200 found full-time jobs during SGUnited traineeships, attachments. Programmes extended till 2022.

Another 15,000 traineeship positions will be made available.

Jason Fan | April 13, 2021, 04:48 PM

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The SGUnited Traineeships Programme and the SG United Mid-Career Pathways Programme have been extended, with companies hosting traineeships and attachments that start before Mar. 31, 2022 qualifying for financial support.

In addition, from Apr. 1, 2021, training allowances were raised for ITE and diploma graduates, as well as mid-career job-seekers aged 40 and above.

Most host organisations were SMEs

According to the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) latest jobs situation report, a total of 9,500 individuals participated in the two programmes.

Four in five were recent graduates, while the rest were mid-career individuals.

200 managed to find full-time employment while the programme was ongoing, while another 160 have completed the programme.

These trainees were attached to 2,500 host organisations, more than nine in 10 of which were SMEs.

In addition, Workforce Singapore (WSG) also conducted a survey of host organisations, whose trainees have ended or are ending their traineeship or attachments by June 2021.

85 per cent of these organisations said that they have either converted, or intend to convert suitable trainees to regular employees.

The remaining host organisations who are not converting their trainees gave several reasons for not doing so.

The top reasons include the trainee wanting to further their studies, needing more time to assess the trainee, finding the trainee unsuitable, and not having the available headcount.

Most applicants applying to more prominent firms

According to WSG, 70 per cent of the applications thus far were concentrated on 20 per cent of vacancies, with many not securing any interview opportunity.

WSG said that although it is understandable that applicants focused on better known organisations and prominent sectors, they should consider applying to a broader range of host organisations, and those with fewer applicants.

This is because a majority of applicants who secured interviews subsequently received offers, said WSG.

Slowdown in applications

With the extension of both programmes, MOM expects strong interest from host organisations, with another 15,000 traineeship and company attachment opportunities likely to be available.

However, WSG said that they have started to observe a "moderated pace of applications", as unemployment eases.

Nearly half of those who received at least one traineeship or attachment offer had turned it down, with fresh graduates more likely than mid-career applicants to do so.

The key reason for this, according to WSG, was another traineeship or full-time employment opportunity.

Top image via Unsplash.