Govt expands career conversion programmes with increased salary support caps

SINGAPORE: In Singapore news today, the Manpower Minister Tan See Leng has unveiled in Parliament significant enhancements to the Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs), emphasizing increased support for mature or long-term unemployed workers.

The key enhancement involves an adjustment to the salary support caps provided under the CCP. Workforce Singapore (WSG) will now co-share costs with employers, offering a higher support cap for those reskilling new hires or existing workers for new or enhanced job roles.

Effective immediately, employers engaging in reskilling mature or long-term unemployed workers can avail themselves of up to $7,500 per month in salary support, marking a substantial increase from the previous cap of $6,000.

Similarly, other CCP participants will witness a boost in the cap from $4,000 to $5,000 per month.

This adjustment translates to a maximum salary support of $45,000 for each worker undergoing a six-month conversion program, aiming to incentivize employers to actively engage in reskilling initiatives.

While traditionally focused on reskilling workers in roles at risk of redundancy, the government now aims to support employers in proactively reskilling existing workers for new growth job roles.

MOM also introduced two new initiatives: the Global Business Leaders Programme and the Overseas Markets Immersion Programme.

These programs aim to provide Singaporean workers with additional avenues for career development and global exposure, offering on-the-job, in-market training in various sectors, including technology and business development.

Dr Tan said, “Employees will benefit from reskilling through on-the-job, in-market training in global or regional roles offering good prospects, whether in technology, business development, or beyond.”

The announcement follows the launch of the CareersFinder feature on the MyCareersFuture portal last year, utilizing data and AI to assist workers in making informed decisions about training and career plans.

Minister Tan reported that, within the initial six months, over 15,000 individuals utilized CareersFinder, with early indications showcasing increased diversity in job applications across various occupations.