I’ve seen the NTU system and i think it’s pretty fair actually. the employment rate above actually indicates ‘within 6 months upon graduation’, and also… in the case of some geniuses who got some jobs in the US (school of computer engineering) and receive a pay of about 11k a month, NTU does not include these few into the calculation so as to not deviate the mean.

Also, in order to reply the survey, we need to log-in using our matriculation numbers. thus, no repetition nor faking. Anyway, it is then up the the ex-students to key in the honest data. The school also indicates the total number of respondents.

We can see that in some cases of NUS, some schools are new and thus the sample size is already small. As many of those graduates from those schools refuse to do the survey, it’s natural that the school decides to not publish the data in order to create false impression.

I just wanna tell you guys the inner side of it from the point-of-view of a student, who will graduate soon and will be filling up for 2011 employmeny survey (i.e. grad in 2010, given 6 months to find jobs, and survey published in 2011 to show 2010 cohort)

NOTE: GES published in 2009 is based on 2008 cohort, thus it’s PRE-CRISIS. that’s why MANY STUDENTS are SOOOO ANXIOUS over the upcoming 2010 survey showing 2009 cohort T.T please understand us

and I also pity the accountancy ppl >.< they tried so hard during A level to achieve straight As to get into NBS (NTU's)/NUS Business School/SMU accountancy and to start off with auditing at the so-called BIG4, with average/mean pay of around 2.4-2.5k and they work their a**es off for about 10-12 hours a day for the first few years

I have many friends in NIE now who are from accounting/business background who have decided to become teachers, a job which requires certain level of commitment, has a relatively shorter hours of work while enjoying more comfortable life…

and no one would disagree that teaching/education is one of the most, if not THE most, secure industry in the whole world. No teachers/professors get retrenched/fired during bad economy -_-" (we can see this through stasistics… NIE graduates are the only TRUE 100% employed group of graduates, with pretty high starting pay, and they even earn while studying !!

Speaking of the big 4 (or big 3 or whatever u want it to be called), audit is a very taxing job…it used to be a good place to start with…but now i am not so sure….to be honest, i am not really too sure abt the value that some of the auditors bring – so i don’t think they should be paid so much…hahahaa…….again, alot of ppl went into audit thinkin it is a gd springboard for better things (gd career, gd pay etc) but then again u have to make sure u make it…..I see alot of ppl ( I really mean ALOT) falling through the cracks. now they are “Neither here nor there”. hahaha – it is a pity cos i know academically they are really gd…..but the world is sadly not about academics (if it is, i will be a millionaire right now)….We (sporeans) are so used to thinkin that going to a particular path (takin a certain degree etc) is a sure bet to success in life…but it doesn’t work this way anymore….we are no longer competin with sporeans, we are working with ppl from all over the world…..u think there are no ppl outside doing the same “HOT” degree as u? they are more hungry smarter more realistic and they have every bit as gd an opportunity to succeed as u…..

Anyway, chemical engineers certainly should command a much higher premium than what they’re getting now.

The annual increment is year on year? And ALL auditors get annual increment year on year? Ask again. Their base salary starts out over $1k lower than other farmer graduates. The increment doesn’t mean much. $100 increment for poor performers from such a low base is very very bad. Even a $500 increment doesn’t mean as much because the starting pay is very bad. There’re many other jobs that give you $500 annual increment from a much higher base.

I know many accountants who continued in the finance route, became finance managers after 10 years only earning $5k. A 35 year old finance manager I know is drawing only $5k+ and she’s not alone.

If accounting is so attractive, there won’t be such huge numbers of local accountancy graduates applying to be insurance agents with AIA and Prudential. The next time in Orchard or Raffles you see them at their road show hawking insurance, ask them where they come from.

Recession proof is definitely false. The info you gave above is only for auditors. “Asked to leave” = fire. I know of many auditors who were asked to leave/fired. There’s only no retrenchment because auditors are recruited in huge numbers, paid very low wages and are worked to the bone. No need for retrenchment.

Like I said earlier, accountancy graduates either become auditors or finance executives. The latter depend on how many companies are alive to hire a money counter. It’s one of the last few jobs anyone would describe as recession proof.

I assure you I know over 20 finance managers who were fired in the few years. I have listed a slew of recession proof jobs above. Healthcare is another one you can list to the list of what is RECESSION PROOF.