{
  "id": 2282117,
  "title": "Graduate industry traineeships: Nearly half find jobs after completing programme",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/graduate-industry-traineeships-nearly-half-find-jobs-after-completing-2282117",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-21T02:11:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CNA - Singapore",
    "slug": "cna-singapore",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/graduate-industry-traineeships-programme-nearly-half-find-jobs-6331331"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nearly half of recent graduates who participated in industry traineeships have secured full-time employment, according to a recent report. The Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) programme, launched by the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) in October 2025, offers three to six-month traineeships to help fresh graduates gain industry experience. SWDA funds 70% of each trainee's monthly allowance, with host organisations covering the remaining 30%. Over 140 trainees have completed their stints, with about four in 10 of those employed hired by their host companies. The programme, which spans more than 40 private-sector organisations and 50 public-sector agencies, aims to assist graduates entering a cautious hiring market and broader economic uncertainty. As of June, around 9,100 graduates had found work within 12 months of graduation, while about 5,400 were still looking for employment or pursuing further studies. Experts warn that while traineeships provide valuable experience, they should remain one of several routes into employment and not become the default option for graduates.",
  "summary": "More than 140 fresh graduates have completed traineeships under the Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) programme, which aims to help them gain industry experience and move into full-time work. The programme, launched by the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) in October 2025, offers traineeships lasting three to six months.\n\nAccording to Channel News Asia, nearly half of the graduates who completed the programme found jobs after finishing their traineeships. One example is Mr Kenneth Chow, 25, who completed a traineeship with LinkedIn in January 2026 and was offered a full-time position as a sales development representative.\n\nExperts warn that such schemes should remain one of several routes into employment. The GRIT programme was initiated to aid fresh graduates who have difficulty finding their first job, providing them with a chance to gain industry experience and build confidence in their chosen field.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Graduate industry traineeships: Nearly half find jobs after completing programme",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/graduate-industry-traineeships-nearly-half-find-jobs-after-completing",
        "published": "2026-08-21T02:11:15.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}