Mr Y.K. Tan, managing director of Kenyon Engineering, said he hired a fresh engineering graduate as a 'worker' last year. His responsibilities? To pull cables on site projects on a starting pay of $900 a month.I read with amusement especially the opinion stated by this YK Tan from Kenyon Engr. No doubt, in time of economic crisis, company not doing well would resort to cutting the starting pay of fresh grad. But hey, if you were to visit this kenyon website, they are actually boasting of increased revenue as well as profit?
But after five months of doing menial work and proving his worth, the employee has now been promoted to engineer.
His pay has also jumped to $2,100 a month.
As fresh graduates lack the working experience, Mr Tan said that it is best if they are trained at lower wages, and see if they are up to the job.
He received applications from some fresh graduates who are asking for $2,400 to $2,600 as monthly starting pay.
'These go straight into the wastepaper basket,' he said, as it is not realistic.
He pointed out that since the Asian financial crisis in 1998, pay packets are 30 per cent lower now - following the constricting job market for graduates.
Originally posted by rudyiskandar:I read with amusement especially the opinion stated by this YK Tan from Kenyon Engr. No doubt, in time of economic crisis, company not doing well would resort to cutting the starting pay of fresh grad. But hey, if you were to visit this kenyon website, they are actually boasting of increased revenue as well as profit?
What does this shows? Unscrupulous bosses/companies that tries to take advantage of this crisis and get some cheap labour.
Originally posted by dumbdumb!:hah... itp also the same. they pay u like $500, and ask u do the same job as a fully paid adult. but hey... life is like that la huh... my uncle tell me not to set my expectation too high. said we becoming spoilt.![]()
One's worth cannot be determined by looking at a piece of paper certificate.Originally posted by Parka:Spoilt? At least must pay us what is deserved.

Word of Advise and Caution.Originally posted by Venus:Mr & Mrs XXX from The XXXXX Shop Pte Ltd oso e same!
When they reprimand their staffs, they would scold their father, mother, grandmother, etc...Doing OT for them oso no OT pay!
give u a month's salary, but treat u like a Mariah!
and in their shop, the burners they sell r from china(it is stated on the burner) but they claim tat they r from European countries!
Some products had been place over the expiry date but they still sell it to us! its disgusting!
the price in the shop is priced anyhow... not to the market rate!
they like they increase the price! not onli the staff complains them!
even the customers oso complains about The Scent Shop management!![]()
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If i'm not wrong a doctor's internship is part of the cycle they face upon successful graduation. This is expected of them as part the bond rather than bucketloads of shit they have to face at a meagre allowance.Originally posted by Atobe:"Pulling wire or cables" is similar to a "fresh" Doctor serving an internship, learning the "ropes" of his trade, and such internship can last over a year or two.
I am not so sure if I understand your term "bond" correctly, but what if the student doctor is not sponsored by any scholarship, will there be such a bond required ?Originally posted by BillyBong:If i'm not wrong a doctor's internship is part of the cycle they face upon successful graduation. This is expected of them as part the bond rather than bucketloads of shit they have to face at a meagre allowance.
The grads are fully aware of this aspect in doctoring and accept it as well. After all, if they change their minds they can always break their bond.
The pay package is dependent on whether the Company would actually provide you a period of training, or if they expect the new employee to learn while on the job.Originally posted by BillyBong:While i dun entirely agree that an engineer grad shd literally state his pay demands on his job application, i dun expect him to be treated like cheap labour or another IA student. A monthly income of S$900 would (IMO) surely be way too low for a student who was handpicked and interviewed numerous times to get the job mentioned. Even a IA student at exxonmobil gets S$1100..
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It is not to sound defensive on behalf of employers, but having seen some high turnover of staff in different industries, and at different levels of organisation, one can appreciate the frustrations of employing workers who move on in a short period of less then a year, just to fill in time - until a more suitable job is found.Originally posted by BillyBong:It's not abt the name of the company. That shd be well safeguarded during the multiple interviews the grad probably had to go thru b4 landing the S$900 job. After all they must have surely picked the finest grad from the "elite" number just lining up for the job. That effectively ensures their money is well spent on their latest investment.
I am not so sure if I understand your term "bond" correctly, but what if the student doctor is not sponsored by any scholarship, will there be such a bond required ?Originally posted by BillyBong:If i'm not wrong a doctor's internship is part of the cycle they face upon successful graduation. This is expected of them as part the bond rather than bucketloads of shit they have to face at a meagre allowance.
The grads are fully aware of this aspect in doctoring and accept it as well. After all, if they change their minds they can always break their bond.
