Additional Assistance for Retrenched PMETs to Retrain and Upgrade for Reemployment

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower whether there will be any additional assistance, besides the $500 SkillsFuture grant, available for retrenched PMETs to retrain and upgrade themselves for re-employment.

The Ministry of Manpower is committed to actively support retrenched workers, including professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs), to secure new employment. Besides helping them to improve skills through the SkillsFuture Credit, the Government also offers the SkillsFuture Mid-career Enhanced Subsidy for Singaporeans aged 40 and above to receive up to 90% subsidy of course fees for Workforce Development Agency (WDA)-supported courses and at least 90% of programme cost for Ministry of Education (MOE)-subsidised full-time and part-time courses.

PMETs, including those retrenched, who wish to undergo skills conversion and change their professions, can tap on Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs). Salary support of up to 70% of the monthly salary, subject to a cap of $2,000, is given to employers who hire them, with enhanced funding support for mature and long-term unemployed PMETs.

To help match job-seeking PMETs with suitable positions in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the P-Max programme supports SMEs in the recruitment, training and management of PMETs with job-matching services, workshops and an Assistance Grant of $5,000.

In addition, the Career Support Programme (CSP) launched in October last year, helps Singaporean PMETs aged 40 and above to have better access to mid- and higher-level jobs while learning on the job. Under this programme, employers are given wage support for employing mature PMETs who have been actively searching for jobs for at least six months with a monthly gross salary of at least $4,000.

Above all, WDA and the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) also help connect retrenched and at-risk PMETs to potential employers through platforms, such as the Jobs Bank portal, job fairs, recruitment and networking events. The Ministry is also monitoring the current economic and labour market situation closely and stands ready to strengthen employment support for all workers.