The Ministry of Manpower has announced that the SGUnited Traineeship programme will be extended until the end of March 2022.
Additionally, the traineeship allowances for ITE and polytechnic graduates will be raised to a maximum of S$1,800 and S$2,100 respectively.
The increase in allowance will apply to traineeships commencing April 2021, with the government co-funding 80 per cent of the training allowance.
| Traineeship Allowance Before April 2021 | New Allowance For Traineeships Commencing April 2021 | |
| ITE Graduates | $1,100 – $1,500 | $1,600 – $1,800 |
| Polytechnic Diploma Holders | $1,300 – $1,800 | $1,700 – $2,100 |
| University Degree Holders (or above) | $1,800 – $2,500 | $1,800 – $2,500 |
The SGUnited Traineeships Programme supports those who have recently graduated, or will soon be graduating from various educational institutes between 2019 and 2021.
It also aims to equip young locals with valuable industry experience and allow them to gain a firmer foothold in the job market during the economic recovery.
Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang said the increase would give an “extra boost to our ITE and Polytechnic graduates, who are facing more difficulty in finding jobs.”
Enhancements To SG United Mid-Career Pathway Programmes
Meanwhile, Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo also announced enhancements to SGUnited Mid-Career Pathway Programmes.
The programme was introduced to support mid-career individuals to widen their professional networks and gain new skills while preparing for more permanent jobs in the future.
Under the new enhancement, participants aged 40 and above can receive higher training allowances of up to S$3,800, as compared to S$3,000 previously.
| Standard Rate (Below age of 40) | Enhanced Rate (Above age of 40) | |
| Government Funding | Up to 80% of the training allowance | Up to 90% of the training allowance |
| Monthly Training Allowance | $1,600 to $3,000 | $1,800 to $3,800 |
The government will also fund 90 per cent of the training allowances for workers aged 40 and above.
In his Budget 2021 speech, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat noted that as of end last year, the Government has placed nearly 76,000 people in jobs, traineeships, attachments and skills training.
He also announced that an additional S$5.4 billion will be allocated to a second tranche of the Jobs and Skills Package, on top of the S$3 billion allocated last year.
The government also aims to provide up to 35,000 traineeships and training opportunities to help job seekers in upskilling and accessing employment opportunities.
Featured Image Credit: Beauty Undercover