Grab announces new training and support initiatives for drivers

DRIVERS of ride-hailing giant Grab can soon tap training programmes and a career support portal to enhance employability.

These programmes will launch in the third week of June, said Grab during an online media briefing on Thursday.

Co-developed by Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) and Grab, the Grab Driver Training Programme is a two-day training programme consisting of courses on customer service skills, as well as vehicle safety and maintenance. These two courses aim to help reskill and upskill drivers who intend to continue driving for a longer term.

Drivers will be fully subsidised by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Grab, it said, with SSG to provide up to 90 per cent support for course fees under the Enhanced Training Support Package for point-to-point (P2P) drivers.

These courses will also be made available for all other taxi and private hire vehicle drivers, and will be mandatory for all new Grab drivers before they can be activated by the platform.

Grab aims to offer at least 2,000 of its active drivers training or career support through these programmes in the next six months, it said.

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Christy Chung, director of the Continuing Education & Training Academy in NP, said: "The courses offer transferable skills that may come in handy when they pursue new career opportunities. We look forward to being their lifelong career development partner as they continue to upskill and develop themselves professionally."

The courses will first be taught by NP lecturers in English, said Ms Chung during the briefing, adding that other languages might be added in the future, as well as explore possible co-teaching opportunities with other Grab trainers.

Grab will also launch a "Jobs" widget in its "driver-partner" app, which curates in-demand job opportunities from Workforce Singapore's (WSG) MyCareersFuture.sg portal. Drivers can search and apply for suitable jobs based on their skills and preference to supplement their income through the portal, said Grab.

Additionally, Grab's new Career Support Portal, which is targeted at those who wish to find a new career opportunity, aims to provide a one-stop platform for career coaching, introductory courses for IT and digital marketing roles, as well as certification to help drivers explore other job opportunities.

Upon completion, participants may also be offered placement and networking opportunities offered by training providers.

Participants will be under the guidance of LinkedIn coaches, who can help them discover potential tech careers. They can also join a peer support group with other career transitioners facilitated by Singapore-based coaching facility GrowthBeans.

"With a phased approach to reopen our economy, we are expecting demand for rides to gradually return. It is hence important that we help our driver-partners to expand their earning opportunities in the meantime, so that they can continue to earn a viable living on the Grab platform as well as outside of it. Through the new training courses and the Grab Career Support Portal, we hope to enhance our driver-partners' employability so that they can better capture those opportunities," said Andrew Chan, managing director of transport for Grab Singapore.