The adverse consequences Covid-19 has on the economy has been very sorely felt by most Singaporeans by now.
Unemployment rates in the nation is the highest it has ever been in 10 years, companies are cutting back on staff, and many retail brands are closing down in Singapore.
However, not all jobs and sectors have felt the full brunt of the global economic downturn.
In fact, tech giants like Tencent, Bytedance and Twitter are expanding in Singapore and actively hiring. Industries such as e-commerce and medical services are also receiving a Covid-19 induced boost.
Here are some job functions in Singapore that have experienced a rise in median salary after the onset of Covid-19:
#1: Digital Marketing Specialist
Even before Covid-19 hit, digital marketing was already a growing field.
However, with the pandemic normalising work-from-home and lowering the footfall for physical retail spaces, capturing the attention of customers online has become even more important.
From fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) to e-commerce to fintech, every industry needs marketing, which explains the high demand for digital marketers.
A quick search on MyCareersFuture — a government initiative to help Singaporeans find jobs — shows that there are at least 839 available digital marketing jobs on the platform.
For an executive or entry-level digital marketer, the average pay per annum ranges from S$21,600 to S$96,000.
According to data from Payscale, the average salary for a marketing executive in Singapore in 2019 was around S$35,896 per annum.
#2: Driver
According to Accenture’s analysis of Covid-19’s impact on the digital behaviour of Singapore consumers, businesses in some industries such as groceries saw a huge spike.
The analysis revealed that the time consumers spent on online grocery shopping was 198 per cent more than pre-Covid times.
Reflective of this data, during the circuit breaker period in March, the demand for grocery delivery heavily outweighed the supply of delivery slots.
As the demand for e-commerce skyrockets, delivery businesses become increasingly instrumental and delivery firms have had to hire more drivers to meet the growing demand.
According to The Straits Times, a FastJobs report showed that the median salary for drivers in 2020 was around S$27,600 per annum, up from S$26,400 last year.
There are also over 1,600 job openings for drivers on MyCareersFuture.
#3: Patient Service Associate
According to SkillsFuture, the typical job scope of a patient service associate includes provides quality frontline services to patients.
Core duties include patient registration, appointment bookings, medical records management and cashiering.
With the ongoing global pandemic, healthcare professionals and service staff work round-the-clock to ensure the safety of patients and the general public.
Furthermore, as hospitals restructure to cater to Covid-19, more hands on deck are required to maximise efficiency.
According to the same FastJobs report, the median salary for patient service associates in 2020 was around S$26,400 per annum, up from S$24,000 last year.
#4: Manufacturing Roles
According to Betul Genc, Adecco’s country manager for Singapore, manufacturing firms had to attract local talent to replace workers from Malaysia when border restrictions kicked in.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) released a Job Situation report on August 26, which highlights that there are currently over 6,300 job and training opportunities in the manufacturing industry.
According to MOM, manufacturing is a “significant engine” of the Singapore economy, and contributes about 20 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product.
Currently, there are over 1,900 manufacturing jobs available on MyCareersFuture.
Salaries for entry-level executive roles range from around S$19,200 to S$54,000 per annum.
According to data from the Ministry of Manpower, the median basic salary for an associate level job in manufacturing was around 38,616 per annum.
Covid-19 Has Also Created New Jobs
At the same time, the public health crisis has created some new jobs.
Singapore has one of the highest testing rates in the world, and with that comes a need for Covid-19 ‘swabbers’.
In May, a recruitment drive was launched to hire swab assistants, with salaries going up to S$3,800 a month.
Even though the country is slowly moving into Phase 3 of reopening, the government aims to to test even more community groups, such as Grab drivers. Hence, swab assistants are likely to remain in demand for the time-being.
Despite the fact that more activities are resuming, Singaporeans still have to observe safe-distancing measures as well as rules such as keeping to groups of five.
Safe Distancing Ambassadors on the other hand, patrol public areas to ensure that these rules are adhered to.
A search on MyCareersFuture shows that various companies are still hiring for Safe Distancing Ambassadors, with salaries going up to S$2,600 a month.
The pandemic has also showed us the importance of technology, more than ever before.
Hence, the Seniors Go Digital programme by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) aims to facilitate seniors’ uptake of technology.
In June, the new SG Digital Office recruited 1,000 Digital Ambassadors to engage hawkers and onboard them onto e-payment systems.
Opportunities Do Exist
While we do not downplay the negative outcomes of the pandemic, it is also important to recognise the opportunities present.
Whether you are looking to break into a new industry or take on a temporary job, being aware of the trends in hiring and growth in various industries is a good way to begin.
Featured Image Credit: NCCS / SBR / Ninja Van
