6,370 job openings available in manufacturing sector, double from August: MOM

• The electronics, precision engineering and food manufacturing sub-sectors have the most openings
• The marine and offshore sub-sector has 800 openings 
• The sector needs to build capabilities in growth areas such as liquefied natural gas and offshore wind renewables

SINGAPORE — About 10,400 openings were available in the manufacturing sector as of mid-October. Of these about 61 per cent, or 6,370, were jobs, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said on Monday (Nov 9). 

This is a near-twofold increase from the 3,200 job opportunities reported as at the end of August.

In the marine and offshore sub-sector, particularly, there were 800 job openings as of mid-October, of which around 87 per cent are jobs.

Most of these job openings are for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) in roles such as process automation engineers, design engineers and automation engineers.

WHY IT MATTERS

Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said that the marine and offshore sector has gone through various cycles and had been experiencing a decline in recent years even before the pandemic. 

Because of this, the industry had already started diversifying into emerging areas even before Covid-19 hit, he said. Now, there is a need to build up the sector’s capabilities in growing areas such as liquefied natural gas and offshore wind renewables.

Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said that this is why although the marine and offshore sector is experiencing a downturn, companies are still hiring, especially in the marine sub-sector, because the firms in this sector are aware of the need to retain workers with specialised skills for when the industry recovers.

“This shows quite clearly the companies’ awareness that they need to continue to bring in people,” she said.

“It also shows quite clearly that the companies have a plan, and they need to have people to help move towards that plan.”

WHAT ROLES THERE ARE 

Among the 10,400 openings offered by the manufacturing sector as a whole: 

• There are 4,540 jobs for PMETs and 1,830 for non-PMETs

• There are 2,360 company-hosted traineeships and attachments for PMETs and 350 for non-PMETs

• There are 1,190 training roles for PMETs and 140 for non-PMETs

Within the manufacturing sector, the electronics, precision engineering and food manufacturing sectors had the greatest number of available openings.

The top roles within these sub-sectors are:

• For PMETs – Manufacturing engineering technicians, electronics engineers, software, web and multimedia developers and mechanical engineers

• For non-PMETs – Production clerks, welders and flame cutters, and machine-tool setters-operators

Of the 800 opportunities available in the marine and offshore sub-sector, most of the job roles are for PMETs. They include:

• Process automation engineers

• Engineers in environmental engineering

• Design engineers

• Automation engineers 

• Electrical engineers

• Mechanical engineering technicians

• Manufacturing engineering technicians

Jobseekers in the marine and offshore sub-sector may also look to new growth areas to seize new opportunities during the economic slowdown.

These opportunities are in areas such as:

• Liquefied natural gas, offshore wind and sustainable energy-related projects

• Advanced manufacturing capabilities to improve yard productivity 

• Niche cruise-ship building and refurbishment market

To work in these new areas, jobseekers may pick up the following skills:

• Marine engineering

• Systems engineering

• Green shipping 

• Rapid prototyping

• Big data analytics 

The higher-value job roles available through the sector’s ongoing transformation efforts include automation engineers, data scientists and process engineers.

HOW MUCH THE INDUSTRY PAYS

MOM gave some details on the monthly salary range for the various job roles within the industry.

For PMET job roles in the electronics, precision engineering and food manufacturing sub-sectors, the pay range is as follows:

• S$4,300 to S$6,000 for electronic engineers 

• S$3,500 to S$5,250 for mechanical engineers

• S$3,500 to S$5,000 for software, web and multimedia developers

• S$1,700 to S$2,750 for manufacturing engineering technicians

For non-PMET job roles in the electronics, precision engineering, and food manufacturing sub-sectors, the pay range is as follows:

• S$1,950 to S$2,500 for welders and flame cutters

• S$1,450 to S$2,050 for machine-tool setter-operators

• S$1,300 to S$1,650 for production clerks

In marine and offshore sub-sector, the pay range is:

• S$3,550 to S$7,500 for electrical engineers

• S$3,750 to S$6,500 for mechanical engineers

• S$2,300 to S$3,900 for mechanical engineering technicians

• S$2,000 to S$3,725 for manufacturing engineering technicians