How Singapore’s Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) Work: Who Can Apply & How Much Can You Earn

The Graduate Industry Traineeships, or GRIT, Programme is a government-funded traineeship programme for graduates from ITE, polytechnics, universities, and other educational institutions, in both the private and public sectors. It has been a year since these traineeships were first mentioned at the National Day Rally 2025, followed by an official joint announcement on 25 August 2025 by the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce, made up of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA), and the Public Service Division (PSD).

Under this initiative, fresh graduates from tertiary institutions get structured traineeship opportunities lasting 3 to 6 months. Participants gain hands-on, industry-relevant experience through structured on-the-job training, strengthening their employability and preparing them for full-time roles. About 800 traineeship opportunities were offered to start, and reportedly, more than 590 of these have been filled, with over 140 trainees already completing their stints, since the programme launched in October 2025.

GRIT targets fresh graduates who may face challenges securing full-time employment upon graduation due to the current weaker economic climate. For the private sector, the SWDA appoints host organisations from growth sectors such as Financial Services, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Manufacturing, and Wholesale Trade.

A quick scan of the roles offered on the MyCareersFuture site which provide government support for fresh graduates shows that roles range from Cybersecurity Associate Consultant in a large business consulting group to Finance Executive in a manufacturing firm to Data Scientist Expert in a software and solutions company.

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Who Can Apply For GRIT

To qualify for GRIT, trainees must be Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents and have graduated from universities, polytechnics, ITE, or other educational institutions, including private universities and overseas institutions, in 2024, 2025, or 2026. Those who complete their studies in 2026 but will only receive their certificates in 2027 are eligible as well.

Alternatively, if they graduated earlier from one of these institutions but completed National Service in 2024, 2025, or 2026, they will be eligible for GRIT.

Trainees must also have no prior working experience (i.e. this is not for mid-career individuals) and must be prepared to commit to a full-time traineeship.

There are two separate tracks, one for the private sector and one for the public sector, namely GRIT and GRIT@Gov, respectively.

Applications for GRIT go through the SWDA, the new agency formed by merging SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore, while applications for GRIT@Gov go through the Public Service Division.

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How Much Can You Earn From GRIT Traineeships

Trainees will receive a monthly training allowance ranging from $1,800 to $2,400 for the duration of the traineeship. This training allowance may vary depending on the scope of each traineeship.

For the private sector, the government funds 70% of this traineeship allowance, and the host organisation funds 30%.

Note that because GRIT traineeships are not employer-employee relationships, the host organisation is not required to offer employee benefits to trainees, nor is it required to make any form of CPF contributions to trainees. Host organisations must provide insurance coverage that offers reasonable protection for workplace accidents and injuries during the traineeship period.

At the end of the traineeship, host organisations may offer full-time positions based on trainees’ performance, but this is not guaranteed. Trainees can also leave the GRIT and GRIT@Gov programme at any time, as long as they have valid reasons and provide adequate notice as indicated in their training arrangement.

Reportedly, of the over 140 who completed their GRIT traineeship, almost half of them have found employment, with 4 in 10 of those employed hired by their host companies.

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What If You Don’t Qualify For GRIT

If you have graduated in 2023 or earlier, or if you have had prior work experience and graduated mid-career, unfortunately you will not be eligible for GRIT and GRIT@Gov.

However, you can explore opportunities through the Career Conversion Programme (CCP) or the Mid-Career Pathways Programme (MCP), which support career transitions into new sectors or roles.

Read Also: Fresh Graduate Salaries Are Rising, But Unemployment Is Rising. Why This Is A Problem For Young Singaporeans