Ms Angeline Yap, a political science major in NUS, intends to apply for a traineeship position once applications open.

Recent and fresh graduates who have yet to secure jobs amid the pandemic-hit job market can look forward to more than 4,000 traineeship positions. Applications open from June 1.

More than 280 organisations across the private sector, the Government and the institutes of higher learning have come forward to offer these positions.

The organisations include Singtel, DBS Bank, Surbana Jurong and the National University of Singapore (NUS), said the Ministry of Manpower and Workforce Singapore (WSG).

The SGUnited Traineeships Programme, aimed at providing 8,000 positions this year across various fields such as life sciences and the arts, was announced during the Resilience Budget in March to support graduates and boost their employability by the time hiring demand picks up.

Said Mr Tan Choon Shian, WSG's chief executive: "We are heartened that despite difficult business conditions during the Covid-19 outbreak, many firms, large and small, have stepped forward to join the SGUnited Traineeships Programme.

"With these firms participating as hosting companies, our fresh graduates will be able to use this traineeship period to prepare themselves for the eventual recovery, and we can be better assured that our Singapore workforce will remain resilient, robust and ready to rebound."

Host companies can also benefit by gaining access to a qualified pool of fresh talents and can hire well-performing trainees when the job market picks up.

To qualify, trainees must be Singapore citizens or permanent residents, graduated last year or will be graduating this year from the Institute of Technical Education, polytechnics, universities, or other educational institutions, or graduated earlier and completed national service last or this year.

ALLOWANCE

Traineeships under the programme will last up to a year, and trainees will receive an allowance, pegged to 50 per cent to 70 per cent of median starting salaries.

It will start at $1,800 a month for those with degrees or above, $1,300 for diplomas or professional qualifications, and $1,100 for ITE or equivalent.

The NUS will also give its graduating class of 2020 a leg up by opening up 200 full-time positions spanning across the school and the National University Health System.

It will offer 800 traineeships to bachelor's, master's and PhD graduates as part of the programme.

This opportunity is just in time for final-year NUS arts and social sciences undergraduate Angeline Yap.

Ms Yap, 23, a political science major, said: "I was quite worried because I planned to look for a job overseas. But with the uncertain situation, I am not sure if jobs will be easy to come by."

She intends to apply for a traineeship position once applications open.

She said: "I am grateful for the support. Now with the circuit breaker and being unable to go out, I think it would be a good way to spend my time and upgrade myself."