Schemes in place to encourage the hiring of older PMETs

We refer to the letter (“Hiring fallacies adding to displaced PMET’s woes”; July 19) by Mr Lim Teck Koon.

Mr Lim expressed concern over a possible market failure in the hiring of older professionals, managers, executives or technicians (PMETs), where better-qualified older PMETs may be passed over for younger ones who are cheaper and assumed to be able to learn fast, or because hiring managers are not comfortable managing someone more experienced than themselves.

Employers should recognise that mature PMETs bring a wealth of experience and expertise that can benefit a company. Besides having a portfolio of skills and knowledge, their longer experience can also help them work effectively with people, solve problems, and guide and mentor their co-workers.

All companies are expected to abide by the principles of fair employment under the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, which states that employers should “recruit and select employees on the basis of merit”. Hiring on the basis of merit, regardless of age, makes good business sense, especially in this tight labour market. It is also the right thing to do.

It is precisely to address the potential market failure described by Mr Lim that the Career Support Programme (CSP) was launched. Some employers are uncertain about hiring a mature PMET who has been out of work for six months or more. But if they are willing to try, we will subsidise up to 40 per cent of their wage for up to 12 months.

This allows the employer to see if there is a good fit. The CSP also provides mature PMETs with the opportunity to demonstrate the value that they can bring and provides employers with the opportunity to leverage their wealth of experience. Since May 2016, employers who hire mature PMETs who have been made redundant can also receive wage subsidies under the CSP.

To date, more than 140 firms have hired mature PMETs under the CSP. Companies hiring or looking to hire eligible mature PMETs can apply for the CSP by registering with the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) or the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i).

Besides the CSP, the Ministry of Manpower has also strengthened employment support for mature PMETs through the Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) and SkillsFuture initiative P-Max. For PMETs making a career switch, PCPs provide wage and training subsidies to companies that hire first and then train eligible PMETs to take on new positions. Companies that hire mature PMETs receive higher support under the PCPs. PMETs can also be matched with small and medium enterprises through P-Max.

Taken together, these initiatives under the Adapt & Grow scheme will offer more opportunities for mature PMETs to find employment and be equipped with the relevant skills.

We encourage individuals to visit the WDA’s website (www.wda.gov.sg/adaptandgrow) and e2i’s website (www.e2i.com.sg) for more information.