SINGAPORE - About 5,870 jobs in the professional services industry have been available to job seekers since April, with four in five roles for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).

There have also been about 2,070 company-hosted traineeships and attachments and 1,080 training places on offer in the industry, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo on Thursday (Oct 1) in her weekly jobs situation report.

The key sub-sectors in professional services offering these roles are those in the fields of consultancy, advertising and marketing, design, accountancy, architecture and engineering.

UNEVEN IMPACT OF COVID-19

Mrs Teo noted on Thursday that the impact of Covid-19 on the professional services industry has been uneven.

In architecture and engineering, activity levels "fell sharply", as most construction works were put on hold during the circuit breaker period. For example, process construction and maintenance firms reduced operations to about 60 to 70 per cent of normal levels.

And among law firms, about 70 per cent reported a decrease in work, according to a Law Society of Singapore survey.

However, accountancy has been less affected, as auditing, accounting and taxation services are still required. Consultancy, design as well as advertising and marketing services with digital expertise are also in demand, due to the accelerated pace of digitalisation brought about from Covid-19, said Mrs Teo.

Specifically in consultancy, there has been increased demand for technology and cyber-security expertise, she added.

"Employers hiring tech consultants to meet this demand tend to value skills in emerging areas such as cloud technology, cyber security and artificial intelligence," she said.

Non-specialised roles such as management and business consultants usually require less than five years of work experience, with monthly salaries typically between $3,500 and $8,500.

Mrs Teo urged employers to hire mid-career individuals who have the right work attitude, even if their skill sets may not be a "perfect match".

She added that companies can bridge the gaps in potential matches using career conversion programmes such as Workforce Singapore's Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) for Consultants.

HIGH DEMAND FOR ADVERTISING, MARKETING ROLES

Meanwhile, the advertising and marketing sub-sector is seeing high demand for roles such as content strategists, community managers and commercial and marketing sales executives.

Monthly salaries for advertising and marketing professionals range from $4,750 to $9,500, while for commercial and marketing sales executives, this ranges from $2,250 to $4,500.

In the design services sub-sector, roles in user experience and user interface design are gaining prominence.

For graphic and multimedia designers and artists, monthly salaries typically range from $6,750 to $9,250, while interior designers and decorators typically have wages between $2,900 and $4,600.

Lastly, the accountancy and engineering sub-sectors tend to be more selective, as roles in these industries require more in-depth skills, said Mrs Teo.

However, there are company-hosted traineeships and attachments that allow job seekers to gain exposure and pick up relevant skills, she added.

The monthly salary range for accountants is typically from $3,150 to $7,450, depending on their experience.

Mechanical engineers may earn between $4,000 and $6,000 each month, while civil engineers typically earn between $3,750 and $5,500.