Another website to help PMEs in job hunt

By Toh Yong Chuan, The Straits Times, 28 Apr 2012

PROFESSIONALS, managers and executives (PMEs) in Singapore have a new website to tap on in their job hunt, the second portal to be set up for them in two months.

It will give job seekers a report on the job outlook, manpower demand in key industries, salary information and occupational guides for seven growth industries, such as health care and aerospace.

The aim is to give them 'useful and timely industry and job market intelligence', said Mr Lee Ark Boon, a divisional director at the Ministry of Manpower, at its launch yesterday.

Called PME Jobs Network, the joint effort between the ministry and professional recruitment consultancy Robert Walters can be found at www.pmejobsnetwork.com.sg

Last month, the Workforce Development Agency set up a one-stop service centre in the city for PMEs and revamped its website to include a job-profiling tool and the salaries of 343 PME jobs.

The new initiative comes amid a renewed government pledge to help PMEs hit by the restructuring of the economy.

Latest official figures show a 21 per cent rise in the number of professionals, managers, executives and technicians laid off last year: from 3,450 in 2010 to 4,170.

Singapore has around 805,000 PMEs, according to the latest available figures from the MOM.

The new portal will see the ministry giving its assessment of the Singapore employment outlook and identifying the manpower demand in key industries. Robert Walters will put up its reports on salaries in Singapore and jobs in Asia.

Both also wrote occupational guides for seven growth industries, giving information such as pay and skills required.

The site does not match job seekers with jobs. But a note on it directs them to job portals run by community development councils and the labour movement's Employment and Employability Institute.