By Leong Sze Hian
I refer to the Department of Statistics’ (DOS) Monthly Digest of Statistics Singapore March 2012, released on 3 April 2013.
According to the report, Labour and Productivity – Employment Services – New Registrants was 39,383, 40,131 and 2,255 for 2011, 2012 and February 2013, respectively.
Placements were 14,323, 19,580 and 1,044, for the same periods, respectively.
Job placement rate now 49%?
This works out to a job placement rate of 36, 49 and 46 per cent, respectively.
Previous Job placement rate just over 10%?
However, according to previous Monthly Digest of Statistics, the ratio of Job Seekers Placed in Employment to Job Seekers Attended To was 14, 18 and 12%, for 2011, 2012 and December 2012, respectively.
More or less job seekers?
Job seekers dropped from 100,504 to 24,500?
According to recent media reports, “between January and November 2012, the number of people approaching the CDCs for training and employment assistance was 24,500, a 3 per cent drop compared to the same period in 2011.
The success rates of those being placed into employment has also been higher in 2012. 11,800 were placed into jobs between January and November 2012, compared to 10,100 for the same period in 2011″
However, according to the Department of Statistics’ (DOS) Monthly Digest of Statistics Singapore June 2012, job seekers attended to by the CDCs and e2i, was 99,608 and 100,504, in 2010 and 2011, respectively, and job seekers placed in employment was 17,732 and 14,223, respectively. (“Easier to get jobs?“, Sep 7 and “Latest statistical highlights: Job placement rate drops to 14%, Jul 17)
“Job seekers attended to” changed to “New Registrants”?
It would appear that the Monthly Digest of Statistics has now been changed to “New Registrants”, instead of ”job seekers attended to”. This change has resulted in a dramatic increase of the job placement rate from 14 and 18 per cent in 2011 and 2012, respectively, to 36 and 49 per cent.
What is the definition and difference between “New Registrants” and ”job seekers attended to”?
Was this change announced to anybody?
Job placement rate increase 172% (by magic)?
So, this change has literally “by the stroke of a pen” increased the job placement rate in 2011 and 2012 by 157 per cent (36 divided by 14) and 172 per cent (49 divided by 18), respectively.
So, how is it possible that 100,504 job seekers attended to by the CDCs and e2i in 2011, has dropped dramatically to only 24,500 job seekers approaching CDCs in 11 months (excluding e2i?)?
The latest statistics indicate that in the six months from June to November 2012, the number of job seekers attended to was 57,992. Thus, it may appear that the total for the full year of 2012 may end up to be even higher than 2011′s 100,504.
Declining job placement rate?
Similarly, the 11,800 were placed into jobs between January and November 2012, seems to be much lower than the 14,223 placed in employment for the full year of 2011.
Job placement rate improved from 14 to 48%?
If we take the CDCs’ statistics in media reports, the job placement rate (for 11 months) is 48 per cent, but if we take the DOS’s previous statistics, the placement rate for the 12 months in 2011 was only 14 per cent?
History of “magic” improvement in statistics?
I wonder how many times and how many statistics in the history of Singapore may have “magically” improved too, like that illustrated above?