The construction demand in Singapore is projected to grow by approximately S$124 Bn (US$92 Bn) in the next four years, yet fewer and fewer local professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) are taking up positions in the sector, according to the Ministry of National Development and Manpower. Speaking at a seminar on the built environment yesterday, Zaqy Mohamad, Minister of State for National Development and Manpower, said that many locals preferred jobs that offer better working environments and less manual work. At the same time, employers can easily find foreign workers at a lower cost.

The construction sector in Singapore accounts for about 12 percent of employment and four percent of GDP, and typically hires a much larger proportion of foreign than local workers. With multiple large infrastructure projects planned in the city-state within the next few years, the sector’s demand for both skilled and unskilled labor may be expected to continue increasing. Furthermore, the sector may provide slightly better employment stability than others: statistics from the Ministry of Manpower indicated that the construction sector had the lowest number of retrenchments in the first quarter of last year.

Despite the apparent mismatch between job-seekers and employers, Zaqy said that the sector still needs to be anchored by a skilled local workforce, especially in the core roles of engineering and project management. But fresh graduates are seldom attracted to it, and programs to help mid-career professionals change industry have seen a much lower takeup rate than in other sectors.

Some employers admitted that the industry’s perceived unattractiveness does have a basis in reality, and practices need to change. Kenneth Loo, chief operating officer of Straits Construction, said, “It is always perceived as being very demanding. We need to change our practices so that they are in line with what the labour market expects, in order to attract people.”

Later this year, according to the minister, the government will launch a skills framework for the sector that clearly charts the required skills and career progression for key job roles.