Work-study courses for poly and ITE graduates pay off

They enjoy good employment outcomes, earn 33 per cent more than before: Maliki

- Taryn Ng

More graduates from the polytechnics and Institute of Technical Education (ITE) will be able to pursue higher qualifications while working, with 10 new work-study courses being launched in 2024.

The five polytechnics will add these programmes in the growing digital, green and care sectors, expanding the range of training opportunities for students, said Second Minister for Education Maliki Osman on July 17.

Of the 10, three courses started classes in April, and the rest will begin in the second half of 2024.

Speaking at the annual Skills Future Work-Study Fair held at Republic Polytechnic, Dr Maliki said that work-study graduates have enjoyed good employment outcomes, with more than nine in 10 securing jobs within six months after completing the programmes.

Most students stayed at the companies that sponsored them for the programme.

"Many said that the programme equipped them with skills and competencies for larger or higher job roles, which were reflected in their salaries," said Dr Maliki. On average, six months after finishing the programme, graduates earned 33 per cent more than before, he noted.

He also cited figures from a recent study on wage outcomes of polytechnic graduates in workstudy courses from 2018 to 2021 by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, which showed they earned more during the programme than their peers who started working immediately.