SINGAPORE: When he was a junior college student, Mr Ng Rui Jie did not put much effort into getting a scholarship that would bind him to a government job, because he simply did not expect a difficult job search after university.Today, the 25-year-old National University of Singapore (NUS) computer science graduate wishes he had a scholarship bond to serve. It would have meant a guaranteed job.“I do feel a bit regretful,” Mr Ng told CNA. Despite submitting more than 120 job applications since last October – before he graduated this year – he has yet to secure a full-time role.“I do consider, if I had chosen a different path, how would that turn out?” Mr Ng said.On paper, Mr Ng’s jobseeking struggles stand in stark contrast to a seemingly buoyant job market.According to recent Ministry of Manpower (MOM) data, there were 32,800 entry-level vacancies for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) in March, accounting for 43.6 per cent of all PMET job openings.These entry-level jobs have a minimum salary between S$2,300 and S$5,000, are considered suitable for fresh graduates, and are advertised on job portals to recruit locals.The data on job openings, which came from surveys conducted by the ministry and online job portals, has remained steady over time – there were 32,500 entry-level PMET vacancies in December 2025, and 34,600 in December 2024.