(IPS) feature

- The modelling and entertainment industry has always been associated with glitz, glamour and money, but until recently, these were not enough to lure Singapore's ambitious university graduates into the business.

These days, though, degree holders who would have once considered telemarketing a more promising prospect than being paid to walk down a ramp are flocking to modelling agencies.

As a result, even small modelling agencies like e-zen have suddenly found themselves swamped with talents. E-zen owner Esther Choo, 24, says she has nearly 400 contracted and freelancing models under her wing - and that number is still rising.

She says fresh graduates and former white-collar workers who have been laid off, make up a large bulk of these ''new'' faces in the local modelling industry.

''There are 40 percent more models in the market right now,'' says Choo.

''Recently,'' she adds, ''there have been many approaching my agency looking for freelance jobs - some due to the fact that they have recently been retrenched while others are fresh graduates who either can't find jobs or are looking to supplement their low salaries.''

Indeed, Singapore's economic downturn appears to be a major factor in modelling's rather unexpected popularity among the educated young in this city state of 4 million people.

Singapore started the year with expectations of 5 to 7 percent GDP growth, but slipped into recession due to a slump in overseas demand. It now expects up to a 2 percent contraction in the economy for 2001 - it's third-quarter contraction was the sharpest such decline since independence in 1963.

Local media reports say that the contraction has already led to the loss of 92,000 jobs.

Modelling, a hardier business

A survey done by the Nanyang Technological University has also showed that at least 30 percent of its 2001 graduates are still looking for work. Last year, 85 percent of its graduates were already employed within three months of finishing their final exams.

Observers say that while other sectors are in a slump, the modelling industry seems to be among the hardier businesses.

Even though most companies are cutting costs and reducing their advertising and promotion budgets, many are continuing promotion efforts in hopes of attracting consumers to the goods and services they offer.

This has apparently resulted in more modelling assignments being available in the market - although the jobs now pay significantly less. Yet even reduced modelling fees are often bigger than the salaries offered by other sectors.

Part-time model Sara Ann and eight other friends, who earned their arts diplomas in July, decided to try their hand at modelling after getting dismayed by the pay offered by some companies.

''The starting pay for arts graduates has dropped by about S$800 Singaporean dollars (RM1,687) since the beginning of the year to about S$1,500 dollars (RM3,165) now,'' laments the 22-year-old.

''Most people find that they are better off looking for part-time jobs or like myself, are in modelling,'' she says.

Model booker Saee, 25, adds: ''You see graduates right now earning only S$2,000 (RM4,221) or S$2,500 dollars (RM5,274) a month. In modelling, if you get a good contract you can earn that same amount just by doing one shoot.''

''And if you are paid on a monthly basis,'' she says, ''you can get at least S$4,000 dollars (RM8,444) - and that's like the minimum. It's easy money.''

Saee adds that talents do not even have to limit themselves to local stints. She says Singaporeans and other Asians can always try their luck overseas, especially in Europe, where the exotic looks of the East are always welcome in the catwalk.

Looks won't stay forever

All these may have helped Paerin Chua, 25, a National University of Singapore (NUS) law graduate, in deciding to sacrifice what could have been a successful profession in litigation to pursue a career in modelling and entertainment.

A finalist in a local talent hunt, 'Star Search', Chua remarks, ''Models who 'make it' and succeed do make a lot of money, and for them, giving up a normal job is nothing.''

Twenty-seven-year-old Johnny Lim is another NUS graduate who is now into modelling. After earning his electrical engineering degree in 1998 and first-class honours, Lim had qualified for the accelerated masters programme, but chose to leave for Silicon Valley in the United States for work experience.

When he returned home a few months ago, though, he found himself dabbling in modelling and acting. He has even become the face of Singapore's 'Clean and Green Week' campaign advertisements.

But unlike many in the industry, Lim does not seem too impressed with what he is getting from his modelling stints and says he just might consider a ''routine job'' if things do not start to look up by the end of the year.

''The money really isn't all that good unless you can constantly get new projects or assignments that pay well,'' he says. ''So if things do not take off for me, I'll just go back to doing my IT (information technology).''

He also points out: ''Modelling is not a good long-term career choice as is based solely on one's looks and everyone knows that looks come and go.''

Even newcomers like Sara Ann understand that the business has its pitfalls. ''There is no guarantee in modelling,'' she says. ''Even if you fall back on it, so to speak, you might not necessarily succeed because people's tastes change every season and the stylists continually want a different kind of look.''