" The central focus of this Budget is jobs. This Budget will continue to support workers and businesses who remain affected by border closures and safe distancing measures. Given the significant changes in the global economy ahead, we
will provide support to enable our businesses and workers to adapt, transform and seize new opportunities, to emerge stronger. "
- DPM Heng Swee Keat during his Fortitude Budget speech
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat announced on 26 May 2020 a $2 billion SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package to strengthen employment and training support for our workers.
40,000 jobs
For those who have lost their jobs, the Government will expand the number job opportunities to more than 40,000 jobs.
15,000 public sector jobs
The
public sector will create 15,000 jobs, in sectors such as early childhood education, healthcare and long-term care.
These include jobs related to COVID-19 operations, such as healthcare
declaration assistants and swabbers.
25,000 private sector jobs
Government agencies will work with businesses to create 25,000 jobs.
Many businesses have already stepped forward with a wide range of job openings, including computer engineers
and machine operators.
Career conversion programmes, such as Place-and-Train conversion programmes – under the Adapt and Grow Initiative,
and Company-Led Training programmes under the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) initiative will also be expanded.
Since the launch of TeSA in 2016, over 90% of the thousand-odd trained with industry leaders – such as Accenture, DBS Bank, and Google – have been emplaced in ICT-related roles.
25,000 traineeships
To help job seekers gain valuable industry-relevant experience, the Government will create 25,000 traineeship positions. Trainees may be emplaced in jobs with their host companies at the end of their traineeships.
For local first-time job seekers
The SGUnited Traineeships programme will provide 21,000 traineeships,
with Workforce Singapore (WSG) funding the training allowances with host companies for up to 12 months.
These include technology-related areas that are in high demand or emerging rapidly.
For mid-career job seekers
A new SGUnited Mid-Career Traineeships scheme will provide 4,000 traineeships that
specifically caters to the needs of mid-career individuals.
WSG’s Attach-and-Train programmes under the Adapt and Grow initiative, targeted at mid-career
individuals, will also be scaled-up.
30,000 skills training positions
For job seekers looking to upgrade their skills while looking for a job, a new SGUnited Skills programme will expand training capacity for about 30,000 job seekers this year.
Participants can take industry-relevant and certifiable training courses full-time – provided by companies and Continuing Education Training (CET) centres, including Institutes of Higher Learning – at
highly subsidised rates. The course fees can be substantially, if not fully offset by their SkillsFuture Credit.
They will be given opportunities to apply their training – through
attachments or participation in company projects – as well as provided career guidance and job placement support.
Participants will also receive a training allowance of $1,200 per month during
the course of training.
Hiring incentive
To support employers
in hiring, the Government will provide a hiring incentive to employers to hire local workers who have gone through eligible traineeship and training schemes.
For eligible workers aged 40 and above: the incentive will cover 40% of their salary over six months, capped at $12,000 in total.
For eligible workers under
40: the incentive will cover 20% of their monthly salary over six months, capped at $6,000 in total.
COVID-19 Support Grant
Another $800 million will be set aside for the COVID-19 Support Grant. This covers those who have lost their jobs, are placed on no-pay leave, or will see salaries significantly reduced in the coming months due to COVID-19.
For more on the Fortitude Budget, click here.
For more on Budget 2020, visit https://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg.
© 2024 Government of Singapore. Last updated on 19 Apr 2024