SINGAPORE: The decline in employment figures for polytechnic graduates in 2024 compared to the previous year could be attributed to lower hiring demand and fewer job vacancies, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said.
He noted that the impact varied across different course clusters, with graduates from health sciences and humanities and social sciences maintaining strong employment outcomes, while those from engineering and digital technologies faced higher unemployment rates.
“This could be due to cyclical sectoral changes, such as the downturn in the tech sector, which also affected hiring demand,” the minister said in Parliament on 4 February.
Chan was responding to several MPs, including Bukit Panjang MP Liang Eng Hwa and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, who raised concerns about the rise in unemployment rates among fresh polytechnic graduates, based on the latest Graduate Employment Survey released on 13 January.
The survey, conducted by Singapore’s five polytechnics, showed that only 54.6 per cent of fresh graduates in the labour force secured full-time permanent jobs in 2024, a drop from 60 per cent in 2023 and 59 per cent in 2022.
He noted that some graduates declined full-time job offers due to concerns over work-life balance or dissatisfaction with salaries. MOE will continue monitoring this trend to assess its long-term impact on employment outcomes, he added.
The 2024 survey gathered responses from 7,614 out of 10,045 fresh graduates, assessing their employment status as of 1 October—approximately six months after graduation.
Among respondents, 50.4 per cent were employed or actively seeking jobs, while 48.9 per cent were pursuing or preparing for further studies.
Overall, 87.5 per cent of polytechnic graduates in the workforce found permanent, freelance, or part-time jobs within six months of graduation or after completing full-time national service.
Singh raises concerns over underemployment as fresh poly grads’ jobless rate climbs to 12.5% in 2024
However, the unemployment rate for fresh graduates rose from 7.3 per cent in 2023 to 12.5 per cent in 2024, comparable to the 12.6 per cent unemployment rate recorded in 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Singh, citing these figures, asked if MOE was concerned about underemployment among polytechnic graduates.
He also noted that nearly a decade had passed since Parliament debated the Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review (ASPIRE) report, which aimed to strengthen applied education by enhancing graduates’ skills and industry linkages.
He sought MOE’s assessment of the progress made in improving employment outcomes for polytechnic graduates.
In response, Chan highlighted a growing trend of polytechnic graduates pursuing further studies before entering the job market, which he described as a positive development.
Among those seeking full-time jobs—about 45 per cent of graduates—the unemployment rate increased by 5 per cent in 2024.
He acknowledged the complexity of defining underemployment, as different organisations have varying definitions, and perspectives differ between graduates and employers. Nevertheless, MOE remains focused on ensuring long-term career progression and good salary trajectories for graduates.
Chan stressed the importance of polytechnics, universities, and ITE working closely with industries to better prepare students for the workforce.
He emphasised the need to forecast industry demand—not just in terms of numbers but also in the types of skills required in the coming years—though he acknowledged that this is no easy task.
Singh questions if gaps in polytechnic applied learning hinder job prospects for non-degree graduates
Singh recognised the increasing university participation rate but questioned whether gaps in applied learning at the polytechnic level were affecting employment prospects for those who do not pursue a degree.
He asked how polytechnic graduates could better adapt to long-term economic trends.
Chan responded that keeping polytechnic courses relevant is an ongoing effort, requiring continuous industry input.
The focus, he said, is on addressing long-term structural trends rather than short-term economic cycles. He highlighted the expansion of work-study programmes, such as Work-Study Diplomas and Degrees, which offer hands-on applied learning in collaboration with industries to equip students with job-ready skills.
Strengthening industry-academia collaboration, he added, is also crucial, as bridging education with real-world business practices benefits both fresh graduates and mid-career learners in continuing education and training (CET).
