 5.5 years as a mechanical engineer, from consultancy firms(start from 2.5K) to project development engineer in a plant.

I have a deg(no honors) from NTU, Energy manager and project management certifications.
31 years old . Earning 3.58k /mth and around 3months bonus.

Current company has very good culture and comfortable environment but due to survival needs i am Looking to change job this year.

some possible ones are
-technical manager in a property services company($4K)
-Facilities engineer in jurong /tuas area plants ($4k to 5k, need to wake up damn early.)
-Continue in the building industry as consultant firm ($4K lousy bonus)
-govt sector( my deg cannot make it)
-others like oil and gas, marine(not much opportunity to get interviews)

can't see the light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Any advice/suggestions are welcome

Originally Posted by nilnuk

Hi all,
Saw the recent news and outlook on engineering career in Singapore. Feel that it is very hard to earn a living in the future.

I have been in the construction industry for 5.5 years as a mechanical engineer, from consultancy firms(start from 2.5K) to project development engineer in a plant.

I have a deg(no honors) from NTU, Energy manager and project management certifications.
31 years old . Earning 3.58k /mth and around 3months bonus.

Current company has very good culture and comfortable environment but due to survival needs i am Looking to change job this year.

some possible ones are
-technical manager in a property services company($4K)
-Facilities engineer in jurong /tuas area plants ($4k to 5k, need to wake up damn early.)
-Continue in the building industry as consultant firm ($4K lousy bonus)
-govt sector( my deg cannot make it)
-others like oil and gas, marine(not much opportunity to get interviews)

can't see the light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Any advice/suggestions are welcome

since you are just 31, it is also possible to get a master in a more popular sector like computer, finance etc and start a new career. I don't have much faith in engineering career despite government's push recently.

Originally Posted by nilnuk

Hi all,
Saw the recent news and outlook on engineering career in Singapore. Feel that it is very hard to earn a living in the future.

I have been in the construction industry for 5.5 years as a mechanical engineer, from consultancy firms(start from 2.5K) to project development engineer in a plant.

I have a deg(no honors) from NTU, Energy manager and project management certifications.
31 years old . Earning 3.58k /mth and around 3months bonus.

Current company has very good culture and comfortable environment but due to survival needs i am Looking to change job this year.

some possible ones are
-technical manager in a property services company($4K)
-Facilities engineer in jurong /tuas area plants ($4k to 5k, need to wake up damn early.)
-Continue in the building industry as consultant firm ($4K lousy bonus)
-govt sector( my deg cannot make it)
-others like oil and gas, marine(not much opportunity to get interviews)

can't see the light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Any advice/suggestions are welcome

I have a similar portfolio. Started work 5 months after graduation, thus less than 5.5 years of working experience. Grad from NTU w/o honours. Started in consultancy firm with starting pay of $2,300.

Do you consider adopting energy manager path? There are quite a number of facility management job openings, developer job openings and contractor job openings require energy manager qualifications and able to offer decent pay around $5k.

[nilnuk]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I have a similar portfolio. Started work 5 months after graduation, thus less than 5.5 years of working experience. Grad from NTU w/o honours. Started in consultancy firm with starting pay of $2,300.

Do you consider adopting energy manager path? There are quite a number of facility management job openings, developer job openings and contractor job openings require energy manager qualifications and able to offer decent pay around $5k.

Yo bro,
i think your consultancy might be the mickey mouse type like mine previously(squire mech or JRP perhaps)
I have gotten SCEM and is the registered energy manager of my company's 3 plants implementing energy saving initiatives and energy improvement programme. However, it is seen as an addition to my current job scope and there is no additional increment to my salary.

I have checked out some companies, they include energy management as part of maintenance engineer duties.

I am still looking for a decent salary job and maybe try to earn a PE license in the future.

People like us without honours degree have to slog it out and hope God/Buddha to be merciful and guide our fate.

I hear safety pays well. My colleague one year older than me has double my pay.

[nilnuk]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

since you are just 31, it is also possible to get a master in a more popular sector like computer, finance etc and start a new career. I don't have much faith in engineering career despite government's push recently.

Thank you for the suggestion. I am lacking in resources at the moment. Getting married this year and following that,5rm flat renovation upcoming.

I almost joined CITI bank in 2010 (contract role with 2.4k)but i sense the danger when i see the interviewer is a foreign indian guy. So i joined a small consultant firm and learn the ropes(2.5k, no aws).

Originally Posted by nilnuk

Yo bro,
i think your consultancy might be the mickey mouse type like mine previously(squire mech or JRP perhaps)
I have gotten SCEM and is the registered energy manager of my company's 3 plants implementing energy saving initiatives and energy improvement programme. However, it is seen as an addition to my current job scope and there is no additional increment to my salary.

I have checked out some companies, they include energy management as part of maintenance engineer duties.

I am still looking for a decent salary job and maybe try to earn a PE license in the future.

People like us without honours degree have to slog it out and hope God/Buddha to be merciful and guide our fate.

I hear safety pays well. My colleague one year older than me has double my pay.

I do have scem too which acquired recently. Currently looking to take up professional courses such as water efficiency manager, fire safety manager etc to enhance my portfolio. Also considering master of science (mech eng) in the near future.
I have been involved in energy related companies for the past 5 years. Only recently switch to developer as a manager. Earning a decent pay of mid $5,000 with good benefits and bonus.