SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Education (MOE) is the place to be for fresh graduates and undergraduates looking for jobs, according to the latest JobsCentral Employers of Choice survey released by CareerBuilder Singapore on Wednesday (Oct 2).

MOE came in ahead of Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) in the Top 5 Government or Government-linked Employers of Choice category.  The ministry rebounded from 2013’s seventh place to first, while STB also jumped from sixth place to second, the survey showed.

The survey polled 2,321 respondents online from April to June this year, and they consisted of current full-time undergraduates or graduates who have graduated between 2012 and 2014, CareerBuilder Singapore stated.

GOOGLE, SIA STILL TOP PRIVATE EMPLOYERS OF CHOICE

In the private sector, the survey showed that Google, Singapore Airlines and Apple continued to be the top three job destination of choice for respondents. Of the top 5 companies, Changi Airport Group broke into the list at fourth and is a new inclusion in the rankings.

The survey also showed that 50.1 per cent preferred to work in the private sector, while 23.6 per cent indicated their preference for a public sector job.

However, the qualities that graduates and undergraduates are looking for in an ideal public sector job is different from a private sector one.

The top attributes for a private sector job are advancement opportunities and salary. In contrast, good relations with colleagues and good relations with management were flagged as the top two most important attributes for a public sector job, the survey revealed.

Ms Jessica Ang, Director of Strategic Marketing at CareerBuilder Singapore, explained:, “The factors that attract entry-level jobseekers to employers of choice, whether it’s for public- or private-sector positions, are universal – starting salary and opportunities for career advancement.

“On the other hand, ideal job factors such as co-worker relationships and work-life balance tend to reflect an individual’s personal priorities in the workplace, rather than the values of the organisation or even the sector.”

These push and pull factors will ultimately determine whether fresh graduates continue to stay on in their role, Ms Ang added.