Over 500 fresh graduates were placed in the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn programme last year
Parliamentary Secretary for Education Faishal Ibrahim told Parliament on Tuesday that over 500 fresh graduates of polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) took part the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme last year.
The programme matches such graduates to jobs related to their disciplines of study. They undergo a 12- to 18-month structured training programme, depending on the sector and job requirements.
This is higher than the 400 placements targeted for the year, the official said as reported by the Straits Times.
The programme includes facilitated learning, on-the-job training and work-based projects. Graduates are assigned mentors at the company to support their skills development.
They are also provided a career progression pathway, in line with the company’s talent development plan. At the end of the programme, they receive an industry-recognised certification and potential wage progression or career advancement based on performance.
The Education Ministry (MOE) has received positive feedback from employers and trainees, Faishal said, as reported by the Straits Times. "MOE will continue to work with the respective sector agencies to introduce more work-learn programmes to support training and lifelong learning.”
The programme covers 23 sectors. Fresh ITE or polytechnic graduates who are Singapore citizens are entitled to a $5,000 sign-on incentives, among other things.
The government has been aiming to have higher education institutions produce more competitive graduates. Two universities will launch this year work-study programmes that allow students to pursue their degrees while undergoing on-the-job training (OJT) with partner companies.
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung announced that Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and SIM University (UniSIM) will commence the new “SkillsFuture Work-Study Degree Programmes” in selected growth sectors.
These new programmes will feature increased employer involvement, and are co-developed and co-delivered with 12 partner companies, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said. The 12 companies comprise a mix of local companies (including a small and medium-sized enterprise), multi-national corporations (MNCs), and government agencies.
