I ORD on 1/1/07 after a 6yrs bond with the SAF as a infantry
Leader or as a NCO. Join Army because of the JPSDS (join poly
scheme) program to finance my studies.
After my 'O' levels which was about 10yrs ago, I got a job in the
factory as a machine operator earning 1.5k from 3-11pm. Few months
after leaving the Army (had some savings) , I started looking for
some jobs as sales co-ordinator and other sales post but was only
offered $1.5k due to the lack of experience. A company I went to
from the refer of a job agent said that the job market value from
the job agent is only $1.5k-$1.6k for fresh ploy grads where I was
asking for 1.8k (I didn't show them my education background). It is
sad as in the factory job I had which need no experience or
education can land me on a $1.5k where now after 10 years a job
with my diploma land me on a 1.5k also. I thought that only a sales
job can land me back to where my pay was at but the so call market
rate made me very disappointed.
A friend of mine who left the RSAF 10years ago had a job of a tech
for $1.5 with his poly dip and now another friend of mine also a
dip holder just got a job also as a tech for 1.8k. To me its like
our average chicken rice have rised from $2 to $3 for the pass
10yrs and the starting pay have not increased 33% but lower.
It sad to me that after having a last drawn pay of almost close to
3k that I was push down to getting 1.5k by the employer. Some may
say that who ask me to sign on in the first place, but there is
little choice at that time for me in order to make ends meet. Some
guys was laughing at me when I said I was offered 1.5k as a diploma
student, they said that they have yet to hear 1.5k for such a long
time.
If you guys have notice that I had only gone through a 6 yrs
contract and not a 10yrs PP plan. Some friends had advised me to go
through for another 4yrs with it at the end i will get a bigger sum
of money. My greatest fear came true as in last year, many at age
30+ and 40+ warrants were given golden hand shakes. Although they
did get a sum of compansion but how long are they going to surive
with all their commitments and pay cut if they work outside.
Moreover if I do not get the PP2 which is the fear of most young
regulars now the age of me coming out of the force will be even
older.
Have anyone seen under performing regulars getting PP2 and
performing regulars not getting, this maybe personal views. BUT
there is some rumor that someone asked CPC the reason and they said
'we need good people to be on the top and some to be on the bottom,
if everyone we take are good than who is going to be on the
bottom?'.
8-9yrs ago when the PP1 was introdued everyone in the force was
offered the chance to convert from contact to PP1 or 2. I didn't
believe in the 10years PP1 and was called in for an interview. In
interview I spoke to a captain or a major which I can't remember,
he said that PP2 will be offered to most people if they don't make
major mistake and maintain performance during their service and ask
me why I won't want to take up the plan. I reply that I believe
that I be earning better when I go out from the force and that 3-5k
is not enough for me. He looked a bit angry and told me that he
believe that he will can get about 1/2 a million in his account
when he leave the force at age 45.
Today I feel a bit pettiful for the young officer that his 1/2 a
million may not be as good as he think, due to the last 10 years
the performance of the fund was not doing that well and he maybe
the next one been offer the golden hand shake.
I never regrat for spending my 6yrs in the SAF, after all they paid
full for my 3yrs of study in poly. Anyway I did enjoy the job
sometimes esp when I'm getting paid better than most of my
schoolmates. But the idea of not having a iron rice bowl in the
force and maybe broken after the 4yrs is too much for me to
bear.
In my memory there was a CDF or COA who visited my camp for some
Q&A some years back . A question was ask by a platoon
sgt,
'Sir, is there a scheme for the specialist for a degree course
which we can take and be sponcer by the SAF.'
'no, we do not need degree specialist in the force, a poly diploma
is enough for the specialist.'
'Sir, can we go on unpaid leave?'
'no, its like you can't go for unpaid leave and leave your appoint
and have someone replacing you. When you come back where is that
person going to go? Just like me I have a masters but I always
wanted to go for my doctorate. Someone must take out my place in my
absents but when I come back what the person going to do?'
As it been years back I can't remember word to word but thats the
idea of the conversation. That point of time maybe the force don't
really need a degree specialist but it be always good for anyone to
upgrade. We have so many people waiting to be a platoon sgt and we
can replace him anytime with someone after his tour. A senior
officer is not so easily replaceable esp when he is a COA or CDF
even after his tour.
Pls excuse me for many spelling and grammar mistake, had not been
practicing much after leaving school. Now I had found a sales job
with a even lower basic pay as what was stated above but with very
high commission. I hope that some people can learn from my story.
PLS DO NOT ASK ME WHERE I GET MY RUMORS FROM AND WHO TOLD ME WHAT.
If you think that its just another story I made up then just forget
it and treat it as some junk.
