The civil service helps the government to plan and implement public policies. It is not a cushy job-you're likely to get more curses than than praises thrown at you throughout your career. For those who hear the calling to join public service, there are number of public sector scholarship open to you. Read on to find out more.

By John Yip

Given the prevalence of the Government in so many aspects of our daily lives, it’s highly unlikely that there is anyone who doesn’t know what the Civil Service is.

Singapore’s Civil Service forms the executive arm of the Singapore Government. It is the role of civil servants to support the elected leaders of Singapore, by helping them plan and implement public policies and programmes.

There are about 60,000 people in the Civil Service, working in 14 Ministries and nine Government organs. They perform a wide range of roles and functions, which require expertise across a wide range of disciplines, from administrative services, to IT and engineering, medical, socio-cultural and law enforcement services. In other words, just about any young graduate from a university or polytechnic would have relevant qualifications to join the Civil Service.

That is not to say however, that getting into the Civil Service is necessarily easy. The Singapore Civil Service has earned an international reputation for high standards of integrity and professionalism. Such standards are maintained through investing heavily in attracting the most talented people to the Service.

Applicants are judged heavily on the strength of their academic achievements, as well as on their personal qualities, such as leadership and adaptability. Depending on the position that you’re applying for, it may well be that you aren’t yet qualified enough to join the Civil Service.

Why the Civil Service?

Before we go further though, it’s worth asking why you’re making the decision to join public service. Do you know truly know what it entails? Do you really have the burning desire to serve the people of Singapore, and to uphold national interests at all times?

Be aware that public service can be a thankless task. True civil servants will candidly tell you that they did not join the Service to get public adoration. Which is just as well, because it is often true that no one will praise civil servants for well-implemented policies, but they will raise Hell whenever an unpopular policy gets put into action.

Civil servants take the complaints in their stride. They understand that it is natural for people to complain, because the man-on-the-street often fails to see the “bigger picture”, to understand why certain hard decisions have to be taken.

There is also the common perception that civil servants lead a cushy life. Those who fear the cut-throat competitiveness of the private sector may be tempted by the promise of an “iron rice bowl” in public service.

Let’s clear the fog. Those days of guaranteed retirement on a fat government pension are long over. With the launch of initiatives such as the PS21 plan in 1995, the Government has already sent a clear signal that it is steadily transforming the Civil Service in response to new socio-economic realities. More so than ever before, performance matters within the Service.

Even though the Civil Service does tend to be more forgiving on its officers than its counterparts in the private sector, rest assured that if you’re not up to the scratch, you will eventually be shown the door.

Is it for the money?

Another misconception about Civil Service is that the pay is very good. While it is true that public service pay is pegged to market rates, it remains a simple fact that the private sector is far more lucrative.

Think of it this way – as a civil servant, you will be paid the mean wage of executives working in similar capacities in the private sector. To earn better than average wages, particularly if you’re a high achiever, the private sector is still where you’d want to be.

If you’re still not convinced, consider this: the starting pay of fresh graduates in the Administrative Service, the premier branch of the Civil Service, is $3,600 per month (with National Service). In contrast, the comparable pay of business management consultants averaged at $3,750 per month as at June 2004.

PSC vs Ministry scholarships

You’ve just finished your ‘A’ level exams, and are now anxiously awaiting your results. Let’s say you’ve already given serious consideration to your choice of career, and are very sure that you want to become a public servant. You may be in a position to consider scholarships available to you at this point in time, to help fund your further studies.

Given the prestige attached to PSC (Public Service Commission) Scholarships, it’s no wonder that many students assume that it is the be-all and end-all of a career in the Civil Service.

You may have overlooked the fact that various ministries and Government agencies also offer scholarships that are independent from the PSC. So it’s important to be clear about what kind of career you are aiming for in public service.

The PSC awards a number of different scholarships every year, ranging from the Local – Overseas Merit Scholarships, to the SAF Scholarship, the SPF Scholarship, and the President’s Scholarship, the most prestigious of all PSC awards.

It is the stated objective of PSC to attract and develop the best talents for public service. Regardless of which PSC Scholarship you are awarded, you will be actively groomed to fulfill a broad range of roles across multiple ministries and Government departments. The ultimate aim is to turn scholars into public service leaders.

PSC Scholars can therefore expect to be rotated through many different ministries throughout their careers in the Civil Service. And they will be expected to perform consistently well regardless of the role they are appointed to. This may be fine for those students who thrive on the challenge of variety. But what if you already know for certain that you wish to work only in one specific area of the Civil Service?

If you’re already sure that you want to be a teacher for example, you may wish to consider taking up an MOE scholarship instead. Should you qualify for it, your further education will still be fully sponsored by MOE, and you would get the added certainty of knowing that you’ll be pursuing a career as a teacher when you return from your studies.

Some of the other ministries that offer their own scholarships are the Ministry of Home Affairs, which awards the Singapore Police Force Overseas Scholarship to students aspiring to join law enforcement, and the Accountant-General’s Department, which awards scholarships to students going into accountancy.

Choose wisely

Remember – regardless of which scholarship you pursue, treat the scholarship application as seriously as you would a job application, because that is what it essentially is.

Do not pursue a PSC Scholarship merely because you think it’s a brand name that would look good on your résumé. You will eventually have to come back to serve a bond, and it’s not in your interests to be stuck in a job that you absolutely hate.

And above all, remember that you’re ultimately choosing to work in the Civil Service, where you’re supposed to value the interests of the people above your own. If this isn’t your calling, then you’d be much better off considering careers elsewhere instead.