Stemming the tide of workers in Singapore

Source: ANN

A likely verdict of the immigration backlash by Singaporean voters is being felt by foreign workers half a world away -- foreign hopefuls ranging from middle-aged professionals to fresh-faced graduates, from technicians and waitresses to construction workers, seeking to land a well-paying job here.

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FairPrice to hire more seniors

Source: CNA

SINGAPORE: Some 20 seniors will be offered jobs in NTUC FairPrice's latest initiative to promote active ageing.

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Plans to help older low-wage workers

Source: CNA

SINGAPORE: A workgroup set up by government feedback portal REACH, which looked into manpower issues, has recommended better support programmes for low-income workers who are above 65 years old.

It recommended an unemployment credit, in which a worker who has been laid off can take a loan from his Central Provident Fund (CPF) account for three months.

The loan amount would be determined by the last-drawn salary of the worker, and would be subject to a cap of three months.

To fund the scheme, workers would contribute one per cent of their monthly income. The government would co-fund the scheme by making the same amount of contribution.

Those earning below S$1,000 may be exempted from contribution, with the government paying the full amount into the account.

The loan has to be paid back upon employment.

Another proposal is for a Wage Insurance Scheme which subsidises 50 per cent of salary difference between new and old jobs, when an individual who is involuntarily unemployed take on a lower-paying new job.

Like the Individual Unemployment Credit proposal, this insurance scheme is funded via a one per cent co-payment by workers and the government.

A third recommendation is a basic retirement grant.

REACH said the proposal is to provide a modest monthly stipend to individuals aged 65 years and above, who are identified as being in the low income and savings groups, to assist them with meeting their basic consumption needs.

The workgroup suggested a monthly stipend of S$200 to S$300, similar to a scheme in Hong Kong called the Normal Old Age Allowance.

To determine eligibility and to ensure that the scheme is targeted, means-testing can be conducted through assessing a worker's income level and assets.

REACH said this small grant is intended to be just one component of retirement adequacy, with other components like part-time work and personal savings making up the rest.

To help older workers integrate into the workforce better, the workgroup has also suggested job re-design, such as having flexible working hours and shorter shifts, as well as customised training such as an internship programme to help older workers learn customer service skills.

Responding to the workgroup's recommendations, the Manpower Ministry (MOM) said the government is committed to helping older and low-wage workers and will study the proposals.

It added that the budgetary implications of any proposal must also be carefully considered, so that any schemes that are rolled out are sustainable.

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Plans to help single low-wage caregivers

Source: CNA

SINGAPORE: A REACH policy study workgroup on health issues has recommended the government to offer more financial reliefs for low-income and single caregivers.

This would make it easier for them to engage foreign domestic workers.

Over the long term, it said the government should consider subsidising caregiving-related products and services.

The workgroup also recommended an umbrella agency be set up to facilitate the coordination of caregiver and care recipient services and resources.

It also suggested existing government-paid childcare leave be expanded to cover elderly parents and relatives as well.

The workgroup's chairman, Dr Teo Boon See, said caregivers are the key to keeping the elderly in the community where they rightly belong.

He noted that in 20 years' time, one in five Singaporeans will be over 65 years old.

As the population ages, more people will require care.

As such, the number of caregivers will increase proportionately and form a critical segment to sustain care to the ageing population.

The Health Ministry (MOH) said it would study the workgroup's findings and recommendations on single and low-income caregivers for senior citizens.

On the workgroup's recommendation of adopting the American Programme for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly as a model for community-based care in Singapore, MOH said a local version was piloted with Bedok Multi-Service Centre, in October last year.

It added that more such programmes would be rolled out this year.

The ministry said these local pilots, called Singapore Integrated Care for the Elderly (SPICE), aim to reduce fragmentation of care, and support the care of the frail elderly in the community, so that they need not be admitted into nursing homes.

SPICE is designed to provide end-to-end, holistic and coordinated care services customised to the needs of each elderly.

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2,000 Jobs in Singapore

Stanchart to add 2,000 staff in Singapore

Source: Reuters

* Says to hire another 2,000 in Singapore by end-2012
* Opens Asia's largest dealing room with 790 seats
* CEO says Asia in an "economic super-cycle"

Standard Chartered , the British emerging markets-focused bank, plans to continue hiring aggressively in Asia despite rising costs and thinning margins, it said on Friday, as it believes growth in the region will outpace that of the rest of the world.

"We are in an economic super-cycle," Chief Executive Peter Sands said at the opening of the bank's new Singapore office, which includes a three-level trading room for 790 people that it described as Asia's largest.

Stanchart also reiterated its commitment to hire another 2,000 people in Singapore by the end of 2012, adding to its staff of over 6,000 in the city-state.

"Our sense of optimism about the opportunities across Asia and our commitment to investing and building our businesses across Asia hasn't changed at all," Sands told reporters.

Despite galloping economic growth in Asia, the region's banks are struggling to raise earnings as stronger loans and increased corporate activity are offset by tough trading conditions, falling interest margins and rising staff costs.

DBS , Southeast Asia's largest lender, for example saw net interest income decline 5 percent during the third quarter ended September despite a 15 percent rise in loans from a year ago.

