When it comes to post-secondary studies in Singapore, the usual routes to take include universities, junior colleges, polytechnics, and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).
Source: Google Maps
However, there are some who might look down on ITE graduates, leading Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Lawrence Wong to speak out about it recently.
One Singaporean recently shared that their ITE qualifications were the reason why they only made S$1,600 as a starting pay.
Due to this, the ITE graduate has since migrated to Australia, where they now allegedly earn S$80,000 a year as a plumber.
Via an anonymous post on the Facebook confessions page SGWhispers, the OP revealed that they are now in their 30s and working in Australia.
Source: Facebook
They went on to claim that they were “looked down” on their “whole life” as an ITE graduate.
When they started working, they purportedly received a monthly salary of only S$1,600.
Furthermore, they were told that they “deserve” to be paid as such due to their educational background.
Now, the OP claims that they earn over S$100,000 a year as a plumber in Australia.
Even after tax deductions, the earnings still come up to S$80,000, or just under S$7,000 a month.
They added that they are merely a lone plumber and not the owner of their own company.
Finally, the ITE graduate advised those in their field, as well as nursing and construction, to leave Singapore as other places are “better”.
They also alleged that plumbers in Singapore will never make higher than S$1,800 as there is always “cheaper labour” across the Causeway, ostensibly referring to Malaysia.
The OP’s confession quickly sparked a spirited debate in the comments.
One netizen agreed, saying that perhaps it is Singapore’s education system that has caused this pay disparity.
Another said that people should see things from the customer’s point of view as well.
They explained that if a tradesperson earns a high salary in Singapore, it also means that their services will cost more.
Source: Facebook
One remarked that the OP’s pay may not be as lucrative as it seems due to Australia’s high inflation rate and goods and services tax (GST).
They added that they’re better off living in Singapore, citing its proximity to travel destinations and its relatively stronger currency.
Source: Facebook
Additionally, this user advised the OP not to forget their roots.
Some took a neutral stance, calling on the classic saying “to each their own” and congratulating the OP on their success.
Source: Facebook
Based on various websites’ data, it appears that the OP’s claims match the average earnings of an Australia-based plumber.
According to a list of the highest-earning tradespeople by the Australian local business platform Service Seeking, plumbers were ranked #1 with average yearly earnings of S$101,700 (A$110,000).
Seek, an Australian employment marketplace, puts plumbers’ average annual salary at a range of S$60,000 to S$78,600 (A$65,000 to A$85,000).
On the global salary database Salary Expert, a plumber in Australia is estimated to earn over S$85,000 (A$92,397) a year.
That number rises to as high as S$105,000 (A$113,545) for more experienced talent.
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Featured image adapted from Anıl Karakaya on Pexels, for illustration purposes only, and ITE.
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