Employers asked to consider helping graduates get a start in employment
The Singapore government is urging employers to provide opportunities and internship programmes for new graduates amid concerns over job security.
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong told reporters that they will encourage employers to take on fresh graduates amid reports that some prefer older workers due to their experience.
"We will encourage them: 'why not take them on as a trainee, as interns, so that they will acquire the necessary experience because everybody has to start somewhere'," Gan said.
"We will be talking to these companies as I mentioned to create opportunities and internships … we want to discuss with them whether they can focus on these fresh graduates, give them opportunities to take on this internship programme."
Gan made the remarks as job security emerged as one of the top concerns of workers, including fresh graduates, when asked by the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce.
The deputy prime minister, who is also the chair of the taskforce, said they will also work with institutes of higher learning to boost employment opportunities for fresh graduates.
"First thing that we want to do is to work with the IHLs to see how we can strengthen our career advice, career guidance, and the job fairs," Gan said.
The share of polytechnic graduates in Singapore who got employed within six months of graduation declined to 87.5% in 2024, down from 92.7% in 2023, according to the latest Polytechnic Graduate Employment Survey.
It also revealed that full-time employment among polytechnic graduates in Singapore declined to 54.6% in 2024, down from 59.8% in 2023.
For fresh graduates, 49.2% of them were in full-time permanent employment, 31.6% were in part-time, while 14.4% were unemployed in 2024.
Gan's words of encouragement for fresh graduates struggling to pick up jobs: keep their options open and choose the ones that they believe they can do well.
"[I] also encourage them to also be more flexible in terms of the type of job they're looking for and the type of salaries they're looking for," the deputy prime minister said. "I think when the situation improves and the job market strengthens, there will always be opportunities to look for better jobs, and better-paying jobs."
He added that the government is currently monitoring the situation.
"We just want to tell these fresh graduates that don't worry, we are behind you, and we will always be there to support you."
Gan heads the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce, which was established as the government's response to US President Donald Trump's tariffs to Singapore.