The Singapore bank, however, managed to post a 28 percent rise in net profit due to higher fee income and lower bad debt provisions. [ID:nSGE6A206H]

Stanchart said in December costs were rising faster than income as it sought to hire and retain staff across its main Asian markets. [ID:nLDE6B80TV]

The British bank, which employs over 80,000 people globally, added 7,000 employees to its headcount last year and expects to make "significant hirings" in 2011, Finance Director Richard Meddings said last month.

Stella Tang, division director for financial services at executive search firm Robert Half in Singapore, said the current low interest margins and weak trading conditions have not stopped banks from hiring aggressively.

"There's a general bullishness about Asia. M&A activity is rising, businesses are expanding and consumer spending is up ... The banks are looking at the overall macroeconomic picture," she said.

DEALING ROOM

Singapore is the world's fourth largest centre for foreign exchange trading and the top Asian hub for private banking. The city-state of 5 million people is also a major Asian centre for asset management and oil and commodities trading.

Stanchart said its new Singapore trading room, more than double the size of its previous space, reflected its growth ambitions.

According to industry sources Stanchart currently has more than 350 traders in the city-state, putting it on a par with the likes of Deutsche Bank and Citigroup which have historically been the largest players in Singapore.

The figure does not include sales, research and support staff who also sit in dealing rooms.

In Hong Kong, Asia's top financial centre and the main gateway to China, HSBC operates the single largest trading facility with space for over 450 people.

"Stanchart remains an outstanding business positioned for ongoing growth in emerging markets. However, we argue this is already reflected in a premium valuation," investment analysts at Barclays said in a Jan 12 report.

The report said Stanchart's wholesale bank, which includes trading and investment banking, could see growth slow this year as "own account earnings" or trading profits decline.

But it expects the consumer bank to rebound as interest rates and lending margins improve in key markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea.

Stanchart's wholesale bank has been the star performer over the past two years, accounting for about 80 percent of group pretax profits. (Reporting by Kevin Lim and Saeed Azhar; Editing by Greg Mahlich)

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20 Best iPhone Apps for Job Hunting

SOURCE: onlinecertificateprograms.org

In college, no one ever bothers to tell students the tough truth that looking for a job is itself a full-time occupation. There are job boards to scour, resumes to type, cover letters to proofread, meetings to take, interviews to prepare for, and on and on. It can be daunting for anyone, especially recent grads just getting used to the pressure of the working world. There's no shortcut to making it easier to land a job — sorry — but there are plenty of ways you can streamline the job hunt and give yourself as many advantages as possible before, during, and after the all-important interview. These apps are a great place to start, whether you're looking for updated job listings or trying to brush up on what not to do when you meet with human resources. Most are free, and the rest are pretty inexpensive. (And really, if you're willing to pay several hundred dollars for a smartphone and contract, 99 cents isn't going to kill you.) Download away. And good luck.

LinkedIn (free): LinkedIn is a social network that's a lot more limited than Facebook, but that's a good thing. It's not meant for cat pictures or pithy status updates; it's about connecting with colleagues, friends, and everyone else you've ever known in an attempt to learn about new jobs as soon as they become available. The free app lets you manage your profile, search jobs, send messages, and research companies on the go. Great for last-minute refreshers before an interview.

Job Search by Indeed (free): Indeed.com is a wonderful job-search engine that combs multiple boards and displays all the results at once, so it's no surprise that its iPhone version is so popular. The app also saves recent job searches (e.g., "Manager" in "Los Angeles") for easy retrieval and updating.

Jobs by CareerBuilder (free): CareerBuilder is one of the most popular job-search sites around — they launched in 1995, which makes them ancient in Internet years — and the app version is just as helpful as the full site. You can search for work by keyword or location, sync with your existing profile, mark job listings as favorites, and email results to yourself. A necessary tool for anyone.

LinkUp (free): Some people question the worth of having multiple apps that cover multiple job boards and often provide overlapping results. Those people have a harder time finding work. The key to success in the job hunt is to cover as much ground as possible, and that means using as many tools as you can to bring in information about potential openings. LinkUp is another great aggregate that lists postings often found only on a company's specific website and not on general job boards, exposing you to more listings than other services.

CraigsPro (99 cents): There are many versions of Craigslist available via the App Store, but CraigsPro is one of the better ones. It's only a buck, and it lets you simultaneously search multiple cities for specific keywords. It also detects phone numbers in postings and gives you the option of calling the poster directly. A good way to spot new job openings in different markets.

Job Search Organizer: A must-have. Job Search Organizer is just what it sounds like: a way for you to keep track of every job you've applied for, manage your resume and info, and search for new listings.

Resume Pro ($2.99): A simple but effective way to get your c.v. out there, this app takes your personal and professional information (and a photo, if you desire) and works up a professional resume that can then be emailed as a PDF to recruiters, managers, and the like.

SnapDat (free): Making business cards can be expensive, so let this free app help you out. Create your own digital card that can be swapped with other app users via username searches or just emailed to new contacts. A helpful way to save some cash while looking for work.

