Discussion Topic #3

In Singapore, do you think having a degree is essential to ensure oneself of a job with good prospects and promising future?

In Singapore, do you think having a degree is essential to ensure oneself of a job with good prospects and promising future?
In my opinion i think the degree will help us in having a good prospect as a degree is an elevation over a diploma . however on the contray a degree cannot secure you a promising future.

A degree holder will have higher the chances of getting the job over a diploma holder maybe in the first job when both students go out to work. the degree holder will get a higher starting pay, higher position etc compared to the diploma holder. and when it comes to promotion the degree holder will get promoted faster and will reach senoirty faster compared to a diploma holder.

however a degree cannot buy you a promising future in your working life if you do not have the X factor or have a lousy attitude. this is so after a period in the workforce people do not judge you by your degree or diploma, in my opinion they judge you by your attitude to your work or how useful have you and willl be to the company. your personality also will be reflected once you have started work. your boss would observe how you work how will handle your problems and your relation with your co-workers. all these factors will be taken into consideration about your future.

thus at the end of the day i belive a degree is a catalyst or a wlid card one should possess to have good prospects but one should also know that a degree cannot buy you a promising future.

Today, everyone is striving hard in all aspects regardless of Academic progression or Work performance to strive for better prospects and/or for a promising future. Hence, better prospects and promising future holds different meaning or definition for one and will vary from one to another.
Good Prospects and Promising future basically means to me being financially independent and stable as well as to have a good standing in the social ladder. This is so, as to be financially independent would mean the ability to power ourselves for more challenging tasks and to have a good standings in the social ladder would means much more possibility for entrepreneur success as the higher the standings in the social ladder, the more opportunity given for one to prove himself.
It is true that in Singapore, without paper qualification, one would find it difficult to obtain good jobs that offers reasonable pay for the high cost of living in Singapore. Basically, most companies would require at least a pass in the General Certification of Education – Normal Level/Ordinary Level (or sometimes Diploma/A level graduates) to be employed in the work force as a General Worker. Even as one is employed, one will not rise through the ranks of the company unless subjected to further education.
Those who do not satisfy the minimum required general certified level of education may find employment in privatize service industry such as the position of a Service Attendent in a restaurant, etc. However, they will not be able to easily find promotion opportunities like the General Workers, and even if able to do so, the extent of promotion will not provide one with good prospect and promising future.
Hence, to have no ample paper qualification would most probably mean a stagnated or even decreasing income or position in the society as an institution.
Conversely, we can see that on the extreme, there are people do not have ample paper qualification (such as a degree) but due to their strong “X factor” they are able to expand their career, working towards better prospects and promising opportunities. (A good example would be the success of Lim Boon Tong, founder of Genting Highlands Resorts)
Those equipped with ample paper qualification such as a Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree on the other hand have ease in finding work. They are easily absorbed to any organization or institution as they have the Knowledge and ability to perform to a certain expected result. They easily get pay rise as compared to those who do not have the qualifications.
However, it can be observed that most although do get promoted through the ranks of the company, their promotion will be stagnated likewise at a certain level. At this stage, the “cream of the crops” becomes dependent on but not limited to their performance and contribution in the company, their aptitude and their experience in the Industry.
Alternatively, it also can be observed that there are graduates who join in a company in the position for example as a “purchasing manager” and will also retire at the same rank as a “purchasing manager” meaning that there is no “improvement” in his/her career.
“Good Job Prospects and Promising Future” is not all about good education foundation. To enjoy these will not only depend on our qualification but as well as a combination of hardwork, personality, work effectiveness, experience and as well “Given opportunities”.
A Degree hence does not ENSURE one of good prospects and promising future as it is tangible from my above examples that there are people without qualification yet are able to enjoy job prospects and promising future in that they are able to achieve relatively great success based on what they have while, on the other hand, there are people whom have the qualification but are not able to utilize their “resources” to achieve higher gains.
In other words, one must not only possess a “Knife” but should also have the skills to sharpen the “Knife” and as well be able to use the “Knife” to perform a particular desired “Job”.
However, in Singapore context, this may not be applicable to a large extent due to its rigid governing law, statutes and importantly the employer’s or Singaporeans rigid mindset. Singapore’s “Law” is made such that the more educated ones have access to better Job prospects and promising future. Fewer opportunities are being opened to uneducated people or “half-educated people”. Employers or Singaporeans themselves are also constituted with the mindset with the above question that one should have a degree in order to perform well with a given duty.
Hence, in Singapore, it is still quite essential to possess a degree to “ensure oneself of a job with good prospects or promising future”.

