Ex-SAF Regulars: Post 2nd Career Prospect after Contract End
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SAF career centre helps outgoing regulars ease into new civilian roles
Eight in 10 servicemen retiring from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) take only six months on average to land a new job.
This is according to the Defence Ministry (Mindef), which released the statistics for the first time and has a career transition centre to help outgoing employees.
Every year, about 100 to 200 regulars - in their mid- to late 40s - retire from the SAF. Among them, six in 10 get help from Mindef's Career Transition Resource Centre (CTRC).
BACKGROUND STORY
SIMILAR GOAL
'It's still about having to appeal to people's logic and hearts to convince them to get the job done.'
Former military aircraft engineer Gopakumar Nair, who now works for A*Star, on the similarity between a military job and a civilian one
BACKGROUND STORY
NEED TO ADAPT
'You cannot be pulling rank here and ordering people around. You have to be independent, learn to do everything yourself and work as a team.'
Former army logistics executive Jaya Sanger, who now works for Singapore Customs
BACKGROUND STORY
Venturing out of the comfort zone
FORMER military aircraft engineer Gopakumar Nair did not jump at the first job offers from a defence-related company, aviation firm or security industry.
While admitting that they would have been a 'natural fit' given his experience of nearly 30 years in the Republic of Singapore Air Force, he noted that taking up any of these offers would mean 'moving into my comfort zone which I did not want'.
'I wanted to explore new horizons and do more to make a difference,' said Lieutenant-Colonel (NS) Nair, 47, who retired in June last year.
After attending a series of talks and one-on-one career coaching sessions provided by the Defence Ministry's Career Transition Resource Centre, the father of two teenage girls was keen to move into the logistics or services industry.
He mulled over doing corporate development at the Institute of Mental Health before settling for a job in the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) to set up its service excellence and planning department from scratch.
As deputy director since last year, he has to come up with programmes to better synergise logistics and administrative functions among the research institutes in A*Star.
He said his relevant military experience, such as his involvement in planning the logistics needs of the humanitarian and disaster relief effort in tsunami-hit Meulaboh, Indonesia, back in 2004.
'We had to pull everything together at very short notice, and at the same time, manage chaos and uncertainty,' he said.
While the civilian job has thrown up new challenges, he noted that one thing remained constant.
'It's still about having to appeal to people's logic and hearts to convince them to get the job done.'
JERMYN CHOW
BACKGROUND STORY
Going back to school helps him snag new job
JAYA Sanger knew he had to have a battle plan in order to get a job when he retired from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) last year.
The former army logistics executive assessed that he had to upgrade his skills or end up jobless when he left the SAF after 34 years of service.
He had heard stories about his seniors who found it difficult to adapt to new civilian jobs, with some leaving to become taxi drivers or worse, remaining unemployed.
'It was up to me to upgrade and help myself. I was still young and could do it,' said the 50-year-old, who retired as a master-sergeant.
With the Career Transition Resource Centre's (CRTC) sponsorship, the father of three, who has an O-level certificate, took up a diploma course in logistics at the Singapore Institute of Commerce, with an eye on snagging a logistics-related job.
The CRTC also picked up the tab for his computer courses and vetted his resume before he sent it to about 15 logistics firms and warehouses.
The Singapore Customs hired him, though he had to take a 20 per cent pay cut. 'I cannot expect everything to be the same... At least I was hired,' said Master Sgt (NS) Jaya, who is now a deputy team leader of an investigation team based at the Woodlands Checkpoint.
Even though he is leading a team of three, he notes that it cannot be business as usual.
'You cannot be pulling rank here and ordering people around. You have to be independent, learn to do everything yourself and work as a team.'
In the army, he never had to work on the computer, much less produce PowerPoint slides for presentations. 'In the army, you used to be able to just delegate and get the younger, more tech-savvy subordinates to carry out the tasks,' said Master Sgt (NS) Jaya, who once had 28 regulars and full-time NSmen under him.
Fast-forward to today and he can now single-handedly come up with PowerPoint slides.
JERMYN CHOW
Set up in 2009, the centre vets resumes, organises networking sessions and career workshops and offers one-on-one career counselling, among other services.
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"Every year, about 100 to 200 regulars - in their mid- to late 40s - retire from the SAF."
Zhun bo~~
Lai lai~ where is ah mart???
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neber say the other 2 how...........................................
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I think maybe find work as taxi drivers or insurance agents is it....><"
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Originally posted by FireIce:
neber say the other 2 how...........................................
Maybe cannot find any other jobs.
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http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20111227-318436.html
I need the help of ex-regulars to verify the above claim.
Not trying to be funny but the experience that they have gained in the force faced some difficulties to relevant job experience.
