PAP Enlists Teachers to Lure Students to Factory Jobs

Aug. 10 (Bloomberg) -- On a Tuesday during the May school holidays, Singapore's Economic Development Board bused 45 high- school teachers to a palm-fringed island off the country's south coast. The treat: Touring a petrochemical factory.

``You have a big influence on the people who are choosing a lifelong career,'' Chan Soo Sen, a former education, trade and industry minister, told teachers from 12 schools as they dodged a maze of pipes at the Mitsui Chemicals Inc. plant. ``Manufacturing has changed. It's not dirty, it's not dangerous.''

Singapore is enlisting teachers to encourage the country's students to consider careers in industry, not just in services like banking. The government will spend $4.7 billion over five years to foster research and high-end production in industries such as biomedical sciences and precision engineer. It's aiming to replace assembly lines that are moving to low-cost countries such as China and Malaysia. It may need 15,000 workers a year from the 2.3 million-strong labor force, it says.

Overcoming Singaporeans' reluctance to pursue factory jobs won't be easy, said Koh Boon Hwee, chief executive officer of Singapore-based Sunningdale Tech Ltd.

``When you talk about manufacturing, most people jump into the concept of assembly line,'' said Koh, 55, whose company makes plastic and steel molds.

Students prefer ``soft'' degrees such as business administration because they view the career opportunities as more prestigious, said Tan Siok San, an engineer-turned-educator who manages adult learning at Singapore's Republic Polytechnic.

``Being a technical professional is not as favorably viewed as being part of the management,'' Tan said.

Manufacturing Slows

The pace of growth in Singapore manufacturing output has slowed to 6 percent on average in the past decade from 10.6 percent from 1986 to 1995, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Services such as banking and tourism accounted for 69 percent of jobs last year.

Singapore is struggling to compete against its Asian neighbors for electronics contracts that still dominate the country's manufacturing, said Teng Ngiek Lian, who manages $1 billion as chief investment officer at Target Asset Management Pte. in Singapore.

In addition, an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003, which crippled tourism, helped focus the city- state on the need for alternatives, said Leslie Khoo, an economist at Forecast Singapore Pte.

``The government wants a balance,'' Khoo said. ``If you put all the eggs in a basket, there's a risk.''

Biomedical Sciences

The Economic Development Board, Singapore's investment planning agency, says it aims to double manufacturing output to $190 billion by 2018. It wants research and development in biomedical sciences, digital media and environment technology to account for 3 percent of the $118 billion economy by 2010, from 2.3 percent in 2004.

The $4.7 billion will be spent grooming Singaporeans for careers in research, luring overseas talent and companies, and upgrading electronics, precision engineering and chemicals industries.

``It's not just about putting gadgets together,'' said Ko Kheng Hwa, the board's managing director, who led the teacher tour in May. ``There's a wide range of job opportunities.''

Wendy Koh, a chemistry teacher at Anderson Junior College, said the trip showed her that manufacturing and research may provide a ``promising'' future for Singapore's kids.

Tony Lim isn't persuaded. At 20, the Singapore student has completed his mandatory two years of national service and now is applying to U.S. universities to study business.

`Dull and Old-Fashioned'

``Manufacturing doesn't appeal to me or many of my friends,'' Lim said. ``It's dull and old-fashioned. Banking, now that's where Singapore is heading, that's the future and where I want to be.''

Fujise Manabu, managing director in Singapore for Tokyo- based Mitsui Chemicals, has heard those sentiments before. He's having trouble attracting workers and fending off poachers from rival companies, he said.

Mitsui Chemicals competes against Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Exxon Mobil Corp. on the reclaimed swampland that forms Jurong island, the tour destination. The company employs 133 people at its plant, which produces phenol for use in resins, plastics and pharmaceuticals, Manabu said.

``Even if you are planning to start another plant, the concern is whether we can get the workers,'' he said. ``Younger people have more interest in services such as banking.''

Singapore's government traditionally has structured the education system to meet the island's needs, said Tan, from Republic Polytechnic. That helped create the perception that the career apex for engineers was to become a supervisor, she said.

Doctoral Graduates

Now, Singapore is looking for doctoral graduates, many of whom previously had sought research funding overseas.

``It is only in the last few years that Singapore has been aggressively recruiting and sending students overseas to build up its research talent,'' Tan said. ``Our own talent is just beginning to arrive home. It will take a while to build the critical mass.''

Shirley Ang is considering leaving a job in finance, making her a model citizen. After graduating in electrical engineering in Australia, she returned to Singapore and worked for four years overseeing the maintenance of subway trains, she said. Ten months ago, she switched to financial consulting.

``I thought of doing something more fun, glamorous, but now I'm thinking being an engineer isn't so bad,'' said Ang, 27. ``There's something about making sure everything runs smoothly.''