Number of Applicants for SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme

37 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the total number of applicants for the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme in 2020 and 2021; (b) among these, how many (i) have been successful in their application and (ii) found a permanent job after taking part in the programme; and (c) what is their median and average training allowance.

The Minister for Manpower (Dr Tan See Leng): Speaker, company attachments under the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme (SGUP) were introduced in July 2020 amidst a weak labour market to provide mid-career jobseekers with opportunities to acquire work experiences, skills and networks while preparing for more permanent jobs in the future. From the launch of the programme till January this year, over 7,200 mid-career local jobseekers have been placed into attachments.

Trainees typically receive a monthly training allowance of between $1,600 and $3,800. This is determined by the host organisation. The Government funds up to 90% of the training allowance. The average and median training allowances of SGUP participants are both around $2,600.

WSG also monitors the number of trainees who found a job within six months after completing or otherwise exiting the programme. As of November 2021, over 3,400 trainees have completed or exited their attachments. Amongst this group, about 2,600, or about 77%, were employed. This is an encouraging sign that the attachments have equipped the trainees with useful skills, experience and industry contacts. For trainees who have not yet secured employment, WSG has proactively reached out to provide them with job search resources and information on job opportunities and upcoming job fairs. Trainees can also take up WSG’s career matching services, which include career coaching, employability workshops and networking sessions to aid their job search.

The Member also asked about the number of applicants. As of January 2022, over 20,800 locals have applied for SGUP positions. SGUP applicants do not just make one application. Instead, they usually make multiple job and attachment applications and they choose the best offer that they can receive. The labour market started showing signs of recovery towards the end of 2020, with the resident unemployment rate improving steadily since the third quarter of 2020 and resident employment rising in 2020 and even more quickly in 2021. It is, therefore, not surprising that the majority of SGUP openings were not filled. This is a positive sign.

SGUP remains a useful programme for employers and jobseekers who may face greater challenges in making a career switch. As announced recently at Budget and MOM’s Committee of Supply, we will retain SGUP as one of our permanent employment facilitation programmes, but they are only available for mature trainees. This will provide more options for mature jobseekers looking to make a career switch.

Mr Speaker: Mr Ang Wei Neng.

Mr Ang Wei Neng (West Coast): Thank you, Speaker. Can I just understand correctly? Is the Minister saying that there were 20,000 applications for this SGUP programme but only 7,200 applicants were successful, of which, 3,400 completed the programme? If that is so, of the 20,000 applications, how many are the unique applicants? That means, we want to know what is the success rate of them getting a position under SGUP.

The Minister was saying that only 3,400 have completed the programme. So, it appears that the drop-out rate is quite high. Can the Minister enlighten us why that is so?

Dr Tan See Leng: Thank you. So, there are three points to consider.

First, at the 20,800-applicant stage, these applicants do not just make one application to SGUP. They make multiple applications. So, when we are able to help them, that number comes down to about 7,200. Out of the 7,200, close to 1,800 have exited the programme. I think they have either moved on, found jobs or decided that they wanted to do something different and not continue with the programme itself.

Out of the 5,000-plus that are left, the 2,600 or 77% that we have successfully placed into jobs that are permanent, the balance 800-plus we are still helping them in terms of working with them closely – as I have alluded to, an entire range of options of matching them with jobs, working with career counselling coaches, networking sessions and job fairs. The balance 2,000 out of that 5,000 that exited, the 2,000 are still in the programme itself and they have not completed the programme. So, I hope that provides the clarity. [Please refer to "Clarification by Minister for Manpower", Official Report, 4 April 2022, Vol 95, Issue No 60, Corrections by Written Statements section.]

In an improving job situation, as we have seen in the last few quarters since the third quarter of 2020, we have, indeed, seen an uptick in terms of vacancies looking for job applicants to fill these vacancies. So, I suspect that that is what has led to the numbers dropping off.

For the mid-career mature trainees, it is still a very important programme for us to continue and we think that the length of time that is taken to help them pivot, transform, upskill is something that is very useful and would take time for them to be comfortable in terms of taking on new roles and new jobs. It is not something that we can rush them into.

So, I hope that the Member understands. It is taken against a larger context of the numbers that we are dealing with.