So, unless they are holding high position where they already have cushy job reserved for them at Ah Kong company, the rest of the guys have to joined defence-related company.
Only a few of them can successfully cross over to unrelated industry.
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What kind of a fuck report is that? lol. Laughable. No stats on the salary variance after ROD, industry, job positions before and after etc. Just a stupid report to say that regulars can find a 2nd life after their 1st career. Sounds more like subtle recruitment propaganda.
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Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20111227-318436.html
I need the help of ex-regulars to verify the above claim.
Not trying to be funny but the experience that they have gained in the force faced some difficulties to relevant job experience.
So, unless they are holding high position where they already have cushy job reserved for them at Ah Kong company, the rest of the guys have to joined defence-related company.
Only a few of them can successfully cross over to unrelated industry.
I am also interested to get ex regulars to verify.
Those Colonels and above should be able to get into stat boards or GLCs.
As for the warrant officers and below, they might have a tough time even for so called related industries like security companies.
Some options as mentioned could be cab driving, insurance, property agent, condo security or management (also needs certification I believe).
Any others?
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Originally posted by Rock^Star:
What kind of a fuck report is that? lol. Laughable. No stats on the salary variance after ROD, industry, job positions before and after etc. Just a stupid report to say that regulars can find a 2nd life after their 1st career. Sounds more like subtle recruitment propaganda.
For rank and file, I think likely they will have to take a pay cut when they join private sector.
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Originally posted by charlize:
I am also interested to get ex regulars to verify.
Those Colonels and above should be able to get into stat boards or GLCs.
As for the warrant officers and below, they might have a tough time even for so called related industries like security companies.
Some options as mentioned could be cab driving, insurance, property agent, condo security or management (also needs certification I believe).
Any others?
true true.... -
Originally posted by dangerboi: true true....
You ex regular?
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Just dun believe what the press write all the time.
A "find a job within 6 months" article can evolved into "ex-regulars are in demand".
They should be writing fiction tales instead of news.
Or they should enrolled themselves as script writers for the Emmy Award Nominated "The Noose" to provide their explosion in creative literature.
It is a real fact that the cooperate world offers great challenges in terms of work life for the ex-regulars where most of situation requires them to think out of SOP and template that they adhered strictly.
One of the croonies is still stuck with his SOP and template days when a recent crisis happened.
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I think the best case scenario for these regulars is to save as much money as they can during service and then come out to do some small business with their savings when they retire.
Seriously, private sector might not recognise whatever job scope or responsibilities they had in uniform.
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Hmm ex- regular.....
If you people are interested in other job like IT etc than we hace various opening
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Can you satisfy the following criteria:
- More than the last drawn salary ?
- Own parking lot ?
- Lunch and tea break ?
- Every thing covered by template and SOP ?
- Proper training with certificate ?
- No overtime or weekend duty ?
- My boss must not be any privates or corporal in NS !
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Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
Can you satisfy the following criteria:
- More than the last drawn salary ?
- Own parking lot ?
- Lunch and tea break ?
- Every thing covered by template and SOP ?
- Proper training with certificate ?
- No overtime or weekend duty ?
- My boss must not be any privates or corporal in NS !
On your last point, i just wonder how awkward some situations might be like your former pte or cpl is now your boss outside in the real world.
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why they no interview those who cant get any jobs?
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Originally posted by FireIce:
why they no interview those who cant get any jobs?
You say?
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Singapore is very small.
The person that interviewed you or your immediate boss may be one of the trainees that you have takan before.
The noose addressed all the queries excellently.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlIkWdQFelY&feature=related
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Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
Singapore is very small.
The person that interviewed you or your immediate boss may be one of the trainees that you have takan before.
The noose addressed all the queries excellently.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlIkWdQFelY&feature=related
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Do you all read the report correctly! That is 8 out of 10 people who have found a job after 6 months of job search! The other two still cannot find a job after 6 months. It is negative news!
I will sure hire my ex-boss, and I will give him 10x the nice treatment that he had given me in the past. I remember.
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Originally posted by Lokey:
Do you all read the report correctly! That is 8 out of 10 people who have found a job after 6 months of job search! The other two still cannot find a job after 6 months. It is negative news!
I will sure hire my ex-boss, and I will give him 10x the nice treatment that he had given me in the past. I remember.
Maybe the other 2 want to stay at home and do nothing?
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Originally posted by charlize:
Maybe the other 2 want to stay at home and do nothing?
or end up in prison.normally folks get a job in 3 mths....not 6 mths!might as well say 6 years then find a job! -
Originally posted by Hitman Factory 1:
or end up in prison.normally folks get a job in 3 mths....not 6 mths!might as well say 6 years then find a job!I believe if they saved up during their time in service, they can actually survive for 6 years without a job.
But have to live frugally lah.