SINGAPORE, Jan. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Adecco Singapore, a subsidiary of the world's largest human resources organisation, has announced the results of the 9th Annual Adecco Children's Career Survey. Every year, Adecco conducts a survey of school children living in Singapore to learn more about their career aspirations and thoughts about the future and each year. The responses received give an interesting, and entertaining, peek at how the future workforce of Singapore views "Working Life".
While last year's survey revealed that becoming the "Boss" was the top aspiration among participants, civic and community consciousness appeared to be the trend throughout 2014, with children aged 7 to 14 opting for 'Teacher' as their top career choice. The findings also revealed a strong sense of environmental awareness, with many participants noting the issue of pollution and wanting to implement measures to maintain the cleanliness of Singapore.
The eagerly anticipated annual survey, conducted by Adecco Singapore, asked children aged 7 to 14 years a number of questions. Among them were:
11% of children surveyed stated that they wanted to become "Teachers" when they grew up, and while it is clear that they are driven by an interest in teaching, it is also evident that many have been influenced by positive role models, either in the form of their teachers or a parent or relative who is a teacher. Becoming a teacher has always featured prominently in the Adecco Children's Career Survey and this is not the first time it has appeared as a top career choice.
Salary expectations were equally as interesting, as participants listed expected monthly salaries that ranged from S$1.85 to S$1,000,000.
While the annual survey has almost always shown traditional choices such as Bankers, Lawyers and Architects, it has also offered some very interesting options, and this year is no different. One 13-year-old boy aspired to be a Ninja warrior, while a 10-year-old girl chose the dual role of being a Chef cum Animal Rescuer. Other interesting career choices included "Horse-Caretaker", "Fashion Designer" and, from one 10-year-old X-Men fan, "Wolverine".
The top five responses to the question, "What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?" as identified by the survey, are:
The two top career choices demonstrate a strong desire by Singaporean children to be someone who makes a difference in other's lives, either by moulding and guiding future generations as a teacher or by helping people as a doctor. Of course, glamour jobs also hold a certain amount of appeal as becoming a "Singer" or "Actor" are within the top five. One thing that was clear from the results is that most participants are influenced by their interests, rather than a drive for monetary compensation.
The survey also delved into what children feel would be the "Best/Coolest Job" in the world, even though it would not necessarily be the job they would choose for themselves. Topping that list was the role of "Celebrity", which included Actors, Pop Stars and Superstars. This was followed rather distantly by "Pilot", "Doctor" and "President".
Social media has certainly had an effect on the younger generation as one 14-year-old girl cited "Working at Google" as the Best/Coolest Job, while another 9-year-old girl listed "Internet Developer". Other interesting jobs included "Ice Cream Maker", "Zoo Keeper" and "Working in a Safari in Africa".
Another area the survey looked at was what children would do if they were Prime Minister of Singapore. While many would not aspire to become Prime Minister, the children surveyed had very firm ideas on what they would do first, if they found themselves in that role. When asked what the "First Three Things They Would Do" were, the answers showed a great deal of concern for the community, the environment and animal welfare. Some of the responses were:
Many of the responses revolved around reducing the cost of living in Singapore, which shows a strong situational awareness among children of Singapore's high cost of living. They also expressed a strong desire to look after the less fortunate through philanthropic causes and monetary support, as well as a passion for looking after abandoned animals. These responses show a clearly increased civic mindedness and awareness among Singapore's youth population.
A strong factor in career choices is work/life balance and the survey looked into this aspect via the question "What is more important -- to make lots of money or to spend time with your family?" The Survey revealed that 73% of children would prefer to spend time with their families rather than make money. The majority of children surveyed understood the importance of spending time with their families and that it is something that money cannot buy. Some of the reasons include:
In line with the previous question, when asked "What is the Best/Most Enjoyable Thing to Do in Singapore over the weekend?" Many again cited spending time with their families. Based on the responses from the survey, 2015 will be seeing many family visits to locations such as The Singapore Zoo, Sentosa and Universal Studios, Singapore.
Once again, the survey asked the young respondents which country would you choose to live in, apart from Singapore, if given the choice. Some of the top locations were Australia, USA (Los Angeles, New York), the United Kingdom and South Korea.
"It is heartening to see how much situational awareness and civic-mindedness there is in the younger generation of Singapore," comments Femke Hellemons, Country Manager, Adecco Singapore. "As we've seen before, the results of the 9th annual survey is full of interesting, thoughtful responses that are honest and heartfelt. Our youngsters have a keen eye on the world around them, strong ideas on how to make it better and a genuine interest in giving back to society. Their responses highlight a future that is bright with hope."
About Adecco
Adecco S.A. is a Fortune Global 500 company and the global leader in HR services. Established in Singapore in 1985, and celebrating 30 years in 2015, Adecco Singapore offers a comprehensive range of services that includes temporary & contract staffing, permanent recruitment, outsourcing, executive search, leadership development, career management and outplacement. Services are delivered through a network of 20 offices and specialist divisions.
Media Contact:
Leila Richard, Adecco Singapore Marketing
Tel: +65-6835-3400
leila.richard@adecco.com
adecco.com.sg
