All of us are in the seniors group. Some of us need to work, while others can manage through. I thought that some of the current schemes are interesting and I would like to hear if you have other views or options besides putting retirees through training programmes.
The brighter side reports solar power companies and IT giants may be able to offer up to 30,000 jobs by 2020. And the Career support program for PMETs retrenched.
Personally, I do not support retrenchment insurance. We hear of the need for companies to be more creative and be the disruptor In recent years, new business models have disrupted existing ones and improved the lives of consumers.
This Post is intended to hear your views and hopefully some of your ideas will be picked up by fellow readers. As I said, some of us need to work, others don’t.
Please do not finger point any person or political party or Govt body. Stick strictly to ideas and suggestions.
Terence Seah
“other countries have a shortage of jobs, Sg faces a shortage of workers”*. Hence the govt’s pledge of $150m to help workers retrain and acquire new skills for the new economy. It is now up to the affected PMET to change his mindset and ‘go back to school’.
Personally I feel that Govt could start labour intensive factories for the lowly educated and the retrenched, like garment factories to serve the domestic market. Everyone needs to have clothes, beddings etc. We can stop importing these from China and still sell at China product price. Another area to consider to serve the domestic market is agriculture. I stress domestic market because the main objective is to create jobs for citizens unable to find work in the new economy and not profit making.
*ST news report 2/5
Singapore, like all other countries, have to plan and create jobs for school leavers, young adults, the retrenched and the seniors. What went on in my mind is the creation of jobs for those who are retrenched or in need of a job because they have passed the age of 45. In particular, referencing SHC members.
From what we read in the club forum as well as our observations within SHC, it does give the impression that most SHC do not need to work, neither do they need a job. Travel, outings, makans, fun and enjoyment appears to be the dream of most SHC members.
But, little do we know or understand the needs of those who are looking for a job that will give them some income, as savings and daily needs eat into our SilverHairs years. We have many members who are unable to join activities because they have to work. But, what about those who do not join us. Unfortunately, all activities cost.
When I read the article that a lot of funds will be pumped into training and education, I ask myself how many more years we have to go through training before we can find a suitable job if we are retrenched or in need of a job.
Having worked for more than 35-40 years, it is sad we have to go one more round in life to be re-trained, and try to fit into another job. 35-40 years of working is a lot of experience, so the country should focus on maximising the skills, knowledge and experience of everyone over 45 years of age. Jobs should be clearly identified, and then training can be added to help with the job transition. Not, training and hopefully one gets a job.
Many children go to universities in specialised or general degrees. But, many land up in jobs far away from what they learn. Same with jobs available for seniors. If the job is to clean tables, do surveys, be a security guard, be a Uber driver, and these are available jobs for seniors, let’s go for training for jobs then. But, do seniors need t be trained for these jobs.
Personally, I think our country has got the idea of providing jobs for seniors all wrong. And, putting so much money into training or retraining without a job in mind is wasteful. It’s all good for our growing children and young adults. But, for seniors, retrenched, and in need of a job, the supposedly “chicken and egg” is true.
Smart ideas can only be smart, if our country focuses on getting same or related jobs for those who have been retrenched or in need of a job. But, if a MacDonald job, or a cleaning tables job is all we have for seniors, I hope our manpower ministry can look at the “egg and chicken” scenario.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence, “passed the age of 45” can be from 46 to 100 maybe more. If a man was married at 30 and had his first born at 31, at 46 his child is only 15. At 46, he certainly cannot be “having worked for more than 35-40 years”. This is the time he needs an income most, particularly for his child or children. In fact, for a man or woman between 46 to 55 (or older for some), this is the crucial period as their children are still studying or just started work. Most likely they are still paying a monthly instalment for their HDB flat. They need a job desperately.
You are right to say, “Travel, outings, makans, fun and enjoyment appears to be the dream of most SHC members”. Don’t know what their average age is but most, if not all, are well above the “crucial period” and they have every right to enjoy life, for the simple reason they are free of all encumbersome.
It leaves me to wonder why the magic number is 45 ?
DC
hi-Terence It is not easy to find the cause. I can only reflect on following.
a) The older educated generation should have no problem to survive as they hold jobs that do not change too much so less exposed to retrenchments.
b) They are thifty and do not spend unnecessarily.
c) when they are at the sunset years the children stick around and take care of them.
d)the later generation’s expectation is different as they have not experienced any hardship as their parents. They spend using credit cards etc and will face retrenchments as present jobs are changing and replaced by technology. Thus with little savings since all are in cpf they will face surviving problems.
e)I think the issue of high unemployment is not new as economies follow a cycle.
it is just the population is now more educated and with social media the issue becomes a big cry.
I believe once should be not spend more than what we earned.
If retrenched and you need to downgrade ensure that unnecessary expense is reduced such eating at hawker centre instead of cafes.
There are many jobs that are considered degrading for singaporeans but when facing survival grab it why let the foreigners do it.
One thing I don’t understand is how my parents with large families ( in those days)
family of 10 is normal survive without a maid whereas nowadays a family of 5 must have a maid. This is a big source of expense.i
Similarly in advanced countries like Australia and US having maids is a luxury. Wonder how they managed their family without maids.
