The SGUnited Traineeships program officially ended in Mar 2022.
This page contains public information on SGUnited Traineeships for employers / companies, for jobseekers / trainees go to this page instead.
About
As part of COVID-19 pandemic measures, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) have introduced the SGUnited Traineeships Programme to provide fresh graduates from Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education, polytechnics, universities and other educational institutions with traineeship opportunities across various sectors.
The SGUnited Traineeships programme aims to provide up to 21,000 traineeship opportunities, typically lasting up to 12 months, to those who have recently graduated or will soon be graduating. This will help them develop industry-relevant skills, notwithstanding the current economic climate, and boost their employability in preparation for the eventual recovery.
By participating in the SGUnited Traineeships Programme, host companies can gain access to a pool of fresh talent and be able to recruit from a pool of experienced trainees when hiring picks up.
Benefits
Companies can come onboard as Host Companies to take on fresh graduates or graduates as trainees to support their business needs and tap on government funding during the duration of the traineeship, in preparation for the economic recovery.
Employers with immediate hiring needs or looking to hire more experienced, mid-career jobseekers can continue to tap on the substantial support available under other Government programmes, such as the Professional Conversion Programmes under the Adapt and Grow initiative, and SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes.
Funding Rates
The Government will fund 80% of the training allowance, while the host company funds the remaining 20%. The monthly training allowance provided to each trainee may vary depending on the Traineeship Scope, based on traineeship requirements as below.
| Required qualifications or their equivalents | University degree or above | Polytechnic diploma or professional qualifications | ITE or equivalent |
| Estimated Monthly Training Allowance1 | $1,800 – $2,500 | $1,300 – $1,800 | $1,100 – $1,500 |
salaries.
Eligibility Criteria
All host companies must fulfil the following criteria:
- Host companies must be registered or incorporated in Singapore.
- Offer traineeships lasting up to 12 months (Traineeship must commence by 31st December 2020).
- Provide clear Traineeship Descriptions and Development Plans that would provide trainees with meaningful developmental opportunities during the traineeship period, subject to approval by the appointed programme manager.
- Co-fund 20% of the training allowance for the duration of the traineeship.
How to Apply
Organisations who are interested may proceed to register their interest through the SGUnited Traineeships / Mid-Career Pathways Programme – Company Attachments.
How to post on INTERNSG
Apart from posting on mycareersfuture.sg, companies can also post your listings on INTERNSG with hashtag #SGUnitedTraineeships in the job title, this will give your position better exposure to potential trainees. Once the traineeship is offered and accepted, the host company must inform Singapore Business Federation (SBF) to begin the traineeship. The host company must update the mycareersfuture.sg posting and indicate that the opportunity has been filled.
Singapore’s Government SGUnited Traineeships Program
What is SGUnited Traineeships Programme?
SGUnited Traineeships Programme provides fresh graduates from Institute of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics, universities and other educational institutions with traineeship opportunities that last up to 12 months across various sectors.
How will SGUnited Traineeships Programme help Fresh Graduates and Host companies?
These traineeships will help fresh graduates to develop industry-relevant skills during a weaker hiring climate and boost their employability in preparation for the eventual recovery. Host companies that take on trainees will be able to receive government funding for the training allowance provided. By participating in the SGUnited Traineeships Programme, host companies can gain access to a pool of fresh talent and be able to recruit from a pool of experienced trainees when the economy recovers.
Employer’s Questions
Can my company apply for the SGUnited Traineeship Programme?
Host companies that meet the following eligibility criteria can apply for the programme:
- Host companies must be registered or incorporated in Singapore (This includes Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), Multi-national Corporations (MNCs), Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs), Non-governmental organisation (NGOs) and Non-Profit organisations.)
- Offer traineeships lasting up to 12 months (Training must commence by 31st December 2020)
- Provide clear Traineeship Descriptions and Development Plans that would provide trainees with meaningful developmental opportunities during the traineeship period, subject to approval by the appointed programme manager Singapore Business Federation (SBF).
- Co-fund 20% of the training allowance for the duration of the traineeship
What is the funding rate for SGUnited Traineeships Programme?
Host companies are encouraged to provide a monthly training allowance depending on the traineeship scope, based on the traineeship requirements required as below:
| Required qualifications or their equivalents | University degree or above | Polytechnic diploma or professional qualifications | ITE or equivalent |
| Estimated Monthly Training Allowance1 | $1,800 – $2,500 | $1,300 – $1,800 | $1,100 – $1,500 |
salaries.
How many trainees can a host organisation take on?
The number of traineeships accorded to each host organisation will be evaluated and approved by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), based on the submitted traineeship development plans and the ability to provide trainees with meaningful traineeship opportunities.
