22 June 2017
Having a university degree is no longer a guarantee of securing a good paying job. This is because in recent years, the number of university graduates has increased substantially and there has been a proliferation of varsity level institutions offering the chance to obtain a degree. Some of these institutions are nowhere as established and recognized as their tried and tested peers, and are not highly regarded by employers.
According to information published by Singstats, there were about 81,000 students in Singapore enrolled in local universities as of 2014. This number excludes part-time students from SIM and those who are studying overseas. In the same year, there were total of 190,000 secondary school students. That means that every two secondary school students tend to produce one university undergraduate.
To increase one’s employability, reliance of good academic results alone has clearly become insufficient. First and foremost, you should be selecting careers in industries that are expanding and experiencing growth, not in industries that are retrenching and are in their subset years, such as the oil and gas industries.
Getting an internship while schooling is also important. Internships allow students to gain practical experience, familiarize themselves with workplace culture, and be better prepared to enter the workforce. Internships are also a good opportunity to network and begin to establish a base of contacts. It is well known that internships go a long way toward differentiating yourself from other applicants who merely have good grades in school.