UNEMPLOYED PROFESSIONALS, MANAGERS, EXECUTIVES AND TECHNICIANS

UNEMPLOYED PROFESSIONALS, MANAGERS, EXECUTIVES AND TECHNICIANS

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6.

Mr Edwin Khew Teck Fook asked the Minister for Manpower whether his Ministry will provide a breakdown of Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians who are currently unemployed and the sectors they belong to, particularly the manufacturing sector.

Dr Ng Eng Hen: Our labour surveys categorise unemployed persons based on their last job. Based on this, as at June 2006, the number of resident unemployed Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) aged 15 and over was 25,000 or 2.9 % of the PMET workforce. This is 15% lower than the 29,400 recorded at June 2004.

The distribution of unemployed PMETs broadly reflects the share of employed PMETs by sectors - 14% were previously from the manufacturing sector, 6% from the construction sector and 79% from the services sector. This data does not suggest any sector where re-employment is particularly more difficult.

To assist PMETS, WDA launched the Professionals Conversion Programme (PCP) in March 2007. This programme provides PMETs with training and career opportunities to help them find jobs in growth sectors such as Digital Media, Service and Culinary Management, Retail Management and Aerospace.

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