[quote]Originally posted by Lin Yu:
Top draw for overseas grads who return: '2 Fs'
Family and friends are top reasons they come home
By Cassandra Chew
TIES THAT BIND: While they value work experience abroad, students
(from left) Praveen Raj Kumar, Chen Yi Yang, Ho Joe-han and Kathryn
Thong say they will ultimately return home - to Singapore. -- ST
PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
MANY Singaporean students attending a career event here say they
would prefer to remain abroad for several years after completing
their overseas degrees.
But policymakers looking for the secret formula to draw them home
need look no further than the 'two Fs' - family and friends.
An informal poll by The Straits Times of 40 overseas undergraduates
who were at last Saturday's Confluence 2007 networking fair found
that 14 of them, or more than one-third, plan not to return home
for between one and five years after graduation.
The fair, organised by the students themselves, was meant to spread
word of job prospects here. However, for those surveyed, the appeal
of Singapore jobs at the fair was not enough of a draw - at least
not yet.
Like first-year law student Ho Joe-han, 21, many view the time just
after graduation as a window of opportunity to get valuable
overseas working experience.
'When you have worked overseas with people who have different ideas
and cultures, you show you are adaptable and can work with
different types of people,' said the Durham University student, who
wants to remain in England for at least three years.
But although working abroad is attractive to more than half of
them, almost all consider Singapore home, and plan to return
eventually.
Reasons vary, but the top one is that their friends and family are
here.
Said Ms Chen Yi Yang, 20, an economics undergraduate in Britain:
'Family support and love cannot be measured, and cannot be replaced
by anything superficial or material.'
Agreeing, Mr Praveen Raj Kumar pointed out it is 'intangibles' like
family and Singapore culture and lifestyle that will draw him
back.
The third-year student at Purdue University in Indiana, United
States, has lived in five countries - including South Africa, the
Philippines and Malaysia - but prefers Singapore.
'I've travelled from country to country, but I have a strange
affinity for Singapore food. I will miss my laksa, mee rebus and
roti prata,' said the 21-year-old.
'Ultimately, blood is thicker than water. You can always count on
your family to be there for you,' he added.
These views were echoed by some students during the dialogue with
Manpower Minister Ng Eng Hen at Saturday's event.
These findings should encourage agencies like the Ministry of
Community Development, Youth and Sports, said researcher Elaine Ho,
who recently completed her thesis on migration and citizenship
among overseas Singaporeans.
'This shows that family values still matter a lot, and this acts as
an emotional anchor, which is the most important thing,' said Dr
Ho, who argues that 'dollars and cents don't make up
everything'.
But for political researcher Jeanne Conceicao, economic
opportunities are equally, if not more, important than emotional
ties.
'Singaporeans are pragmatic. Family and friends might be one of
their reasons for returning, but if there are no jobs, I don't
think they would come back,' said Ms Conceicao, a research fellow
at the Institute of Policy Studies.
However, Durham University graduate Kathryn Thong, 22,
disagreed.
'If we do a cost-benefit analysis of everything, then we risk
sacrificing things that are important to us,' said the first-class
honours law graduate, who wanted to be home with her family.
'Economic situations can change, but this is my home country and as
someone who has benefited greatly from its prosperity, I want to be
able to give something back.'
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[/But although working abroad is attractive to more
than half of them, almost all consider Singapore home, and plan to
return eventually.
quote]
Just another propaganda from the govt and the press. The accuracy
of the article is questionable. Remember the press works for the
gahmen and the gahmen is desperate for overseas Singaporeans to
return, so publish such article. Why don't they go interview
overseas Singaporean students who don't want to come back for
good?
"
