Fortitude Budget: S$1,200 allowance for job seekers going for training

Sharon See

Published Tue, May 26, 2020 · 09:13 AM

Job seekers who take training courses will receive a training allowance of S$1,200 per month under a new SGUnited Skills programme to help them upgrade their skills while looking for employment, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Tuesday.

The SGUnited Skills programme, which will offer training for about 30,000 job seekers this year from July, is part of the wider SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package that is expected to cost the government S$2 billion.

Participants of this SGUnited Skills programme can take industry-relevant and certifiable training courses full-time at highly subsidised rates, Mr Heng said in Parliament as he delivered the government's fourth economic rescue package.

These courses will be delivered by companies and Continuing Education Training Centres, including institutes of higher learning.

The course fees can be substantially, if not fully, offset by participants' SkillsFuture Credit, he added.

Job seekers will be given opportunities to apply their training, through attachments or participation in company projects, and they will also be provided with career guidance and job placement support.