Challenges and Support Plans for Students Graduating from Hospitality, Aviation and Aerospace Courses in 2021

Miss Rachel Ong asked the Minister for Education (a) how many students are graduating from studies in hospitality, aviation and aerospace in 2021; and (b) whether and how will the Government support these graduating students to gain meaningful employment engagements given the challenges faced by these sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many economic activities. The hospitality, aviation and aerospace sectors have been particularly impacted. The Government has been working closely with the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and the industry to support graduates entering the workforce since last year, including around 5,000 graduates from full-time courses related to hospitality, aviation and aerospace from the IHLs who graduated between December 2020 and September 2021.

The SGUnited Traineeships Programme was introduced last year to provide fresh graduates with industry experience and the opportunity to convert their training to a full-time job. Over 10,200 graduates have benefited from this, including some from the hospitality, aviation and aerospace courses. MOM and Workforce Singapore (WSG) have extended this programme until March 2022. Graduates also receive career guidance and assistance through the IHL Career Centres, WSG's Career Connect Centres and NTUC's e2i career centres.

Graduates from harder-hit sectors, such as hospitality, aviation and aerospace, who wish to explore new opportunities in adjacent sectors can also access career fairs organised by the IHLs as well. Graduates from the Class of 2020 and 2021 can also tap on the free Continuing Education and Training modules offered by the IHLs to enhance their skills while they seek employment. These courses will be available until March 2022.

These measures have helped cushion the impact of a challenging job market. About nine in 10 graduates from courses related to hospitality, aviation and aerospace who entered the labour market in 2020 were employed within six months after their final examinations or one year after completion of full-time National Service. Of those who were employed, about one in 10 were on-boarded as trainees under the SGUnited Traineeships Programme. This is similar to the overall employment rate for Class of 2020 graduates across all IHL courses, as well as those who graduated in 2019, before the onset of COVID-19.

The Government will continue to monitor the graduate employment situation closely as the economy recovers and prepare our graduates well in starting their first careers.