"Talent is very short everywhere in the world - AI talent, software programmers. We let them in because we require a critical mass for the sector to take off, while we continue to train Singaporeans for those jobs."
Predictably, the Internet was up in arms, mostly ranting about short-sighted governance and how foreigners are let in to steal our jobs, and vote for the ruling party to perpetuate their rule, etc. The problem I have with these people commenting is that most of them, I bet, haven't spent a single working day in my industry. And suddenly they're the experts on whose fault it is and what the Government should have done? Come on. In local parlance, bro, you not shy, ah? Sure, anyone can have an opinion. But if your opinion isn't formed by any relevant first-hand experience, maybe you should stick to what you do know, like the price of soy beans, or something.
Your Teochewness will now proceed to give you some perspective - from an actual software developer's point of view.
The programmer shortage is worldwide. The rapid and constant rise of technology has all but ensured that there are more programming jobs than there are programmers - even if you count in the really crap programmers! For this to be the Singapore Government's fault, they would have had to mastermind this global shortage somehow.
Now, let it be known that I'm no fan of Mr Ong. I don't exactly despise the man; I just don't have much of an impression of him other than The Mindef Bug Bounty Programme back in January, and an ultra-lame "Kway Teow Hot and Nice" election campaign back in 2011. That being said, despite not being a fan of his, I found nothing wrong with what he said, at all. Singapore does need tech talent. And we're not about to pull tech talent out of our asses just like that. These things take time to nurture. In the meantime, what do we do? Import, but only if we have to.
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| Welcome to Singapore! |
You see, I'm not one of those nutters claiming that the Government hasn't done enough. No, my complaint is the exact opposite. I think the Government overdoes things. Back then when they first started to import foreign talent, they opened the gates wide. Let them in, in droves. Pretty much put off a large percentage of tech people, who left the industry to seek life elsewhere. Now, years later, they're starting to tighten things up rather too enthusiastically, and this comes in the form of just about slamming the gates shut. In my workplace, I'm the only Singaporean at my level surrounded by Indians, Burmese, Viets and Filipinos. When these developers are let go or leave the company, it's hard to find replacements. No foreign candidates apply because they've either had to leave the country, or they're happily employed elsewhere. No other Singaporeans have applied for the job because there are no available Singaporean candidates. That's how bad it is now.
Sure, we can grow this local tech talent organically. But again, let's not kid ourselves, this takes time.
Meanwhile, do bear in mind that the life of a software developer isn't for everyone. If you think growing home-grown tech talent is merely a matter of providing more subsidies and expanding facilities, boy, do I have a surprise for you. The Government can encourage people to take up courses and learn to code, sure, but it's a life of never-ending upgrades and constant adjustment. It's an industry that developers can spend ten years in, and yet somehow find themselves being less relevant than a wet-behind-the-ears kid fresh out from University.
Software development, and arguably all tech, is a profession where change is the only constant, and the notoriously conservative mindset of Singaporeans simply does not lend itself to this paradigm. Many people are accustomed to the age-old formula of - get a job, work hard, stay in the company long and become "senior staff", rinse and repeat till retirement. That corporate drone mindset is not quite how it works here. Developers are constantly on their toes because technology keeps evolving.
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| Could you code for a living? |
Anyone can learn to code. But not everyone can handle doing it for a living. You can't force a naturally change-resistant personality to embrace the perpetual change that is part of software development. Skills can be taught. Mindset can't.
All Mr Ong is saying is that the Government intends to do what I feel they should have done ten years back - take a cautious approach to importing of foreign tech talent, continually adjust intake and monitor stringently for abuse of the system. And while doing so, nurture our own home-grown talent, ensuring that they have jobs upon graduation so that they can learn from these experts.
Easier said than done, of course. The Government probably already intended to do this back then; but to be fair, it was always going to be a difficult balance to strike. The ascension of the tech industry was not something that could have been accurately predicted. Singapore's not the only one to miss that particular boat.
Perhaps, this time round, things will be different. We'll see.
Happy recruiting,
T___T
T___T
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