In Singapore, do you think having a degree is essential to ensure oneself of a job with good prospects and promising future?

Yes, it will ensure oneself of a job with good prospects in general, but a promising future will have to depends on hardwork and relationship with teamates. It is true everywhere that the higher the education , the bigger the average salary (note that it is average). What is even more important is that when degree holders move up the corporate ladder, the gap is even bigger. Education is only education. It’s just acquiring the know-how, education does not make you rich. A good example is Sim Wong Hoo is a CEO in creative technology, he is a diploma holder and is a multi millionaire.

i think that having a degree will only aid you in having good prospects but definitely not a promising future in your job. It like a stepping stone in finding a job.

Having a degree will enable you to have higher chances of getting hired and having a higher pay than a diploma holder. Besides, some jobs require a minimum criteria and that usually points to having a degree. it doesnt matter what kind of degree you have, so long it is, you can apply for any job.

On the other hand, having a degree does not mean that you will have a promising factor, because when you are out there in the work force, it all boils down to one thing, your attitude. People always say its all about the attitude. Even if you have the highest qualifications, the bosses will look at your previous records. If you're often fired for your bad attitude, there's a high chance that you wont get your next job even with a high degree.

After all whats said, having a degree is just like having a driving license, without it, you cant drive to most places, with it, its up to you decide where your destination is.

I think that having a degree will definitely ensure oneself of a job with good prospects but will not ensure oneself with a promising future.
Compare with a person with diploma certificate, a degree holder will usually get more starting pay and company will choose the person with a degree to join their company rather then a person with diploma certificate. But to have a promising future it all depends on how to person perform when he/she get the job.

In Singapore, do you think having a degree is essential to ensure oneself of a job with good prospects and promising future?

I think that having a degree is essential to ensure oneself of a job with good prospects but it do not secure oneself of a promising future. In the society now, whenever you go for an interview, what the interviewer will look at is what education qualifications you have got. The pay that you are going to get also depends on the level of education or the experience that you have. Hence, if you are a degree holder, surely it will ensure you that you will have a job with good prospect. However, to have a promising future, it depends on the effort you put in and the performance that you show to your boss. If you do not put in effort or show lousy work performance, you may be sack anytime and there goes your promising future.

Administrator wrote:In Singapore, do you think having a degree is essential to ensure oneself of a job with good prospects and promising future?

I think that by having a degree cannot ensure oneself of a job with good prospects and a promising future, but it may aid oneself in finding a job. As more and more people in Singapore are degree holders, a job with good prospects is difficult to find, and the expectation for Singaporeans are too high. Therefore, for Singapore degree holders to find their dream job is difficult. Plus, Singapore government is promoting foreign talent hence a competition for degree holders. For a degree in an well diverse country like Singapore may not ensure a job with good prospect and promising future, but as I mention it may aid oneself in finding a decent job.

I don’t think that having a degree is essential to ensure oneself of a job with a promising future. However, having a degree definitely gives you better prospects compared to someone with a lower form of education like a diploma.

In Singapore nowadays, extra curricular activities and character development are being promoted as important parts of our education. Even though academics are important and they definitely promise you a better prospect in terms of starting pay and position, they cannot guarantee that you will definitely get a job.

When going for a job interview, the interviewer judges you first based on your resume but after which they judge you based on the way you carry yourself in an interview, your character and your quick thinking on the spot. Having a degree doesn’t mean that you would have a good character or that you would be able to think on your feet. It definitely doesn’t mean that you have a promising future.

A person without the correct attitude towards work and a poor character wouldn’t have a promising future even if he gets a masters degree. Because when you begin to work, it doesn’t matter how much studying you did in the past, but it boils down to your willingness to learn and your attitude towards work.

Having a good qualification, such as a degree, does not seem to suffice in this competitive society. This will merely help in landing one a job, whether it has good prospects or not, one cannot tell. Furthermore, it would definitely not ensure a promising future.

I believe that having a degree from a university, does "open doors" to more opportunities. The university programme teaches us how to learn, to learn how do research, analysis and investigations, as well as to learn how to resolve problems- critical thinking. It is the discipline acquired from graduating from a university, which gives a degree graduate a "head start." This would aid in a degree holder landing a job although this would not ensure that it would have good prospects.

