2024年4月3日，新加坡教育部兼人力部政务部长颜晓芳，回答官委议员徐锦莉有关大学毕业生就业率与起薪差异的问题。
颜晓芳
教育部兼人力部政务部长
玛丽蒙选区议员
徐锦莉
官委议员
以下内容为新加坡眼根据国会英文资料翻译整理：
徐锦莉议员问教育部长：在2023年联合自治大学毕业生就业调查的背景下，教育部是否计划
（i）探讨为什么艺术、设计和媒体专业的毕业生比其他大学毕业生就业率和薪资较低，而健康科学毕业生的薪资表现也较差的原因，
（ii）与这些专业的毕业生交流，了解如何改善他们的就业结果，
（iii）与相关部门和利益相关方合作，采取措施缩小就业和薪资差距。
教育部政务部长 颜晓芳女士（代表教育部长答复）：主席先生，新加坡南洋理工大学的艺术、设计和媒体学院（School of Art, Design and Media，以下简称为ADM学院）毕业生多年来的就业率和工资都在稳步增长。在过去的十年中，ADM毕业生的平均就业率约为88%，起薪每年增加约3.4%。该领域新毕业生的就业率和薪资水平通常低于加入其他领域如工程、建环境和商业的同龄人。这反映了各行业的经济需求和劳动力市场条件。ADM领域的工作性质和商业结构也意味着与其他领域相比，自由职业者和自雇人士（SEP）的比例更高。
在《新加坡艺术拓展蓝图 2023-2027》（Our SG Arts Plan 2023-2027）下，国家艺术理事会（National Arts Council, NAC）正在积极采取措施提高艺术领域的能力和卓越性，并支持自由职业者和自雇人士的培训和发展。资讯、通讯及媒体发展管理局（Infocomm Media Development Authority, IMDA）和新加坡设计理事会（DesignSingapore Council，简称Dsg）也在与大学和关键行业合作伙伴紧密合作，为我们的毕业生提供良好的教育和相关的、需求量大的技能，以便他们在职场中取得成功。Dsg还通过设计教育咨询委员会（Design Education Advisory Committee）促进大学与公司的合作，增强学生的行业曝光和实习机会。
至于健康科学毕业生，尽管过去十年中薪资中位数的增长低于其他大学毕业生，但2023年增长了6%，高于大学毕业生的平均增长水平。卫生部（Ministry of Health, MOH）继续与医疗集团合作，定期审查医护人员的起薪和薪酬包，以确保薪酬具有竞争力。MOH还在过去十年中为社区护理部门提供资金支持，以提升薪资，最近还发布了该部门的薪资指导方针。
为了支持所有学生和毕业生进入职场，我们的大学组织职业展会，并有职业教练提供指导和讲座。毕业生如果需要求职支持，还可以联系劳动力发展局（Workforce Singapore, WSG）的经营职业联系站（Careers Connect）或全国职工总会（NTUC）的职总就业与职能培训中心（e2i）。同时，我们鼓励学生在追求自己的兴趣并决定大学专业时，考虑到职业发展、薪资和成长机会等长期因素。
主席先生：徐锦莉议员。
徐锦莉议员：感谢政务部长。我有两个补充问题。第一个问题是关于艺术和设计的。我明白如果我们将艺术和设计视为一个垂直技能，那么在机会方面是相对有限的。但我想跟进我之前预算发言中提到的一些内容。考虑到旅游、娱乐等各行业的增长，在新加坡，这些领域的增长潜力和经济机会更大，请问将采取什么步骤将这些创意艺术专业人士与这些增长行业整合起来？这是第一个问题。
第二个问题是关于健康科学的。我也明白健康SG（Healthier SG）是一个很大的推动力。请问学校如何在机会中进行探索，以便将这些毕业生与即将到来的机会连接起来？
颜晓芳女士：我完全同意这两个观点。对于艺术和设计毕业生，仅供议员参考，他们并不只去从事艺术和设计工作。根据我们收集的数据，许多人实际上进入了公共关系、产品设计、广告、销售、营销、平面设计、旅游等领域。所以，确实在我们的教育中，我们希望为学生提供广泛的基础技能和垂直技能，以便他们在毕业时有更多的机会和职业选择。
对于健康科学，没错，健康SG（Healthier SG）是一个令人兴奋的发展。教育部将与卫生部密切合作，确保课程和技能框架得到更新，以便我们的学生在毕业时有最大的机会。
以下是英文质询内容：
Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Education in light of the 2023 Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey, whether the Ministry plans to (i) discover why, when compared with their university peers, the arts, design and media graduates have poorer employment and salary outcomes and the health sciences graduates have poorer salary outcomes (ii) engage graduates of such courses on how to improve their employment outcomes and (iii) engage the relevant sector agencies and stakeholders to take steps to narrow the employment and salary outcome gap.
The Minister of State for Education (Ms Gan Siow Huang) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, arts, design and media (ADM) graduates have seen stable employment outcomes and wage increases over the years. In the last 10 years, the average employment rate for ADM graduates was around 88% and the starting salary increased about 3.4% every year. The employment rate and salary level for fresh graduates in this sector are typically lower compared to their peers who join other sectors, such as engineering, built environment and business.
This is reflective of the economic demand and the labour market conditions of each sector. The nature of work and business structures in the ADM sector also mean that there is a higher proportion of freelancers and self-employed persons (SEPs) compared to other sectors.
Under Our SG Arts Plan (2023-2027), the National Arts Council (NAC) is taking active steps to grow capabilities and excellence in the arts sector and support the training and development of SEPs. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) have also been working closely with the universities and key industry partners to provide our graduates with a good education and relevant, in-demand skill sets to take on good jobs and thrive in the workplace. Dsg also facilitates partnerships between universities and companies, such as through the Design Education Advisory Committee, to enhance industry exposure and internship opportunities for our students.
As for health sciences graduates, while the growth in median salaries over the past ten years has been lower than the other graduates from the universities, it increased by 6% in 2023, which was higher than the average increase for university graduates in general. The Ministry of Health (MOH) continues to work with healthcare clusters to review the starting salary and salary package of healthcare workers on a regular basis, to ensure that the salaries remain competitive. MOH also provided funding support to the community care sector over the last 10 years to uplift salaries and most recently, put out salary guidelines for the sector.
To support all students and graduates as they enter the workforce, our universities organise career fairs and have career coaches to provide mentoring and workshops. Graduates can also approach Workforce Singapore's Careers Connect or NTUC's e2i career centres, if they require support in their job search. At the same time, we encourage our students to consider longer-term factors, such as career progression, salary and growth opportunities in the sector, as they pursue their passion and decide on the course of study in the universities.
Mr Speaker: Ms See.
Ms See Jinli Jean (Nominated Member): I thank the Minister of State. I have two supplementary questions. The first is relating to arts and design. I do understand that if we look at arts and design as a vertical skill, then in terms of opportunities, it is quite confined. But I just would like to follow up on some of the mentions in my previous Budget speech. Looking at the growth of various sectors, such as tourism, entertainment and so forth; in Singapore, where, in terms of growth potential and economic opportunities are much more, what would be the steps taken to integrate these creative arts professionals in these fields, with these growth industries? So, that is one.