The pay package is dependent on whether the Company would actually provide you a period of training, or if they expect the new employee to learn while on the job.Originally posted by BillyBong:While i dun entirely agree that an engineer grad shd literally state his pay demands on his job application, i dun expect him to be treated like cheap labour or another IA student. A monthly income of S$900 would (IMO) surely be way too low for a student who was handpicked and interviewed numerous times to get the job mentioned. Even a IA student at exxonmobil gets S$1100..
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It is not to sound defensive on behalf of employers, but having seen some high turnover of staff in different industries, and at different levels of organisation, one can appreciate the frustrations of employing workers who move on in a short period of less then a year, just to fill in time - until a more suitable job is found.Originally posted by BillyBong:It's not abt the name of the company. That shd be well safeguarded during the multiple interviews the grad probably had to go thru b4 landing the S$900 job. After all they must have surely picked the finest grad from the "elite" number just lining up for the job. That effectively ensures their money is well spent on their latest investment.
I am not so sure if I understand your term "bond" correctly, but what if the student doctor is not sponsored by any scholarship, will there be such a bond required ?its called 'housemanship' and entry into the medical faculty IS by itself a BOND...
Is the "internship" before or after graduation as a doctor ?
Unfortunately, unlike the profession of doctors, lawyers, and architects, there is no requirement of serving a period of internship after getting the first certified qualification as an Engineer.don't anyhow say lah! lawyers have to go through a pupilage and pass their bar exam... they can't practice straight after graduation u know! and architects take 6 years to complete their course! part of which, if i'm not wrong, is an industrial attachment.
The pay package is dependent on whether the Company would actually provide you a period of training, or if they expect the new employee to learn while on the job.well u get all sorts of exceptions too lah... there are many scumbag companies nowadays who won't increase the pay after probation...
In both instances, some Companies will believe that the training given will be value added to the new employee's basic knowledge and should carry a monetary value taken from a reduced pay package during the probation period.
This is quite normal, as there are some new employees who are known to quit mid-way through the training.
However, I would not compare the salary of a multi-national company such as Exxon-Mobil to that of some local companies.don't generalise... the petroleum industry is oligopolistic, not monopolistic... besides, petro-chem professionals have always commanded a very lucrative payscale because of the knowledge and experience required, the unpleasant work enviornment and the hazards involved.
Exxon-Mobil is in a trade that is almost monopolistic, and revenue is generated no matter the economic condition of the world.
It is not to sound defensive on behalf of employers, but having seen some high turnover of staff in different industries, and at different levels of organisation, one can appreciate the frustrations of employing workers who move on in a short period of less then a year, just to fill in time - until a more suitable job is found.welcome to the new economy. look... if the employer is entitled to chop his staff when his bottom-line is affected, why isn't a staff entitled to chop his employer if his bottom line is similarly affected?
It is sometimes very difficult to judge a person's character from first observation of the person's appearance and mannerism.sadly, thats usually how its done
An employer is hardly a specialist in psycho-analytical field, and in a harsh economic environment, his first consideration is to the continued survivability of his enterprise.
Yes this is true.Originally posted by Atobe:Are you saying that for an undergraduate on entering the Medical Faculty, there will be an automatic “Bond” - as if though a scholarship has been awarded?
This law to some extent has been updated. As to wat are the specifics now i cannot say. The last company i worked with only offered 10 days annual leave for the first year followed by 1 additional day after every 2 years employment to a maximum of 14 days (The company concerned cannot be named for obvious reasons)Another point of misconception is that all workers are entitled to Fourteen Days annual leave, and Twenty-One Days upon completion of ten year service. There is no such labor law in Singapore, which only confirm that an employee is entitled to seven working days of leave annually, with full pay.
My apologies, CX, if I showed myself to be "nit picking" in my comments; as I wanted to be quite specific in understanding the problem and respond to the few issues that seemed to be mixed and cross-related; and at the same time to clear up some misconcieved notions about the employment "expectations".Originally posted by CX:Atobe,
i find that u're just nit-picking... well, everyone is entitled to their own opinions of course, but i wonder how YOU would like it if u're not offered a job commensurate with your qualifications.
what i'm essentially against is not the fact that graduates should start at the bottom (in fact, i think its only right) but that some employers are being plain arseholes in this respect.
its not about form, but intent. and this looks to me like a case of rather spastic intent.
Thanks for your clearing up the situation, but just to confirm my understanding is correctly placed.Originally posted by BillyBong:~ its called 'housemanship' and entry into the medical faculty IS by itself a BOND... ~
Actually to clarify, housemanship = hands-on b4 graduation