Budget 2026: New pilot to uplift electrical trade with apprenticeships, career ladders to be launched
Lessons from the programme will be used to scale up efforts for other trades
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[SINGAPORE] A pilot programme will be launched to uplift the electrical trade, with initiatives such as structured career ladders and apprenticeships, in a bid to build a strong local pipeline of tradespeople.
The move is part of the government’s efforts to increase pay and progression in skilled trades – roles that will remain essential to Singapore’s economy and can even be complementary to automation by artificial intelligence, said Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng during his ministry’s Committee of Supply debate on Tuesday (Mar 3).
“The skilled trades can and should offer good job opportunities for those who prefer ‘hands-on’ work that (requires) dedication and mastery,” said Dr Tan.
“Yet with the workforce ageing in such trades, we need to think harder about workforce renewal and attracting more Singaporeans to join these trades.”
To drive these efforts, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Specialists Trade Alliance of Singapore (Stas) to roll out the pilot programme.
Dr Tan said the electrical trade was selected for a start because of its “essential role in our future economy, deep skills content, and the need to build a strong local pipeline”.
The government will work with Stas and other industry players to co-develop initiatives for the trade. This includes uplifting the sector through clear skills progression frameworks and formal apprenticeship pathways that will help tradespeople advance in their fields.
Lessons from this pilot programme will be used to scale up efforts for other trades, with MOM exploring trades such as plumbing and air-conditioning technicians. More details will be shared later.
When asked by Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP Saktiandi Supaat why the government did not introduce a national trades skills framework instead, Dr Tan said that concentrating efforts on a focused set of trades would yield greater impact given Singapore’s population size.
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Supporting the youth
Efforts will also be stepped up to support young graduates in securing a strong start to their careers.
To equip young people with global skills and perspectives, the Overseas Markets Immersion Programme (OMIP) will be expanded to offer them overseas exposure, said Dr Tan.
Since its launch in 2024, the OMIP has supported more than 120 local professionals to gain overseas experience.
“We recognise that our youth have a growing interest in gaining overseas experience,” said Dr Tan, adding that providing such opportunities early strengthens local talent pipelines and companies’ global competitiveness.
Closer to home, the broader job market for fresh graduates remains resilient, said Dr Tan, though some still face challenges finding the right job match.
Job vacancies continue to outnumber jobseekers, with over four in 10 openings for entry-level roles suitable for young professionals.
Further, more than 80 per cent of university graduates from the 2025 cohort had already found employment by December 2025, comparable to the 2024 cohort, Dr Tan noted.
Nevertheless, to help bridge the remaining gaps and assist those struggling with job matching, MOM will extend applications for the Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) scheme to the 2026 graduating cohort.
Graduate traineeships
Introduced in August 2025, GRIT helps graduates acquire structured, industry-relevant work experience through three to six-month traineeships in “leading companies in growth areas”.
Dr Tan said that more than 4,000 applications have been received, with over 400 graduates already on such traineeships.
Applications have fallen by about 90 per cent since GRIT’s October 2025 launch, as more applicants opted for full-time employment or other opportunities, Dr Tan revealed last week in response to parliamentary questions.
Employers have used the scheme to sustain hiring amid a cautious business environment, with many intending to convert strong performers into full-time employees.
MOM is speeding up onboarding and is prepared to expand capacity if market conditions warrant it.
Responding to calls from Workers’ Party MP Gerald Giam to provide wage support to small and medium-sized enterprises to hire graduates, Dr Tan said a broad-based subsidy may not provide the same quality of experience to graduates.
This is especially so if companies lack the capacity to train or provide them with meaningful careers once the wage support ends.
A general subsidy could also result in even more wastage, said Dr Tan, given that 80 per cent of graduates secure jobs within months after graduation. Subsidies will thus mostly benefit hires that would have happened anyway.
“Additionally, we also have to balance against unintended outcomes, where companies might end up retrenching older workers and replacing them with cheaper graduates so that they can save on manpower costs,” he added.
Dr Tan said the government’s approach is thus more sustainable and appropriate for the present situation, where many permanent full-time roles remain available.
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