In today's cut throat environment, we are not competing with our classmates only. Once we are out in the working environment, we are competing with the world. And, say, everyone gets a degree, what else would they look for but character, ability to think critically, attitude towards peers, and the keenness to work. Where then is the relevance of a degree? I think it is merely a stepping stone.

Most Diploma holders get a pay cap of around 4k. In order to increase that amount they need a degree because above that salary is usually management level and this means one has to pursue one's studies further.

Having said all that, a Degree is not what life is all about and more importantly it is not a factor that will ensure you a promising future. Just rephrasing what someone have said, a Degree is just like a Driving Licence. Without it, you can't drive in most scenarios. With it whether you drive or not is an asset.

In Singapore, it is still important to have a degree so as to maintain a good prospect, with a good prospect thus comes a good and promising future.

However, even if a person does not have a degree he/she will still be able to obtain a job but possibly of lower types.A degree holder is able to get a basic pay around 2~3k singapore dollars, however a person without one might not be able to get as high a basic pay when compared.

And adding on, with the government promoting foreign talent, it also reduces the opportunities whereby a person can obtain a job in Singapore.

I believe that having a degree is tantamount to securing a good job and having a successful future is a very traditional concept where people believe that higher qualifications we wouldn't have to worry about our future when we go out into the workplace. We have had this thinking introduced to us at a very young age by our parents.

In fact, having a degree does give us good prospect but to a certain extent but it definitely does not ensure a very promising future for us. Companies can only look at our qualifications during the interview stage thus even if person with high qualifications goes to an interview and does not present himself properly,chances are that he wont be employed.

In recent years, schools are starting to encourage students to participate in extra activities and workshops to improve skills that cannot be learnt in a school, those are life skills that are important to survival in the working environment.

One analogy to explain this would be "The Amazing Race" television show, where contestant even if they have a head start(Degree holders) they are not ensured of finishing first by the next leg of the race. For those that starts later(Diploma holders), what is important and influence what happens on the following of the race would be their every single decision and route they choose. We have the ability to make our own decisions and knowing how it will influence our future, we must be able to analyze before we decide what to do.

i felt that having a degree will have a better chance of finding a job compare to a diploma holder, however, it will not secure a job and will to have a promising future. my stand is that in singapore, there are lots of dregree holders and having degree is becoming common and nowadays, there are degree holders without jobs.

i felt that having good grades in school cant prove that they can apply those knowledge and skills in the future work force. to have a promising future, it was the opportunity given by your boss as well as the hardwork you put in.

i think that having a degree can ensure oneself to have a job but not necessarily a promising future.in an interview,campanies may prefer a degree holder compare to a diploma.but a degree holder getting the job does not means that he or she will definitely do well and have a great future.they may be good in studies and get a degree or even higher education,however,there are chances that they are not flexible enough to apply what they have learn theoretically to their job.also,good in studies does not means good in character too.in the work force,a good character is important.in order to have a promising future,relationship with people must be good and one must be creative and flexible.as long as a great opportunity arrive at the right time,actually degree dont really mean much.

In my opinion, i feel that having a degree will give holders an added advantage over those who don't. From young, we have been raised and taught that a degree will give us a good life in the future. However having a degree gives us good prospects but not a promising future. When employers interview a candidate, they look out for academic achievements and other aspects like work attitude. i believe that having a degree will only benefit us. It teaches us theory and practical work and bring our thinking to the next level.

In terms of pay, diploma holders can work and reach only to a certain position .e.g manager. However degree holders have the potential to reach the top. In terms of salary degree holders do not have pay caps unlike diploma holders.

To conclude, i feel it is essential to have a degree as it will make you more sought after.

I think, in Singapore, it is important to have certificates; the higher the better. So, having a degree plays a crucial role in finding a job with good prospect, however, it does not apply to a promising future.
A degree certificate allow you to have a higher chance of securing the job you want, greater chances of getting a promotion, and certainly, a fatter paycheck, as compared to diploma holders and O levels holders. However, having a degree does not promise you with a bright future. I believe, in reality when a fresh degree holder go out to look for a job, the second most important criteria for the bosses to look at will be experience. In addition, even if a degree holder is employed, the attitude of this worker is all that matters.
So, in short, i think that having a degree paper is an additional advantage to your resume but to have a promising future, it will have to depend on your attitude and hard work.