ENGINEERING | SECTOR ESSENTIALS
FIND GREAT GRADUATE JOBS IN SMALL ENGINEERING FIRMS Big job opportunities for graduates are not just limited to big engineering companies, so why not check out smaller employers as well?
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onsider this: nearly 99 per cent of all registered businesses in Singapore today are SMEs that employ 65 per cent of the workforce and contribute to approximately half of the national gross domestic product (GDP). By extension, this means that up to 70 per cent of engineering graduates will most likely end up launching their careers with smaller engineering firms. With so many graduates finding employment with small engineering businesses, it will be good to take a look at how applications to such companies differ from applying to bigger conglomerates. After all, big corporations are not the only organisations with impressive opportunities – SMEs can offer graduates very competitive prospects too!
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STEM Career Guide 2021
Training and salaries While most SMEs will not be able to provide internationally-approved training programmes, what they can promise is a lot of on-the-job training and involvement. You will likely be given a variety of responsibilities right off the bat that will help you pick up a range of skills, and as a result, you may find yourself developing just as fast – if not faster – than in an actual rotating graduate programme. Recognition for your work may even come faster than you expect! Unfortunately, salary-wise, SMEs may not be able to offer as much as a large company. However, the gap is not so big that it deters graduates from working with them, and most try to keep up with the market average, offering competitive remuneration through other nonmonetary benefits instead.
