March 05, 2021, 07:44 PM
Around 4,500 jobs and skills opportunities will be created for Singaporeans by the end of this year, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli announced on Friday, Mar. 5.
These opportunities will be found in the social service and early childhood sectors, as well as within the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and its related agencies, he said at the ministry's Committee of Supply (COS) Debate.
They "will enable Singaporeans to kickstart meaningful careers that contribute towards a resilient and caring society that can overcome challenges together," MSF further said in a press release.
New jobs in social service and early childhood sectors
In response to Members of Parliament (MPs) Melvin Yong and Seah Kian Peng, who asked for an update on the Covid-19 Recovery Grant (CRG), and how MSF is creating more jobs, especially in the social service sector, Masagos said over 7,500 Singaporeans have benefited from CRG to date.
The initiative provides temporary financial relief to lower-to-middle-income workers impacted by the pandemic, as they look for new jobs or upskill opportunities to prepare for career changes, he added.
And MSF has supported the efforts of the National Jobs Council by working towards the creation of 4,500 jobs and skills opportunities by the end of 2021, he said.
The ministry said that together with the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), they are developing 1,200 of such opportunities in the social service sector.
These span roles in corporate and professional functions and are available for both fresh graduates and mid-careerists.
They also allow Social Service Agencies (SSA) to obtain manpower that can help them "transform and adapt" their services in the new normal, MSF added.
In addition, close to 1,000 additional job opportunities have been created since July last year by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), which has been working with preschools and SSAs.
New jobs for persons with disabilities
In addition, Masagos said the key thrust of this effort is the creation of opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) through its existing Open Door Programme, as well as three new programmes, which will support 150 opportunities:
1. Place-and-Train (PnT) programmes, where persons with disabilities will be placed with employers and trained for new full-time or contract roles.
2. Attach-and-Train (AnT) programmes, where persons with disabilities will receive on-the-job and structured training by host companies, in temporary attachments and/or traineeships.
3. Skills Development Programmes (SDP), where persons with disabilities can attend customised training courses to upskill themselves.
These efforts will help to actively build resilience in Singaporeans and enable them to bounce back from the crisis even stronger, Masagos said.
MSF will make these opportunities progressively available from now till the end of 2021, on the following platforms:
Top image adapted via MSF
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