About 350 trainees placed with over 50 host organisations under graduate traineeship scheme

[SINGAPORE] About 350 fresh graduates have been placed as trainees under the Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) and GRIT@Gov programmes since their roll-out in October 2025, said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng on Friday (Feb 6).

Speaking during a visit to one of the host organisations, French aerospace and security company Thales Solutions Asia, he said that Singapore’s labour market remained resilient in 2025 despite global economic uncertainties, with employment expected to continue growing this year.

He noted that seven in 10 graduates from the 2025 university cohort have secured jobs.

“This will increase over time as graduates explore and take advantage of the opportunities available to them,” the minister added.

He highlighted growth in entry-level professional, managerial, executive and technical (PMET) roles, which rose from 31,000 to 39,000 between June and September 2025.

Polytechnic graduates’ employment outcomes in 2025 also held steady, with 90 per cent securing employment within six months of completing their final examinations or full-time national service.

Against this backdrop, the GRIT programme supports fresh graduates with no prior work experience by helping them gain industry-relevant exposure and facilitating their transition into permanent employment amid heightened economic uncertainty.

To date, more than 50 companies have come on board as GRIT host organisations.

Providing opportunities

Dr Tan said the traineeships provide “opportunities to pick up practical, real-work skills that will help (participants) in their careers”.

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Emily Tan, chief executive of Thales Solutions Asia and country director of Thales Singapore, said the company has offered five traineeship positions and plans to take in more trainees across other sectors.

She highlighted the rapid growth of the aerospace sector and the need to train more talent for the industry.

“With (Changi Airport’s) Terminal 5 coming up, we know that demand for aerospace talent will only increase in Singapore,” she said.

Thales Solutions Asia focuses on developing products for the aerospace and space sectors, and currently employs more than 2,100 staff.

Skylar Teo, a trainee engineering assistant in industrial engineering at Thales under the GRIT programme, said that he sent out close to 200 job applications during his six-month job search before landing this role.

He highlighted the difficulty fresh graduates face in securing jobs, noting that companies often prefer diploma holders who are more technically trained and cost-effective to hire, while higher-level roles typically require prior work experience.

Asked about his compensation package, he said the company was “very generous” with employee benefits, adding that he hopes to convert to a full-time position at Thales.

GRIT traineeships last between three and six months, with participants receiving a monthly allowance ranging from S$1,800 to S$2,400, depending on the role.

The allowance is co-funded, with the government covering 70 per cent and the host organisations funding the remainder.

The traineeships span sectors including manufacturing, financial services, information and communications technology and professional services. Other host organisations include DBS, LinkedIn Singapore, OCBC and ST Engineering.

“We understand, we empathise with the concerns that young people have about their first job,” said Dr Tan.

He added that his ministry will continue prioritising efforts to help fresh graduates secure permanent employment. He cited measures such as the at least 14 career fairs held in 2025 and access to Workforce Singapore career support resources for GRIT applicants while their applications are being processed.