Shin Min Daily News (新明日报) 26th February 2026 edition
Many thanks to Shin Min Daily News 新明日报 (https://www.shinmin.sg/) for the article featuring the aging workforce of licensed electricians in Singapore and challenges in attracting younger talent to the industry.
In this article, SECA President Mr Somchai Virabhak and SECA member Er. Andy Goh of SJ Thames gave their views on this manpower challenge faced by the industry and the highly competitive environment in which the association members operate.
SECA’s main role is to serve as a vital link between businesses, government agencies and educational institutions to improve our industry.
(Credit to Shin Min Daily News for this article)
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English translation (using Google Gemini) of the article follows –
Aging licensed electricians, injecting new blood faces 4 challenges
Singapore currently has about 3,700 licensed electricians, and more than one-third are 60 years old and above. The Singapore Electrical Contractors and Licensed Electrical Workers Association reveals 4 major challenges in attracting new blood.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong disclosed earlier in a written reply in Parliament that there are currently about 3,700 licensed electricians in Singapore, of whom about 1,400 are aged 60 and above and still practicing.
Mr Somchai Virabhak, President of the Singapore Electrical Contractors and Licensed Electrical Workers Association (SECA), said in an interview that according to data provided on the Energy Market Authority website, the average number of licensed electricians has indeed decreased year by year, from 3,954 in February 2023 to 3,877 in March of the previous year, and further decreased to 3,693 as of January this year.
He pointed out that the local electrician industry finds it difficult to attract young talent due to four factors. First, competition from the gig economy is increasingly fierce, with jobs like food delivery riders and private-hire car drivers offering flexible work arrangements and immediate income, which are very attractive to some young people today.
In addition, the industry has long been regarded as having a dirty, dangerous, and tough working environment. Coupled with the fact that electricians often need to work at night or on holidays, local people often choose to work in the service or financial industry if the salary is insufficient.
Furthermore, because the electrician industry has long relied on lower-cost foreign labour, this has invisibly suppressed local wage levels and weakened companies’ willingness to train local talent.
Finally, market price competition is fierce, and most contractors prioritize “lowest cost,” making it difficult for local companies to offer attractive starting salaries. Some employers hire daily-wage workers from Malaysia, which further complicates the wage structure and manpower supply issues.
Collaborate with educational institutions to promote professional diploma courses.
Mr Virabhak pointed out that the association has actively taken measures to deal with manpower challenges. First, it cooperates with educational institutions such as the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) to jointly participate in the development of the electronic engineering work-study professional diploma course, while also setting up book prizes and providing internship positions. The association also encourages its member companies to actively hire interns from different educational institutions.
Mr Chow Kai (27 years old), who co-founded the electrical maintenance service company Repair.sg with his brother, said in an interview that the company currently only has two electricians in their 50s.
Considering that they will retire successively within the next ten years, and he also wants to continuously maintain the company’s future professional service capabilities and technical level, he, with at least ten years of relevant experience, has completed the course to obtain a license and is currently waiting for the exam.
“The company also posts videos or content related to electricians on social media to let young people understand that being an electrician can also be as fulfilling and rewarding as other professions.”
The industry is caught in a vicious cycle.
Mr Virabhak pointed out that the industry is now price-oriented, leading companies to hire lower-cost electricians, which in turn weakens the quality of construction and discourages local talent from entering the industry.
In view of this, the association calls for more public education to encourage operators to hire licensed electricians or formally trained workers when maintaining electrical installations.
Er. Andy Goh, Technical Director of engineering consulting company SJ Thames, agrees with the above phenomenon. He admitted that the local electrician industry is facing a severe manpower predicament, and a key reason why his company cannot hire people is the lack of attractive salary levels.
His company has six electricians, but it is difficult to offer high salaries to attract young new blood. In addition, business quotations have long been low, and facing a large number of foreign workers entering the market, disrupting the price and wage structure, it is even more difficult to hire people.
(credit article from Shin Min Daily News 26th January 2026)
https://www.shinmin.sg/