Data on Jobseekers Finding Jobs After Being Retrenched for More than a Year and Possible "Returnship" Programme

Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many jobseekers are able to find jobs after being retrenched for more than a year; and (b) whether the Ministry can consider convening a "returnship" programme to support companies in re-employing jobseekers who are returning to the workforce including working mothers and retrenched professionals.

Dr Charlene Chen and Ms Hazlina Halim have filed two Parliamentary Questions on supporting jobseekers to re-enter the workforce.

Of the 9,990 residents retrenched in 2023, 80.8% found employment within 18 months. There are existing schemes to support companies in employing those returning to the workforce. For example, Workforce Singapore's (WSG's) Mid-Career Pathways Programme (MCPP) provides attachment opportunities for mature mid-career Singaporeans aged 40 and above so that they can gain industry-relevant skills and experience, whilst assessing job-fit. Returning jobseekers can also tap on the Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) to be reskilled for new job roles with good prospects. Enhanced salary support is provided to employers who hire CCP participants who have been unemployed for at least six months.

We also have a suite of measures to support Singaporeans re-entering the workforce, including older jobseekers, to find part-time or flexible work and inclusive employers. These include: CCPs, which we enhanced earlier this year to support mid-career workers to take up jobs with flexi-load arrangements, such as part-time work; the Senior Employment Credit, which supports employers to hire and retain Singaporeans aged 60 and above; the Part-Time Re-employment Grant, which supports employers to offer part-time re-employment, flexible work arrangements (FWAs) and structured career planning to their senior workers; and the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests (TG-FWAR), which allows employers and employees to discuss and arrive at mutually-beneficial work arrangements. WSG also provides career matching and guidance services to support jobseekers, including interview preparation, networking and employer engagement.

As part of the Economic Strategy Review announced by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong in August, the Committee on Managing Impact of Restructuring is developing ways to proactively support workers who are affected by economic transformation as well as strengthen system-level support for displaced workers to bounce back into gainful employment. The Committee will share more details in due course.

The Ministry of Manpower and WSG leverage multiple communications and outreach channels to increase awareness of these measures among both individuals and employers. This includes media pitches, marketing campaigns and roadshows. For older jobseekers, we will continue to build our presence at local communities, such as by hosting in-person career fairs and working closely with Community Development Councils to publicise and provide employment support, given that many older jobseekers still prefer having face-to-face engagements or finding work near their homes. The Tripartite Standards (TS) recognises employers who have implemented progressive employment practices, such as age-friendly workplaces and FWAs. On MyCareersFuture portal, jobseekers can identify these employers through their TS logomarks and select job postings that offer different types of FWAs.

The Government and tripartite partners have also convened a Tripartite Workgroup on Senior Employment, to review and refresh our policies to support senior employment. The Workgroup will release its recommendations next year.