SINGAPORE : The number of job vacancies rose 36% over the year to 50,200 in September 2010.
According to the latest annual job vacancies report released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Friday, the rise in vacancies was driven by Singapore's rapid and robust economic recovery.
In fact, MOM said it was the highest number of job vacancies recorded since the comparable series started in March 2006.
The highest number of vacancies was for service & sales workers (10,330 or 22% of total vacancies), followed by professionals (8,270 or 18%) and associate professionals & technicians (8,230 or 18%).
Nevertheless, in terms of the three broad occupational groupings, employers were most looking to hire professionals, managers, executives & technicians (PMETs) (44%), followed by clerical, service & sales workers (29%) and production & transport operators, cleaners & labourers (27%).
Corroborating with the high demand for PMETs, positions requiring at least a university degree qualification made up the highest number of vacancies at 10,570 or 23% of total vacancies.
This was followed closely by openings requiring at least secondary (9,840 or 21%) qualifications, reflecting the strong demand for service & sales workers.
The services share of vacancies increased steadily from 68% in 2006 to 75% in 2010, reflecting the growing importance of the service economy.
Manufacturing contributed 17% of all vacancies in 2010, down from 26% in 2006.
MOM said the decline in manufacturing's share of vacancies partly reflects the continual restructuring of the sector towards high tech and value-added activities.
With the completion of major building projects, construction's share of vacancies declined to 6.6% in 2010, from 8.1% in 2009, after rising from 4.2% in 2006.
Five in eight vacancies (63%) in 2010 required working experience, comparable with a year ago (62%).
Overall, job-specific experience (26%) was a more common requirement than industry-specific (19%) and general working experience (19%).
Amid the tighter labour market, one in three (33%) vacancies was unfilled for at least six months.
The MOM said due to the record level of job openings, the number of openings vacant for at least six months rose from 10,140 in 2009 to a five-year high of 15,360 in 2010.
Eight in 10 (81%) of these vacancies were for non-PMETs and the remaining (19%) were for PMETs.
In fact, MOM said it was the highest number of job vacancies recorded since the comparable series started in March 2006.
The highest number of vacancies was for service & sales workers (10,330 or 22% of total vacancies), followed by professionals (8,270 or 18%) and associate professionals & technicians (8,230 or 18%).
Nevertheless, in terms of the three broad occupational groupings, employers were most looking to hire professionals, managers, executives & technicians (PMETs) (44%), followed by clerical, service & sales workers (29%) and production & transport operators, cleaners & labourers (27%).
Corroborating with the high demand for PMETs, positions requiring at least a university degree qualification made up the highest number of vacancies at 10,570 or 23% of total vacancies.
This was followed closely by openings requiring at least secondary (9,840 or 21%) qualifications, reflecting the strong demand for service & sales workers.
The services share of vacancies increased steadily from 68% in 2006 to 75% in 2010, reflecting the growing importance of the service economy.
Manufacturing contributed 17% of all vacancies in 2010, down from 26% in 2006.
MOM said the decline in manufacturing's share of vacancies partly reflects the continual restructuring of the sector towards high tech and value-added activities.
With the completion of major building projects, construction's share of vacancies declined to 6.6% in 2010, from 8.1% in 2009, after rising from 4.2% in 2006.
Five in eight vacancies (63%) in 2010 required working experience, comparable with a year ago (62%).
Overall, job-specific experience (26%) was a more common requirement than industry-specific (19%) and general working experience (19%).
Amid the tighter labour market, one in three (33%) vacancies was unfilled for at least six months.
The MOM said due to the record level of job openings, the number of openings vacant for at least six months rose from 10,140 in 2009 to a five-year high of 15,360 in 2010.
Eight in 10 (81%) of these vacancies were for non-PMETs and the remaining (19%) were for PMETs.
