Civil Service's Criteria in Evaluating Older Applicants with O and A-Level Results for Vocational and Skills-based Jobs

Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Prime Minister how and to what extent are O and A Level results considered in evaluating applications from older applicants for vocational and skills-based jobs in the Civil Service.

Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): The Civil Service recruits based on whether the applicant has the skills required for the job. Educational qualifications are useful as a proxy for skills when assessing applicants with no prior work experience. For mid-career and older applicants, relevant work experience and demonstrated skills are used to determine their suitability for the job, more so than their academic qualifications.