GRADUATES REGISTERED WITH EMPLOYMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT

Dr Toh Chin Chye asked the Acting Minister for Labour what is the number of persons registered for employment with the Ministry of Labour as of January 31st, 1986 and, of these, how many are graduates of (i) junior colleges, (ii) polytechnics, and (iii) universities and other institutions of higher learning.

The Acting Minister for Labour (Mr Lee Yock Suan): Mr Speaker, Sir, on 31st January, 1986, 9,919 persons were registered with the Employment Services Department of my Ministry. Among these, 158 were junior college graduates or pre-university school leavers, 170 were from the polytechnics and 141 from the universities.

Dr Toh Chin Chye (Rochore): Can the Minister for Labour tell the House whether his manpower planning targets are on keel?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Mr Speaker, Sir, could I ask the Member to repeat his question?

Dr Toh Chin Chye: Sorry, I have not made myself clear. Let me phrase it in another way. Does the Ministry of Labour have a manpower planning programme?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: There is a programme done by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. In relation, for example, graduates, there is a forward plan. And the employment situation would vary with the kind of graduates. For example for the graduates who finished their course last year, those in pharmacy had no problem at all. They were all snapped up immediately, probably by the National University Hospital. Then there were other graduates from NTI. Again, they had no problem. But those in Civil Engineering, Architecture, and Arts had more difficulty. Even for them, they can adjust their requirements and perhaps take up other jobs.

Dr Toh Chin Chye: May I suggest to the Minister that his Ministry takes a certain positive action on manpower planning and not leave it to the Ministry of Trade and Industry?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: My Ministry is also involved in this. But I was saying that the spearheading of this effort is by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.