UNIVERSITY EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT : A CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE GRADUATES OF 1966 AND 1967

Abstract

Singapore embarked on its industrialization programme in the early 1960s. Towards the end of the 1960s industrialization was so rapid that a situation of labour shortage was becoming evident. Such a situation necessitates proper labour policies to ensure the efficient allocation of scarce manpower resources., This study attempts to investigate the labour market experience of two batches of graduates, since graduation in 1966 and 1967 up to April 1971. In this study a survey has to be undertaken to elicit information from the referents of the survey. In Chapter I difficulties encountered in conducting this type of survey are enumerated. It was found that most graduates depended on their parents' financial support for a tertiary education. Also, 63% of the graduates were working in the Public sector and 55% said that their tertiary education was relevant to their employment. The extent of nobility of graduates was analysed in Chapter II. Three measures of labour mobility were used, namely, employer; occupation; and industry changes. The extent of mobility differed from occupation to occupation and industry to industry. With regard to the allocation of manpower resources, it was suggestod that the policy of bonding students should be reviewed. Statistical tests were performed to see whether mobility was related to the personal and status characteristics of the graduates. The pattern of movement and the allocation of graduates, between 1966/67 and 1971, in different occupations and industries were analysed in Chapter III. Chapter IV probed into the labour market behaviour of graduates. Major findings were that only 19% of the graduates cited earnings as the most important reason for job change. Fifty-three per cent of the graduates found employment through answering advertisements. It was recommended that the Employment Service should play a more active part in formulating and implementing labour policies. Most graduates seemed to have adequate information about the labour market. When changing jobs 83% of the graduates improved their earnings. It was found in Chapter V that graduates in the Private sector were better paid than those in the Public sector. Males in the Judicial and females in the Medical occupations had the highest mean monthly income. The lowest mean monthly income for both sexes was found in the Teaching occupations. However, in the same occupation groups, males tend to earn more than the females. Chapter VI reviewed the findings and recommendations of the earlier Chapters.