Easier for last year's NTU and NUS grads to clinch jobs and higher pay: Surveys

THEY have been chastised as being fussy and idealistic, but fresh graduates here could be having the last laugh.

According to the latest surveys, graduates now find it easier to land a job and earn higher starting salaries within months of graduation, with some attracting more than one job offer.

These findings came from separate surveys conducted by the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Both released their results yesterday.

About nine out of 10 graduates found a job within five months after graduation said both varsities, which surveyed graduates from last year's batch.

Fresh graduates from NTU earned about $2,500 a month, up from $2,290 in 2003, while those from NUS earned about $2,370 across all courses, compared to $2,324 in 2003.

Also, NUS graduates with professional degrees — such as architecture and law — took home an average of $2,658.

Graduates from both universities have also become more desirable to employers, both locally and abroad.

Forty-two graduates from NTU's 2004 cohort found a job overseas, up from 28 in 2003, while half of NUS' graduates had more than one job offer.

Both universities attributed the salary rise and higher employability to companies being more willing to hire on good economic growth last year.

For graduates, the private sector continues to be the key employer, with fewer graduates entering the civil service.

A cut in head count in ministries could have resulted in less graduates being employed, said Professor Lily Kong, NUS' vice-provost (education). — Ansley Ng

Source: TODAY Online