Publication of Graduate Employment Survey

Ms Ellen Lee asked the Minister for Education (a) when did the Ministry start publishing the Graduate Employment Survey; (b) what purpose does the survey serve and whether the survey has served its purpose; and (c) what assumptions are made about the traditional sources of employment in terms of offering undergraduates a reference for their career options.

Mr Heng Swee Keat: MOE has been publishing the results of the Graduate Employment Survey (GES) for Autonomous Universities (AUs) since 2008. The GES provides:

(a) Prospective students with timely and comparable data to assist them in making informed course decisions; and

(b) Stakeholders, such as the AUs, Government agencies and employers with information to assess the industry demand for the AUs' graduates.

The GES findings have helped our AUs to track their graduates' employment outcomes. MOE factually presents data, such as starting salaries and employment rates, based on the course of study. While the starting salaries of graduates from the various courses are a point of reference, they should not be the main or sole criterion for students in deciding what to study. Students should choose their desired courses holistically based on their interests, abilities and aspirations, aside from the immediate employment outcomes from the various courses of study.