Statistics on Local Graduates Working in Jobs Related to Field of Studies

Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Education (a) in the last 10 years, what is the percentage of diploma holders and university graduates from local institutes of higher learning who work in jobs related to their fields of study; (b) which fields of study have recorded more alumni having such jobs and which have recorded the least, respectively; (c) what measures have been or will be introduced to increase the inflow of alumni into such jobs; and (d) what is the target, if any, that the Ministry is working towards.

The proportion of polytechnic and autonomous universities (AU) graduates working in jobs related to their fields of study has increased in the last 10 years. Based on the Ministry of Education's Graduate Employment Survey, polytechnic graduates working in a related full-time permanent job increased from 71% to 79% from 2014 to 2023. For AU graduates, the proportion increased from 82% to 86% in the same period.

Graduates from specialised disciplines are more likely to enter related jobs. For example, more than 95% of polytechnic and AU graduates from the health sciences reported entering related jobs in the last 10 years. In comparison, a greater proportion of graduates from broader disciplines report working in unrelated jobs. For example, an average of 69% of humanities and social sciences AU graduates entered related jobs in the last ten years.

Given that students have diverse interests that may change over time, it is not meaningful for Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to set hard targets to ensure that graduates work in jobs related to their field of study. That said, our schools and IHLs provide education and career counselling to help students identify their strengths and interests and encourage them to choose courses accordingly, rather than simply choosing the most popular courses. IHLs also work with sector agencies and employers to encourage the inflow of graduates into jobs related to their training. This includes, enhancing students' internship experience and raising awareness of available job opportunities in the sector. More broadly, IHLs seek to ensure that students are equipped with skills, such as problem-solving and critical thinking, that are valued across different job roles and industries.