Dear Gilbert,
I chanced upon your site when I was out of job on 16th April 2012 (1 day short notice).
Like many unemployed Singaporeans out there, I experienced the same emotional setback.
Fortunately for me, I have good family and friends’ support. They encouraged me to start-up my own business.
I started my own engineering business soon after.
Currently, I only have one small project which enables me to cover basic operational cost.
About 2 days ago, I was dining out with a good friend of mine (PRC national) and he made what he thought was a harmless remark – that foreign influx to Singapore stole the rice bowl of many Singaporeans.
However, he added that our Singapore government is very intelligent because foreign influx was the only way to sustain the economy.
He was referring to “construction workers”, a job no Singaporean would perform.
But not only construction worker positions were overtaken by foreigners, many engineering posts, office administrative jobs and several other types of position were gradually replaced by foreigners.
At my former workplace, the office consists entirely of Filipinos, the workshop is made up of PRCs, Indians, Burmese and Malaysians. Only my boss and myself are both Singaporeans.
However, I embraced the culture diversities positively. After reading articles contributed by different fellow Singaporeans, I have second thoughts.
While it is good to embrace culture diversity - understand about another culture; pick up a new language and made some friends across the globe; the influx of foreigners is becoming overwhelming for fellow Singaporeans.
The ratio of Singaporeans versus PRs/New Citizens is about 1:1? What can we do? It is survival of the fittest.
On another note, I have a preposition to make to your readers. Kindly encouraged your jobless clients to take up the offer.
This job is only a temporary position during transition. It is decent work, pays about $12 per hour. Minus the petrol/diesel, it pays about $10 per hour.
It provides an opportunity for transitioners to get of the house, creates a sense of purpose and maintain the motion of still working.
I know because I am currently contracting the work (6-10pm). On average, I deliver about 4 packages per hour. Although it does not pay as much as the former position which I am holding, it allows me to cover some basic daily allowances.
They are a local courier logistic company.
I would like to reach out to fellow unemployed Singaporeans in transition now.
For anyone keen but does not possess a car yet wish to start the ball rolling, I am willing to work together with him/her and share the little monetary rewards.
I am in my early 40s.
Regds,
Kelvin
Editor’s Note: Anyone keen on the courier job can email me at gilbert@transitioning.org.
I agree with Kelvin that to hold temp jobs to maintain the momentum & stamina is very important.
Understanding other people’s culture is a good way to break down the ice as well. I work in an Indian MNC & so far I am surviving there. I have Indian colleagues who are holding American passports. The whole scene has gone very international. My colleagues sees me, a born & bred Singaporean who is still serving NS, like seeing the last of an endangered species.
The competition in the job market as well as the rising cost of living leads us with no choice but to lead a very humble life. Staying with my parents now. Thank God for my understanding wife. In such a cut throat society nowadays where the citizens are left to fend for themselves in the face of ever selfish employers, cultivation of emotional strength is very important be it through religious or motivational means.
I too, thought of leaving for good, but I can’t bear to leave my family behind here. My hope is for all Singaporeans, the ones who gone through the 1998 crisis, SARs, & all crisis of the nation, there is no other time to be more united than now. Let us be united because this country belongs to the people. The people whose decades of blood, sweat & tears are in this soil we call home.
i disagree with your statement, Ho. it is every man for himself now. I have left singapore and will not be returning back for good.