Updated
Updated · The Business Times · Aug 5
Singapore Says 3,600 University Graduates Still Seek Jobs as Entry-Level PMET Roles Rise by 300
Updated
Updated · The Business Times · Aug 5

Singapore Says 3,600 University Graduates Still Seek Jobs as Entry-Level PMET Roles Rise by 300

1 articles · Updated · The Business Times · Aug 5

Summary

  • 3,600 fresh graduates from Singapore’s autonomous universities were still seeking work as of June 2026, equal to one in five of the latest 18,000-strong cohort, Acting Manpower Minister Jasmin Lau said.
  • 9,100 graduates had found employment and 5,400 were outside the labour force, mostly for voluntary reasons such as further study or taking a break before starting work.
  • 32,800 entry-level PMET jobs were available in March 2026, up from 32,500 in December 2025, according to Lau’s written parliamentary reply on graduate job openings.
  • Nine in 10 graduates from the 2025 cohort found work within 12 months, and the ministry said it is expanding work-based learning and traineeship schemes, including GRIT and GRIT@Gov, for the 2026 cohort.
  • More than 550 trainees from last year’s cohort had already been recruited into 800 GRIT places by end-June, as Singapore pushes AI-focused programmes to improve graduate employability.

Insights

Why are thousands of Singaporean graduates struggling to find work despite stable entry-level job vacancies in 2026?
As employers demand AI fluency over basic degrees, will the traditional university diploma become obsolete for landing a first job?