Non-graduate civil servants can expect faster career progression: Public Service Division

Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates don graduate gowns for the first time as they celebrated at their graduation ceremony held at the National University of Singapore’s University Cultural Centre hall. -- PHOTO: ST FILE
Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates don graduate gowns for the first time as they celebrated at their graduation ceremony held at the National University of Singapore’s University Cultural Centre hall. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

Non-graduates in the Civil Service who perform well and are ready to take on larger responsibilities can expect to progress faster in their careers, based on their performance, the Public Service Division(PSD) said on Tuesday.

Now, most non-graduates join the Public Service under the Management Support Scheme while graduates join under the Management Executive Scheme.

From October 2014, management support officers can receive their first promotion in two to four years compared to the current three to six years.

If they continue to do well, their subsequent promotions will also be faster.

The PSD is also studying merging both graduate and non-graduate schemes to give its officers the opportunity to progress on the same career track.

Its announcement comes amid national efforts to improve the career prospects of Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and polytechnic graduates and follows the release of the Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review (Aspire) committee's report on Monday.

It also follows Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's pledge in his National Day Rally that the Public Service would do more to support the aspirations of non-graduates.

The PSD also highlighted agencies that already have single-track schemes for graduates and non-graduates, including the People's Association, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore and the Home Team.

The Public Utilities Board, Singapore's national water agency, is also developing a single engineering career path, where diploma holders and ITE graduates can work their way up the ranks, to take on wider engineering or managerial responsibilities.

Mr James Wong, the deputy secretary of policy in the PSD, said: "While fresh graduate and non-graduate officers are appointed at different starting salaries, it is their job performance and relevant skills that determine their career progression. As long as an officer does his work well and shows the potential to take on larger responsibilities, he will move up the ranks whether or not he is a graduate."

He added that "graduates and non-graduates can now progress at similar rates, based on their level of performance and potential".

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.