Graduate under-employment rises as more take to the gig economy

Singapore

HALF a year before graduating from Yale-NUS College as an urban studies major, Reuben Su began applying for marketing jobs and positions in management associate programmes.

But he did not net a full-time job by his May 2017 graduation, so when a friend mentioned they needed some paid freelance design work done, he agreed to help. Other opportunities streamed in, and Mr Su has been doing freelance work in social media management, videography and event planning since.

"My schedule can be a bit crazy and manic, but I'd also like to think I'm embracing the future," he said of being a freelancer.

An annual survey of recent graduates from the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore Management University (SMU) release…