In 2016, Singapore saw the smallest annual increase in its employment statistics since 2003, according to the Ministry of Manpower. Moreover, only 80% of university graduates surveyed in 2016 from the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, and Singapore Management University, were able to find jobs within six months. In fact, those finishing from polytechnics had better outcomes, with 91% of fresh graduates and 95% of post-national service graduates employed within six months. This implies the non-intuitive outcome that there is less demand for individuals with more years of education.

These trends paint a discouraging picture of the future, a sentiment which can be seen among some youth in social media. This is also shown in a rough and perhaps even anecdotal survey by The Straits Times where nine out of 15 students interviewed in 2014 shared concerns they may not be able to own a car and a house in the future, what are seen by some as “basic goods” today.

…Jose Montesclaros is an Associate Research Fellow at the Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. This is part of a series on the World Agricultural Forum 2017 held on 6-7 July 2017 in Singapore, co-organised by the WAF and RSIS.