Changes to membership of Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce possible after Cabinet reshuffle

Help is at hand if global economy weakens further due to tariff-induced uncertainties

- Sharon Salim

The Government is ready to enhance existing schemes to help workers and businesses if the global economy weakens further due to tariff-induced uncertainties, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.

While providing an update on the progress made by the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce on May 16, DPM Gan said job security had emerged as the top-of-mind concern during the committee's conversations with fresh graduates, workers and the unions.

He said the task force is working with institutes of higher learning to step up efforts in helping fresh graduates secure good jobs. These include providing career counselling and holding job fairs.

He also encouraged fresh graduates and younger workers to keep their options open, and be more flexible in terms of the type of jobs and the salary package they are looking for.

"When the situation improves and the job market strengthens, there will always be opportunities to look for better jobs and better-paying jobs," he said.

Employers can also do their part and give more opportunities to young graduates, he added.

"You take them on as a trainee, as interns, so that they will acquire necessary experience because everybody has to start somewhere. We will be talking to these companies to create internship opportunities," DPM Gan said.

For mid-career workers, he said they can tap the training and up-skilling opportunities under initiatives such as the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, which provides Singaporeans aged 40 and above with a top-up of $4,000 in SkillsFuture Credit to pursue courses that can help them stay industry-relevant.