From The Straits Times
By Chong Zi Liang
Published 19 Aug 2010
IN A sign of the improving job market situation here, the number of unemployed residents who turned to community development councils (CDCs) for help to find jobs is almost back to pre-financial crisis levels.
Data released by the five CDCs yesterday showed that 5,600 new job seekers registered for help with jobs in the three-month period from April to June.
This is half the number who did so in the same period last year, and a decrease of 800 cases when compared with the first three months of this year.
'Thanks to the economy doing well, more people are finding it easier to find jobs on their own,' Central Singapore District Mayor Zainudin Nordin, who is MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, explained.
The number of residents seeking assistance from CDCs peaked at the beginning of last year but has been steadily declining since April this year, he added.
The data also showed that from April to June this year, CDCs found employment for nearly 4,000 job seekers. This compares with 5,000 who were successfully placed in the same period last year.
That fewer were placed in jobs was partly due to the drop in the number who registered for help because of better economic conditions and wider job opportunities, the CDCs said in a statement.
Labour economist Shandre Thangavelu agreed that the CDC statistics were another indicator that the labour market has been gaining momentum.
'During a downturn, going to the CDCs was part of job-seeking activity. But now, with the improvement in the job market, job seekers are directly matched to a job,' the Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore's economics department added.
The CDC data was also a mirror of the improving employment figures over the first half of this year when the economy added some 63,000 jobs, he said.
North West District Mayor Teo Ho Pin said CDCs would look to help those who still had trouble finding jobs:
'Our emphasis now is on the chronic cases. The issues confronting them are independent of the economic conditions. Most of such cases are single parents with low education and low income, supporting three or more children.'
Dr Teo, MP for Bukit Panjang, added: 'Upskilling and employment is the best social safety net for them.'
It was a view echoed by South West District mayor Amy Khor, an MP for Hong Kah GRC.
The profile of more than half the residents who sought assistance in her district had not changed. They were older, less educated, lower-skilled, low wage workers.
'Without a change in their constitution, their difficulties in getting employment and/or getting better-paying jobs will persist,' she said.
Thus, there was a critical need to help them improve their skills so they could be more productive, secure better-paying jobs and become self-reliant:
'With the economy improving and a decline in the number of applications, the CDC is now focusing on encouraging this group of job seekers to upgrade their skills and improve productivity.'
The data yesterday showed that the number of residents with financial difficulties who turned to CDCs for social assistance also dropped.
There were 10,400 who registered for social assistance between April and June this year. This is about 20 per cent down from the same period last year, and about 25 per cent lower than the January to March period this year.
News & Opinions -
News Updates
