COVID-19 has sent the world into an economic frenzy, and Singapore hasn’t been spared from it.
We have seen unemployment rates climbing to its highest in a decade.
Some are concerned about how recession-proof their jobs truly are.
To help with the current situation, the government has previously pledged its support for job seekers during this difficult period.
One of the biggest initiatives rolled out was the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package, which aims to support close to 100,000 job seekers.
This package aims to expand job, traineeship, and skills training opportunities to support Singaporeans affected by the economic impact of COVID-19.
Besides gaining job-related skills and capabilities, job seekers would also gain access to more employment opportunities.
The SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package includes various initiatives to cater to different employment needs.
Here are the initiatives which are included in this comprehensive package:
- SGUnited Jobs – Jobs creation and career conversion programmes, virtual career fairs, and virtual workshops
- SGUnited Traineeships and Mid-Career Traineeships Programmes (SGUT)
- SGUnited Skills Programme – full-time training programmes ranging from six to 12 months
- Enhanced Hiring Incentive – part of the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package (SMCSP); salary support for employees, and reskilling and training programmes
Here’s all you need to about the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package!
TL;DR: SGUnited Jobs & Skills Package: Level up on Your Career Opportunities
| Focus | Initiative | No. of Positions | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job Opportunities | SGUnited Jobs Initiative | 40,000 (15,000 from public sector, 11,000 from private sector, 14,000 for career conversion programmes) | Provides jobs in public and private sectors, in both short-term and long-term roles |
| Virtual Career Fair | - | Offers mainly positions which have immediate vacancies | |
| Traineeships | SGUnited Traineeships Programme | 21,000 | For graduands or recent graduates, to gain industry-related experience |
| Mid-Career Traineeships Programmes (SGUT) | 4,000 | Details to be released at a later date | |
| Training and Skills Upgrade | SGUnited Skills Programme | 30,000 | Certifiable training courses that ranges from 6 to 12 months, with training allowance |
| Encourage Local Hire | Enhanced Hiring Incentive | - | Increased salary support for employers to hire local workers of all ages |
SGUnited Jobs Initiative
The SGUnited Jobs Initiative aims to create 40,000 jobs by the end-2020.
This would include about 15,000 openings from the public sector, and 25,000 in the private sector.
For the public sector, agencies will look into creating short-term jobs to meet the needs of COVID-19 related operations.
There will also be 2-year positions available for job seekers to be trained in key capability areas, thus providing a smooth transition into the private industries.
As for the private sector, agencies will work alongside businesses to step up on career conversion programmes to more than 14,000 places this year.
There will be a focus in growth sectors such as Infocomm & Technology and Financial Services.
Interested job seekers can look for these jobs here, under the #sgunitedjobs hashtag.
Mid-Career Job Seekers
For individuals who are seeking a career change, there are career conversion programmes as mentioned above!
The Workforce Singapore (WSG) has rolled out the Adapt and Grow programme, which also includes Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs).
These programmes are targeted at Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs), including mid-career switchers.
Individuals will get to undergo skills conversion, and eventually move into new occupations or sectors.
Virtual Career Fair
Apart from the job portals, there is also an ongoing virtual career fair from 3 – 19 July 2020.
This virtual fair offers mainly positions which have immediate vacancies, or positions which have been disrupted due to COVID-19.
Last but not least there are also virtual workshops and seminars that would help job seekers pick up important job search skills, as well as build professional networks.
SGUnited Traineeships Programme
The SGUnited Traineeships Programme is catered to students that graduated or graduating in 2019 or 2020.
It aims to provide up to 21,000 traineeship opportunities that would last up to 12 months.
Students from ITEs, Polytechnics, Universities, or other institutions of higher learning can apply for traineeship positions to pick up industry-related experience and exposure, in preparation for future opportunities.
Eligible candidates would also get to receive training allowance, which is based on qualifications, as well as the scope of traineeship and skills required.
Check out how you can apply for this programme.
For mid-career seekers, there will also be Mid-Career Traineeships Programmes (SGUT) available, which would offer about 4,000 more traineeships.
Details will be released at a later date.
SGUnited Skills Programme
The SGUnited Skills (SGUS) programme is a full-time training programme that ranges from 6 to 12 months.
Under this programme, training courses are offered and designed in partnership with the industries.
This would help trainees acquire industry-relevant skills that can improve their employability.
These courses are certifiable, and are delivered by Continuing Education and Training (CET) Centres, including Institutes of Higher Learning (such as polytechnics and universities).
The courses available are also conducted in a modular format, which would help facilitate the transition to jobs when opportunities are available.
Trainees will also receive a training allowance of up to $1,200 per month for the duration of the programme.
In addition, these courses are highly subsidised in order to keep them affordable.
This programme will be rolled out progressively from July onwards, with institutions like National University of Singapore (NUS) already listing its programmes.
Enhanced Hiring Incentive
To encourage employers to hire local workers aged 40 and above through eligible reskilling programmes, the Hiring Incentive was introduced during the Unity Budget.
For each eligible worker hired, the employer would receive 20% salary support for six months, capped at $6,000 in total.
With the impact of COVID-19, the Hiring Incentive was enhanced to cover local workers of all ages, with increased support for those aged 40 and above.
The list of eligible reskilling and training programmes has also expanded from 27 May 2020 onwards, as follows:
The enhanced Hiring Incentive will be applicable to any hire from eligible reskilling programmes from 27 May onwards.
SGUnited Jobs & Skills Package: Level up on Your Career Opportunities
Searching for a job in this economic environment is no easy feat.
It is easy to question your self-worth and place in the workforce, especially when job hunting gets tough.
Nevertheless, it is important to keep that motivation going, and always keep a lookout for opportunities. 💪
If you’re still unsure of where to start, you can always direct your questions to our Seedly community!