Internship Seeker (free): Whether you're a college student searching for that perfect internship or a seasoned worker in need of a change of direction, this app can get you where you need to go. You can search open listings, earmark your favorites, and more.

iJobs (free): This simple, direct app does what it says it will: connect you with jobs in your area. The clean interface lets you search for jobs by ZIP code as well as limit those findings based on how far you're willing to travel.

See The Complete List Of Applications HERE

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84,000 job vacancies in 2011

bPhilippines-based BPOs to hire 84,000 more workers in 2011

SOURCE: ANN

At least 84,000 jobs will be up for grabs in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in the Philippines this year, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said.

DoLE spokesperson Nicon Fameronag said BPO leaders told the labor department that they would need an estimated 84,000 new employees in 2011 as the industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds. The BPO industry includes call centers, legal and medical transcription, accounting services, software development and animation, among others services for overseas principals.

To help fill up the projected vacancies, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) will offer a free six-month training course for prospective BPO workers.

Graduates of the course will all be absorbed by BPO companies, Fameronag said.

P20M for training

"(Tesda) has already allotted P20 million (US$456,900) for the training of workers. That training is going to be free. And there is an assurance from the BPO sector that they will absorb the graduates," he added.

Fameronag said interested applicants can visit Tesda or its regional offices if they want to attend the course.

"They should at least have the basic English speaking skills, while those who want to go into medical transcription should have background in medical matters," Fameronag said.

"Maybe our nurses who are out of work could take this. We have an estimated 100,000 nurses who are unemployed," he added.

The DoLE earlier estimated that the country would produce at least one million new jobs annually until 2016, the end of the term of office of President Aquino.

The estimates are based on the projection of the National Economic Development Authority that the economy would grow by six to seven percent annually," Fameronag said.

"If we maintain that economic growth rate, the DoLE estimates that we would have 1.153 million new jobs every year," he added.

For 2010, the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) monitored 1.011 million new jobs as of October, or a 2.8 percent year-on-year increase.

"Total employed persons increased to 36.489 million from 35.478 million a year ago indicating a net addition or new employment generation of 1.011 million," BLES said.

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Filipino workers, one of the most world's lowest paid

ILO says Filipino workers among world's lowest paid

SOURCE: ANN

The International Labor Organization (ILO) said Philippine workers were among the most affected by the world economic crisis and expressed concern over the "extremely high risk of low pay" in the country.

The ILO's "Global Wage Report 2010" also noted a paradox in Philippine wage trends: Higher education did not correlate with higher wages, contrary to the pattern in many other parts of the world.

In the Philippines, low pay--particularly among domestic workers--"is partly caused by the lack of proper wage protection, notably the common practice of excluding such workers from the application of minimum wages," said the latest report.

And while low wages are correlated with low educational attainment in most parts of the world, the Philippine case seems to be the opposite.

"Surprisingly, the Philippines seems to represent an interesting exception to this common pattern, registering a high incidence of low wage employment among those with a primary and secondary education," the report said.

The incidence of low-wage employment in the Philippines was also 46 percent higher among women than among men, it said.

The report, the second of its kind, provides a global analysis of wage trends in 2008-2009, a period characterized by the deepest economic downturn since the 1930s.

The report used data from 115 countries and territories, covering more than 90 percent of the approximately 1.4 billion wage earners worldwide.

In the Philippines and Malaysia, real wages were cut by more than 4 percent in 2008, while that in Japan fell nearly 2 percent in both 2008 and 2009, and Thailand, by almost 2 percent in 2009.

The report likewise identified the Philippines as among the most vulnerable countries that experienced an increase in low-wage employment in the last 15 years, with 15 percent of the country's employed found in low-wage jobs.

Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and New Zealand also recorded an increase in low-wage employment. In Korea, the ILO noted that 25 percent of full-time workers were employed in low-paying jobs.

In general, however, Asia recorded the best performance in the world in terms of wage growth, although this was mainly due to China, which accounts for half of the total wage employment in Asia.

According to the report, while global financial turmoil reduced global wage growth by half in the last two years, Asia remained positive with a provisional estimate for wage growth at 8 percent in 2009.

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Thousands OFWs in Afghanistan jobless by end 2010

6,000 OFWs in Afghanistan jobless by yearend

SOURCE: INQUIRER


MANILA, Philippines—Some 6,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Afghanistan will lose their jobs by the end of the year if the government fails to lift the ban on deployment of Filipino workers to the war-torn country.

To prevent the mass repatriation of OFWs from Afghanistan, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has filed a resolution urging the Department of Labor and Employment to rescind its order prohibiting the deployment of OFWs to Afghanistan and for the Department of Foreign Affairs to recall its order banning travel to that country.

Though it may be one of the most dangerous countries in the world, Afghanistan has become a temporary home to some 6,000 Filipino workers who, although they entered the country illegally, have found a living there amid war and chaos.

Proposed House Resolution 515 noted that despite the total travel and work ban imposed since 2007, and despite continuing security concerns, OFWs have secured employment in Afghanistan.

Majority of the OFWs are employed in US bases, camps and other military facilities maintained by the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Afghanistan.

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