MINDEF CAREER DEVELOPMENT UNIT

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence whether his Ministry will set up a career development unit to enable representatives of private business enterprises to conduct induction talks for full-time national servicemen so as to prepare them for jobs prior to their Run-Out-Date and whether there is an employment service available to assist them in getting a job in the private or public sector after their ROD.

The Second Minister for Defence (Services) (BG Lee Hsien Loong) (for the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am answering on behalf of my Minister.

Prior to 1975, MINDEF ran a job placement service for national servicemen. This service was discontinued because the healthy employment market made it redundant. In a growing economy, National Servicemen, like others in the job market, have been able to find jobs on their own without any difficulty. Their National Service training, discipline and self-confidence stand them in good stead for any job.

National Service reservists work in well over 55,000 companies. Every employer in Singapore is potentially an employer of national servicemen. To allow employers to conduct induction talks for national servicemen before ROD would be impracticable and highly disruptive to the training programmes.