As I am doing up my flat, I found something that is quite unreasonable, from my point of view. One sofa set costs S$1600.00, while the combined cost of a fridge, a washing maching, & 2 water heaters is only S$1400.00.
In terms of complexity, how many times more complex is a fridge, a washing maching or a water heater. The design and manufacturing of such goods requires professional knowledge, years of university education. It is true that sofa manufacturing requires professional knowledge as well, but it is not on the same scale of any of the electrical applicances mentioned above.
This explains well why very few Singaporeans want to go into engineering. Everybody wants to go into business, finance and/or banking. The amount of hard work required for engineering simply out-weighs the reward.
Our policy makers should seriously look into this issue, or in the near future, you will find no engineers, or good engineers available anymore in Singapore.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I have to say, you can not compare these two things. A good furniture is a piece of art, it can be passed down generation by generation and still be appreciated. Electrical appliances have short life spans. The investment should be paid off in the first few years that the products were launched. As an engineer, I'm sure your pay is higher than that of a carpenter. :-)
ReplyDelete