SINGAPORE, Aug 22 — Singapore will launch up to 800 government-funded traineeships from October to help fresh graduates gain industry experience amid economic uncertainty, according to CNA.
The Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) scheme will provide trainees with monthly allowances of between S$1,800 and S$2,400, with 70 per cent funded by the government and the remainder by host organisations, CNA reported.
Each placement will run for three to six months.
According to the report opportunities will be available in growth sectors such as financial services, information and communications technology, manufacturing and wholesale trade.
A separate GRIT@Gov programme, coordinated by the Public Service Division, will offer traineeships within public sector agencies.
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said the initiative aims to address the challenge of employers seeking experienced candidates even for entry-level roles.
“This will help graduates gain valuable skills and workplace exposure so they can better compete for full-time positions,” he was quoted saying.
The programme follows Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s announcement during his National Day Rally earlier this month, where he pledged targeted support for graduates struggling to secure employment, with the option of expanding the scheme if economic conditions worsen.
Under GRIT, trainees will not be considered employees and employers are not required to make Central Provident Fund contributions, though they may provide additional benefits at their discretion, CNA reported.
The scheme builds on the SGUnited Traineeships launched during the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw over 12,500 participants between June 2020 and March 2022, many of whom transitioned into permanent employment.
CNA said major companies such as Grab, Micron, OCBC, ST Engineering and Sea Limited have already signed up to participate.
The public sector is also offering about 2,400 immediate vacancies for fresh graduates in fields including data, technology and digital services through Careers@Gov.