SINGAPORE — For students preparing to leave the classroom and enter Singapore’s workforce, landing that first job could become more complicated as artificial intelligence reshapes the skills employers need.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is responding by expanding career support for young people before they graduate, with greater emphasis on job matching, career coaching, industry connections and AI readiness.
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng announced the push on Aug. 19 as NTUC Youth marked its 21st anniversary. He said AI is creating new opportunities but is also making the transition from education to employment more uncertain for graduating youths.
The labour movement wants young workers to prepare not only for their first job, but for careers that may require continuous learning, reskilling and adaptation.
A Bigger Scholarship Programme for Students
One of the most immediate changes is the expansion of the NTUC Starter Awards.
The bond-free scholarship programme, launched in 2024, will increase its next intake by 50 per cent to 150 scholars. It has supported 135 students so far and will now include Nanyang Technological University (NTU) as its ninth participating institute of higher learning.
The programme covers students from participating ITE colleges, polytechnics and universities.
Depending on the type of institution, the financial support can reach S$6,000 for ITE students, S$9,000 for polytechnic students and S$16,000 for university students. Awardees also receive leadership development, mentorship, overseas learning opportunities and community-immersion experience. Applications for the 2026 intake run from Aug. 20 to Oct. 25, 2026.
The Bigger Concern: Getting That First Job
The scholarship expansion comes as NTUC increases its broader push to help young Singaporeans enter the workforce.
Through the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), graduating youths can receive personalised career coaching and access to an AI career coach. NTUC has also been working with employers and tertiary institutions to connect young jobseekers with vacancies.
Three youth-focused career events held in July brought together more than 50 employers and offered about 300 entry-level roles, while more than 900 vacancies were available across sectors including technology and cybersecurity, engineering, finance and other professional services.
More than 800 on-site job interviews were conducted during those events, according to NTUC.
The message is increasingly clear: getting a degree may open the door, but graduates will also need to show employers that they can work effectively alongside rapidly evolving technology.
AI Is Changing What “Job Security” Means
The challenge is not limited to fresh graduates.
A recent Straits Times report highlighted NTUC’s concern about both young “first-jobbers” and older professionals, managers and executives who may struggle to find comparable work after retrenchment. NTUC’s first Chief Job Security Caryn Lim said the labour movement is looking at ways to strengthen individual career support and expand the use of AI in career services.
MOM figures cited by The Straits Times showed that the unemployment rate among workers below 30 rose from 5.8 per cent in December 2025 to 6.2 per cent in March 2026. MOM said the increase among those below 25 was likely influenced by more frequent movement between short-term vacation jobs, rather than necessarily reflecting a broad shortage of job opportunities.
At the same time, retrenchments increased in the second quarter of 2026. Preliminary figures cited by The Straits Times put the number at 4,500 workers, up from 3,830 in the first quarter and the highest quarterly figure since the fourth quarter of 2020.
That wider employment picture explains why NTUC is increasingly framing career security around the ability to move into the right job as circumstances change, rather than remaining in one position indefinitely.
NTUC Has Already Started Building an AI Career Safety Net
The youth push is also part of NTUC’s wider AI-Ready SG initiative, launched in February 2026.
The initiative includes AI training pathways, career mentorship, sector-specific AI playbooks and support for eligible NTUC members using AI tools. NTUC said members can receive subsidies covering up to 50 per cent of eligible AI-tool subscription costs, while the initiative also incorporates training and career guidance.
NTUC has also been using AI in career support itself, including technology designed to help jobseekers with career direction, skills gaps and job-search preparation.
The organisation said its AI-focused efforts are intended not simply to help workers use new technology, but to help them remain employable as industries change.
What This Means for Singapore’s Fresh Graduates
For students approaching graduation, the takeaway is straightforward: the job hunt is no longer just about having a qualification.
Employers are increasingly looking for people who can adapt, learn new tools and understand how technology is changing their industry.
That does not mean AI will simply eliminate entry-level jobs. NTUC has stressed that technology can also generate new industries, business models and career opportunities. The challenge for young workers is making sure they have the skills and networks to reach those opportunities.
NTUC Youth plans to organise additional career-fitness roadshows at institutes of higher learning and public spaces, aimed at helping young people understand how to prepare for future opportunities.
For the graduating class of 2026, therefore, the race for a first job may be changing — and the students who start preparing before graduation could have an advantage.
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