Personally I think the govt is trying its best to create jobs and retraining those who are jobless but they can do so much. The people must have the will to find ways to survive and lower their expectations and not too choosy on the available jobs.
As for me like what you say I am a retiree and do not intend to work because I have
sufficient to survive. Even then I am very prudent and do not just join SHC activities
freely especially when there is a cost involved. My greatest fear is I deplete my savings due to health. Otherwise I will continue to spend prudently and enjoy life to the fullest.
Nothing better than a face to face discussion. Maybe you can join one of the coffee chats and discuss more.
The new economy (hi-tech) is not for the elderly whose education did not prepare them for the IT age….Just imagine the amount of income the TRS website couple made from advertisements!
Yes it’s sad that old dogs have to learn new tricks, but then their cheese has been moved away permanently. Many choose to retire rather than learn the new tricks.
As for the elderly who are living ‘from hand to mouth’, the silver package and the pioneer generation concessions are a big help to them. Often these elderly are unemployed because of health issues and not that there are no job opportunities for them.
Wow, it’s an interesting discussion…
Our SHC members comprise a wide spectrum of ages and therefore there is no single factor or solution to apply…
A majority of members are still working, with quite a few older ones, too… So the re-training program will be applicable and relevant to them. The problem is to decide on the right course/s which would ultimately lead you into the next job.
I think the government is making the right moves, but it will be difficult to change the older workers and get the employers/SMEs to adapt. I have a nagging feeling that there are not too many options left, but they have to do something.
The retired SHC members may be in a luckier position: if they have sufficient funds and savings to last them through their remaining years. But the rising Inflation and medical costs may impact how they can spend their resources.
It will be a balancing act for retirees as they face health issues and exorbitant costs even with PG and Silver Support schemes.
But, they may be the luckier ones! Just think of the working middle-aged… faced with job redesign, retrenchments even, slowing economy, sandwiched between children and aged parents, rising costs in transport, mortgage rate rise, etc!
Wish I had the answers! Well, I’m not the government nor the employers…
I’ve always stayed ahead of the retirement resets: I stopped work at 55 and each time the retirement age is raised, I happened to be older than that!
My ambition is to develop a second source of income which will be immune to the economic vissisitudes of the global market …but that is another story!
Hi Kenneth
Your last paragraph triggered me to make some remarks.
You did not finish the other story but I would like to add in this regard.
You want to be financially independent you have to do something.
Last week I attended a seminar on property investment conducted by a guru who owns property- investment companies.
Of course one does not have to abide by whatever he said But there were some substance in what he said. By the way he firmly subscribes to the philosophy of the great sage, Mencius.
He emphasized the importance of timing in investment, prior
knowledge.and first-mover advantage.
One example was the announcement by the authority to build the high speed train railway station in Jurong East. Since then the properties in that vicinity have risen.
Another story was about a man at the age of 61 he switched his business completely from oil and gas to hotels. Today he reaps the reward of his switch at the right time .Had he not done so he probably would face bankruptcy. Today quite a number of giant oil-rig corporations suffer big loses because of oil slump.
But one must be down to earth to the reality that money makes money.
I had worked in a multi-national corporation and experienced how the management staff exploited the labor market to the fullest to their advantage.
In our present context, an employer will look for the lowest labor cost and best CV.
With the inflow of foreign talent he is likely to get what he wants.
When this happens, many locals will lose their jobs and newcomers find it harder to
get a job.
Two workers in our company lost their jobs not because they were not skillful but because overtime their pay had increased. They were competed out of the job market. Very sadly one had became a pump attendant and the other a taxi driver.
marker
Hi Silverhairs,
Sorry for this belated remarks. Born before June 19Forty Seven, I was Fifty-one yrsold when at end 1998 became among the first “cannon fodder” whom probably all the less Five Hundred of us earning above Two Thousand dollars suffered retrenchements between the period early 1998 to end 2000 as the Spore economy underwent Restructuring.
For the first four months of 1999, I went R & R then join Deliver Parcel Express Services(DPES) in the Courier Service ranks and in October of that year after completing a delivery on a weekend met a ex-colleague of the early Eighties, whom had just a year ago became a member of a countyry club and informed me there would be a few job openings soon in the club.
A month later I accepted a Assistant Sports Facilities Co-ordinator post with a starting salary of One Thousand Two Hundred and Seventy dollars and during my ending employment tenure of Twelve to Eighteen months before a “forced” retirement at end June 20Ten with a last drawn salary ofOne Thousand Five Hundred abd Thirty dollars, met President Terence Seah who was a guest of member Paul (apology cannot recall his surname and also a member of Silverhairs) in the Gymnasium Room(I was not a Trainer, but taking bookings of time-hourly for non Gym members, issue bath-towels, and took bookings of badminton courts and table-tennis for other members) aand On-Off acted as Billiards Markers(counting of points) in the Billiards Room.
From August 20Ten I have been employed as a Security Guard earning a salary of One Thousand Nine Hundred from One Thousand Four Hundred, starting-pay. From next year I have to pass a bi-annually Medical Test to be gainfully employed as a SG till age Seventy-Three.
Similar with the job of Cleaners, each month there is vacancies of more than Two Hundred SG positions as new buildings open for occupancy.
Regards
Abel Tan