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GRIT will offer up to 800 structured traineeships of three to six months across multiple sectors, helping fresh graduates from universities, polytechnics, ITE, and other institutions gain industry-relevant experience and ease their transition into full-time employment.
The Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce (SERT), together with tripartite partners, introduced the GRaduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) and GRIT@Gov programmes on Friday (22 August) to help fresh graduates gain industry-relevant experience and skills as they transition into full-time employment.
GRIT will initially offer up to 800 structured traineeships for a period of three to six months across various sectors, for fresh graduates from universities, polytechnics, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and other educational institutions (e.g., private universities and overseas institutions).
The GRIT programme is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Manpower and Workforce Singapore that aims to support fresh graduates who are keen to gain exposure in leading companies in various industries, while GRIT@Gov, coordinated by the Public Service Division (PSD), will focus on supporting traineeships for fresh graduates within public sector agencies.
Funding and allowance
Trainees will receive a monthly traineeship allowance ranging from S$1,800 to S$2,400 for the duration of the traineeship. The Government will fund 70% of the traineeship allowance, while the host organisation will fund the remaining 30%. The monthly traineeship allowance may vary depending on the scope of each traineeship.
Who is eligible?
- Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents.
- Graduates from universities, polytechnics, ITE, or other institutions in 2024 or 2025.
- Those who graduated earlier but completed National Service in 2024 or 2025.
- Students completing studies in 2025 but officially receiving their certification in 2026 are also eligible.
When to apply?
Applications open in October 2025. Fresh graduates are encouraged to register their interest via https://go.gov.sg/grit-trainee-interestform, to be among the first to know when the programme is launched and opportunities become available.
During a media doorstop at the OCBC Campus on 22 August, Minister for Manpower Dr. Tan See Leng shared that SERT, of which he is a member, has been closely monitoring the employment situation for fresh graduates and acknowledged that while preliminary data shows most graduates are still able to secure jobs, there are ongoing concerns from graduates and their families.
"We do hear the concerns from our graduates and their families, and have been looking for ways to provide even more support," he expressed.
Minister Tan announced that the initiative was designed to address a common challenge faced by graduates: while there are jobs available, many employers are also looking for individuals with years of relevant working experience to fill them.
"This is why we designed GRIT to help our fresh graduates gain industry experience and practical skills via traineeships, which can then help them explore various career options, while at the same time also strengthening their employability for future jobs."
Companies such as Grab, Micron, OCBC, ST Engineering, and Sea Limited have already come onboard to offer traineeships in areas such as data science, strategy and planning, business analytics, digital marketing, and engineering. In addition, the public sector will make about 2,400 immediate vacancies available through the Careers@Gov portal, bringing the total to more than 3,000 opportunities for graduates.
Dr. Tan also stressed that beyond GRIT, graduates can also tap on initiatives such as Workforce Singapore’s Polaris by Volunteer Career Advisors (VCA), which connects young jobseekers with industry experts for career insights and professional networking. Institutes of Higher Learning have also stepped up career guidance, while SkillsFuture credits can be used to fund career planning programmes.
Acknowledging the challenges of today’s job market, Dr. Tan offered words of encouragement: "I understand your concerns. I know the current economic climate is challenging, but rest assured we are all behind you every single step of the way.
"I have faith in each and every one of you – because you are all talented, and you have that resilience, and you will be able to make valuable contributions to whichever company or agency you work in."
READ MORE: OCBC signs MoU with ICF Singapore to equip leaders with coaching skills for organisational growth
Lead image / MOM Facebook
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