A case of paradox

Structural economy changes has swept Singapore. From a traditionally strong manufacturing and perhaps textile industry, we have slowly morph into one which is strong in bio-medical sciences and other higher end technology. However it means some workers has to be displaced in order to fulfill the majority.

"Lactura paucourm serva multos", meaning sacrifice a few for the sake of the others, was clearly adhered here. Education need alot of time and patience. Re-skilling our workers definitely need some time changing. The problem is, does our society allow for this to take place? Time and tide wait for no man, especially in a society in Singapore, a little fish constantly moving around in order to survive, such time can be a bane and a huge cost. However if we don't allocate this time for our workers, workers being the fuel for our economy engine, will instead, hinder the engine. Such is the delimma of changing the economy.

Recently, news makers start to talk about how we can retrain the old folks, raising retirement age or even be more protectionist by reserving some jobs for the old folks. Again, this time paradox came into place. I realise alot of people miss out the larger picture. The small picture is, when you start applying the protectionist idea of reserving jobs for old folks, you are not letting the market function by the invisible hand( read: Adam Smith). Market or economy could just be unstable and it won't show the true side to the demand and supply of workers for that kind of jobs catered, or should i say, protected. Wages too is affected. Health insurance, a huge cost, would also be incurred as the mortality charges of old people are higher. When company do that , they would need to find alternative way to make up for that incurred expenses and consumers durable prices may just increase.

However to me is, do Singapore really can allocate time for retraining, for patiences and for seeing results. Hardware wise, the government is doing a good job, setting up WDA in CDCs to help workers so that they can help themselves to retrain themselves. But as we grow older for which our level of comprehension slows, time taken to really learned is definitely longer than the youg workers.

Similarly in the old folks context, structural economy bring about changes. To retrain and re learn. One need time, the older, the more. But as i mentioned earlier that Singapore is a small fish which time must be grabbed fast, can we just slow down our pace for the changes to take place?

Recently one of my ex- colleague received his O level result. His score is dissapointing, to his own standard. But can he be blamed? Self personal time is making way for company expansion, for hitting deadline. Try telling to your boss that your own personal re-learning is crucial to Singapore' total growth and he will tell you one cow less doesn't make any changes to New Zealand milk production.

Even if this colleague of mine take up the daring path and quit his job in order to concentrate fully on studies for which he will get good result, can the society promised him with a job upon graduation or a pay that is on par to his educational level? I afraid at this present stituation, it is hard to satisfy.

Upgrade has been the word for us after HDB flats. But i would like to mention, this doesn't work if we ourselves are willing but our superiors doesn't believe in that. I rather milk dry this worker rather than him after getting higher education, leave the company or ask for higher pay.

If our workers do not re train to have the skills needed for the new economy, ultimately, our economy is the one which is going to suffer as human is the fuel for the growth. We need a core group make up of Singaporean in order to continue the running of our engines. Do you use lubricant to run your engine totally? No! Foreign talent are just like lubricants, they make it smoother only.

Singapore, beside encouraging its people to train, also need to see whether it really support wholeheartedly, and i mean, by slowing down the pace, giving time. But at that stituation, can we still catch up and survive?