Debated in Parliament on 1 Mar 2016.
Mr Chen Show Mao asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) what are the take-up rates of the schemes aimed at encouraging SMEs to hire fresh graduates and interns, such as the SME Talent Programme and SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme.
The SME Talent Programme (STP) helps local SMEs attract talent from Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs), Polytechnics and Universities by co-funding student internships, study sponsorships and fresh-hire training. Participating students are required to work in the sponsoring SMEs after graduation. In 2015, 155 STP job matches and over 700 STP internships were conducted, benefiting 192 enterprises. This was an increase from the 116 enterprises that benefited in 2014.
SMEs also benefit from the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme (ELP), a work-study programme to encourage fresh graduates from Polytechnics and ITEs to enter industries which they are trained for. The ELP provides these graduates with opportunities to deepen their skills through structured workplace learning and mentorship, as well as competitive starting salaries and clearly-defined career advancement pathways. The programme started in April 2015, and as at December 2015, 144 individuals had been placed in 55 companies across 12 sectors. SMEs have responded positively to the programme, making up about half of the companies that hired new graduates from Polytechnics and ITEs under the ELP in 2015. The ELP will be expanded to more sectors in 2016.
SPRING will continue to work with trade associations and chambers, universities, polytechnics and ITEs to increase the flow of talent to the SME sector.
PAPERCUTS