Are host organisations able to offer monetary benefits (ie bonuses) and overtime?
Discretionary goodwill benefits are to be non-monetary only. As trainees are not employees, they will not be entitled to bonuses or eligible for overtime/shift pay. But host organisations are allowed to provide trainees transport or meals allowances on a reimbursement basis (with proof of receipts). Do note that these allowances are not covered under the 80% funding and would be at the host organisations’ cost.
Will host companies have to make CPF contributions for SGUnited trainees? Are trainees eligible for Job Support Scheme (JSS) payouts?
As this is a training programme, and there is no employment relationship between the trainees and host companies, host companies do not need to pay CPF. If there is intention to contribute CPF and establish an employment relationship, then such arrangements will not be eligible for funding under the SGUnited Traineeship programme.
As trainees are not considered employees, host companies will not receive JSS payouts for these trainees.
Will host companies have to provide Annual and Sick Leave entitlements to the SGUnited trainee during the programme period?
As this is a traineeship where there is no employer-employee relationship, host companies are not obliged to offer employee benefits to trainees. Host companies may choose to offer benefits on a discretionary goodwill basis.
Will there be any deduction to the trainee’s training allowance if he/she takes more than the proposed annual leave accorded during the programme period?
Host organisations may exercise the right to deduct the trainee’s training allowance proportionately for such instances but will need to inform Singapore Business Federation (SBF) in their monthly submissions. WSG will fund 80% of the revised Training Allowance after deduction.
During the course of the SGUnited Traineeships Programme, can a Host Company terminate the traineeship?
In the event of unforeseen circumstances or unsuitable trainee fit, host companies can terminate the traineeship while providing sufficient notice to the trainee, as stipulated in the training agreement. They should seek approval from Singapore Business Federation (SBF), our programme partner, with an explanation for terminating the traineeship. Likewise, trainees are also allowed to leave the traineeship at any time if there are good reasons to do so (e.g.managed to secure a full-time job) and while providing sufficient notice. Government funding for the training allowance will be provided for the duration of the fulfilled traineeship.
How will the 80% Government Funding for the SGUnited traineeship allowance be provided?
Host companies are required to pay out the monthly training allowance to trainees on a monthly basis. Correspondingly, Singapore Business Federation (SBF) will reimburse the government co-funded portion of the training allowance on a monthly basis to the host companies on the programme.
Can a host organisation submit a training allowance claim every 3 months instead of monthly?
The programme follows a monthly reimbursement model hence host organisations will be required to adhere to the monthly disbursement schedule.
Can a host company offer trainees a full-time role during the course of the SGUnited traineeships?
Yes, host companies can offer their trainees with a full-time role, if they find the individual’s performance satisfactory. When a full-time position is offered by the host company, the traineeship should be terminated before entering any employer-employee relationship. Host companies will then need to inform Singapore Business Federation (SBF) of this development and when the formal full-time employment arrangement will begin. Government funding for the training allowance will be provided for the duration of the fulfilled traineeship.
What is the maximum duration of a SGUnited traineeship programme?
Host companies can offer a traineeship of up to 12 months. Traineeships must begin by 31st December 2020. We encourage all host organisationsto provide a traineeship for a period of at least 4 months to ensure trainees are able to have a meaningful traineeship experience take away some industry-related skills.
Can the SGUnited Traineeship period be extended during the programme?
No. The traineeships cannot be extended as the duration was assessed based on approved plans.
Host companies may wish to consider hiring the trainees if there are more roles for the trainee to undertake and/or tap on other available Government grants for immediate hiring needs.
How can my company come onboard as a Host Company for SGUnited Traineeships?
Organisations who are interested may proceed to register their interest through the SGUnited Traineeships / Mid-Career Pathways Programme – Company Attachments.
When can my company start the SGUnited traineeships programme?
Traineeships can commence after the following is in place:
- Host Organisation’s application for traineeship positions has been approved by Singapore Business Federation (SBF)
- Host Organisation posts the traineeships positions on mycareersfuture.sg portal and selects suitable applicants
- Traineeship agreement has been accepted and signed by the successful candidate(s)
- Traineeships positions on mycareersfuture.sg portal updated with successful candidates’ selection
- Letter of Offer for SGUnited Traineeship programme issued by Singapore Business Federation (SBF) to the host organisation
Can my organisation only select applicants that correspond to the qualification requirements requested for?
Host Organisations should first identify the appropriate qualifications for their indicated traineeship roles. Should host organisations come across applicants who are keen to take up a traineeship with a lower qualification criterion, this would be permitted, but the training allowance would still remain the same as what was approved.
