Why is there still a large pay disparity between university grads and non-graduates?

15 Dec 2022

In an opinion piece written by Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Associate Professor at Practice Terence Ho, he asked why academic qualifications still have an outsized impact on one’s salary. The persistent pay gap between university graduates and those with technical diplomas and certificates has prompted questions on whether society sufficiently values ‘hand’ and ‘heart’ work relative to ‘head’ work. He opined that jobs of the future will require a blend of the three competencies, and mentioned how SP’s common core curriculum emphasises human and emerging digital skills to develop versatile students to thrive in an ever-changing world. He added that this initiative, if successful, could be extended to more students in technical and vocational education.