Singapore to offer up to 800 graduate traineeships under new GRIT initiative

SINGAPORE – Up to 800 traineeships will be offered by private firms and public sector agencies from October 2025 under the Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) initiative, aimed at addressing concerns over limited job opportunities among graduates. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Workforce Singapore (WSG), and the Public Service Division (PSD) outlined the scheme in a factsheet released on 22 August.

Under the scheme, trainees will receive allowances ranging from S$1,800 to S$2,400 per month, depending on the role. The government will cover 70% of the monthly allowance, with host organisations contributing the remaining 30%. Each traineeship will run for three to six months.

Focus on growth sectors

The traineeships will be available in sectors identified as growth areas, including financial services, information and communication technology (ICT), manufacturing, and wholesale trade. GRIT@Gov will be coordinated by PSD to place participants in public sector agencies.

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng explained that the initiative provides graduates with practical exposure and industry insights. “One issue we have heard from graduates in their job search is that while there are jobs available, many employers are also looking for individuals with years of relevant working experience to fill them,” he said. “Graduates cannot obviously obtain the required experience if they are not offered the opportunity in the first place.”

Announcement follows National Day Rally

The programme follows a National Day Rally announcement by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who highlighted the government’s plan to launch a programme to support young Singaporeans entering the workforce. The rollout will begin on a focused scale and can be expanded depending on the economic outlook.

The scheme is open to Singapore citizens and permanent residents who graduated in 2024 or 2025 from universities, polytechnics, the Institute of Technical Education, and other institutions. Holders of master’s and PhD qualifications are also eligible, as well as those who completed National Service in 2024 or 2025 or officially graduate in 2026 but have completed their studies. Applications open in October, with pre-registration encouraged.

Conditions for host organisations

Companies hosting trainees will not need to make Central Provident Fund contributions or provide employee benefits, as the arrangement is not considered an employer-employee relationship. Non-monetary benefits may be offered at the discretion of the organisation. Trainees are encouraged to complete their stints but may leave early if they secure full-time employment.

Lessons from SGUnited Traineeships

The GRIT initiative builds on Singapore’s earlier SGUnited Traineeships programme, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. That programme offered allowances between S$1,100 and S$2,500 per month, with government support covering 80% of costs. From June 2020 to March 2022, over 12,500 participants benefited, many transitioning to long-term employment. Participation declined as the economy recovered, leading to the programme’s closure.

Safeguards and mid-career support

To prevent displacement of mid-career workers, GRIT traineeships offer lower allowances and shorter durations than comparable initiatives for experienced workers, such as the Mid-Career Pathways Programme. Additional schemes, including Career Conversion Programmes, provide training and salary support for mid-career professionals. The government has also implemented safeguards to prevent retrenchment of existing employees in roles similar to GRIT traineeships.

Scaling the programme

Dr Tan See Leng noted that the government is prepared to scale up the initiative if labour market conditions worsen, based on contingency plans and frameworks. While Singapore’s long-term unemployment rate remains low, authorities will monitor labour indicators and feedback to ensure traineeships do not inadvertently reduce graduates’ chances of securing full-time employment.

Several leading companies have committed to GRIT placements, including Grab, Micron, OCBC, ST Engineering, and Sea Limited. Dr Tan expressed hope that host organisations may eventually offer permanent positions, though this is not obligatory. The public sector is also advertising about 2,400 immediate vacancies for graduates through Careers@Gov, particularly in data, technology, and digital services roles.

Graduate job market challenges

The launch of GRIT coincides with ongoing concerns about graduate employment. A CNA straw poll conducted between 7 and 10 August among 105 graduates from the 2024 and 2025 cohorts found that 26.7% had not yet secured full-time work, and a quarter lacked confidence of doing so within six months. Sixty percent described their job search as “somewhat difficult” or “very difficult”.

These findings align with the Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey released in February, which showed a decline in graduates securing employment within six months (87.1% in 2024, down from 89.6% in 2023), and a drop in full-time permanent employment from 84.1% to 79.5%.

Broader concerns among graduates include mismatched skills and market needs, high operating costs, outsourcing trends, foreign talent policies, AI-driven changes in the job market, and rising living costs, all contributing to heightened anxiety among young jobseekers.