Schemes Supporting Gig Workers Who Wish to Transit to Regular Employment and Challenges In Supporting these Workers

29 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many gig workers like food delivery workers who wish to transit to regular employment have benefited from Government schemes; and (b) what are the challenges involved in supporting this group.

Dr Tan See Leng: Platform workers are a diverse group and we are committed to supporting them in their plans. Many say they prefer such work because of the flexibility and autonomy it affords. For them, our recently established Advisory Committee on Platform Workers will consult widely and examine how they can be better supported.

For those looking to transit to regular employment, WSG and NTUC’s e2i offer career matching services including career coaching, employability workshops and job fairs. For example, in 2021, e2i conducted several Career Reinvention Workshops in collaboration with National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) and NTUC Learning Hub to help platform drivers explore new career pathways. In addition, digital services like MCF can be accessed at all hours of the day. The whole range of SGUnited Jobs and Skills support is also available to them. We know that it is challenging for platform workers to transit to regular employment, and WSG will continue to put in its best effort to support their job search.