Can my organisation select a graduate who may be on a temp/contract role at the point of application but wish to join us under the programme?
Host Organisations can consider shortlisting graduates who have applied to their traineeship vacancies but may have existing contractual obligations at the point of application. However, at the point of commencement of the traineeship programme, the selected candidate must be able to participate in the traineeship programme on a full-time basis, to qualify for funding.
My organisation is looking at hiring multiple trainees from across various qualifications, but the traineeship role and development plan does not vary? Can this be supported?
Under the programme, development plans should be commensurate with the proposed traineeship roles. For traineeships roles and development plans that are identical across different qualification criteria, the proposed training allowance will be based on the lowest qualification offered.
Given the COVID-19 situation, can my company do a virtual SGUnited traineeship programme?
Yes, host companies can develop virtual traineeship programmes during this period of time. These will be evaluated by Singapore Business Federation (SBF) to ensure that traineeships conducted via this mode still provide meaningful developmental opportunities for the trainees.
Can my company develop my own SGUnited traineeship programme? Are there any guidelines to follow?
Host companies should propose Development Plans for the traineeships offered. The Development Plan will be assessed by Singapore Business Federation (SBF). Development Plans for the trainees should be clearly different from the work done by a regular employee of the host company.
Must my company post the SGUnited traineeship opportunities on MyCareersFuture.sg (MCF)?
Yes, host companies must post traineeship opportunities on mycareersfuture.sg. From there, host companies will be able to receive applications from interested fresh graduates and directly liaise with the applicants.
Apart from posting on mycareersfuture.sg, companies can also post your listings on INTERNSG with hashtag #SGUnitedTraineeships in the job title, this will give your position better exposure to potential trainees. Once the traineeship is offered and accepted, the host company must inform Singapore Business Federation (SBF) to begin the traineeship. The host company must update the MCF posting and indicate that the opportunity has been filled.
What happens if I am unable to fill up all the traineeships requested for? Will there be a penalty?
Host organisations that are unable to take on enough trainees to meet their approved traineeships vacancies will not be penalised, but the funding allocated by Singapore Business Federation (SBF) to the host organisation will be adjusted if the positions are not filled expediently.
Do companies apply for the SGUnited traineeships programme only when they have found a trainee or should they apply for the programme first and then find the trainees?
Companies should apply for the programme first and then find the trainees.
Must SGUnited traineeships be conducted in Singapore? Can my company send trainees to overseas offices for training?
Traineeships offered by host companies can be conducted overseas. Such requirements must be made known upfront during the posting of traineeship opportunities. Host companies will need to fully bearthe cost associated with overseas training. Prevailing national travel advisories and restrictions will still apply.
How will the matching and hiring take place under this SGUnited traineeship programme?
Host companies can process traineeship applications received for their traineeship roles based on their selection and shortlisting processes.
My company is a Group Company with many companies under us, can a trainee be put through SGUnited traineeships with my affiliated companies?
Trainees will be tied to a specific host company (based on UEN) for the duration of the programme, and the host company will be responsible for all traineeship arrangements. Requirements for rotation to affiliated companies must be made known upfront during submission of plans to the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and made clear to prospective applicants when the opportunity is posted. Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) will conduct regular checks to ensure that host companies comply fully with approved traineeship plans.
Further Queries
Who can I contact if I have more queries on SGUnited Traineeships Programmes?
If there are any further queries on SGUnited Traineeships Programme, submit your query to Workforce Singapore (WSG) here.
Can I contact INTERNSG for more queries on SGUnited Traineeships Programmes?
Singapore Business Federation (SBF) is the appointed Programme Manager for the SGUnited Traineeships and not INTERNSG. For any query with regards to SGUnited Traineeships, you can contact Workforce Singapore (WSG) here.
Can my company post the SGUnited traineeship opportunities on INTERNSG?
Yes, apart from posting on mycareersfuture.sg, companies can also post your listings on INTERNSG with hashtag #SGUnitedTraineeships in the job title, this will give your position better exposure to potential trainees. Once the traineeship is offered and accepted, the host company must inform Singapore Business Federation (SBF) to begin the traineeship. The host company must update the mycareersfuture.sg posting and indicate that the opportunity has been filled.
Is there a place I can discuss more about SGUnited traineeships development plans or best practices with fellow employers or trainees?
Yes, Clublance.com is a free community for Singapore interns, freelancers, trainees, part-timers, undergrads, fresh grads and employers. You can join the community if you are interested to discuss development / training plans, or chit chat on other topics. They also curate numerous resources on internships, news headlines and even deals / promotions for the community.