In a recent study, 90 per cent of polytechnic graduates found employment within six months of completing their final exams or finishing National Service, according to the Polytechnic Graduate Employment Survey results released on 15 January 2024. This marks a small decline from the 90.4 per cent recorded in 2023 and a notable drop from the 95.8 per cent seen in 2022.
Employment Outcomes Overview
The survey, conducted jointly by all five polytechnics—Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Republic, Singapore, and Temasek—highlighted key data points:
- 54.2% of recent graduates secured full-time permanent positions.
- 28.2% were employed in part-time or temporary roles.
- 4.8% worked as freelancers.
- 2.3% accepted job offers starting later.
- 0.6% were launching their own businesses.
Among those unemployed, 7.1% had applied for jobs without receiving offers, while 1.3% rejected job offers, and 1.6% chose not to search for full-time roles.
Salary Insights
The median gross monthly salary for graduates in full-time permanent roles rose to S$3,000, up from S$2,900 in 2023. Humanities and Social Sciences graduates reported the highest salaries, averaging S$3,200, followed by Health Sciences at S$3,011.
Positive Trends in Employment
Despite the slight dip in six-month employment rates, past data suggests that outcomes typically improve over time. For instance, many in the 2023 cohort who initially struggled found work within a year.
Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s principal and CEO Lim Kok Kiang expressed optimism, noting that graduates are finding roles in growth sectors like finance and healthcare, even amid challenging economic conditions.
Support for Job Seekers
Various initiatives are in place to assist graduates:
- Dedicated career counselling services through polytechnics.
- Career fairs and networking events.
- Resources from Workforce Singapore and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute.
- Programmes such as the Graduate Industry Traineeships and GRIT@Gov, launched to enhance employability.
With the total employment rate rising in 2025—despite variations across sectors—fresh graduates remain highly sought after. Entry-level job vacancies increased to 39,000 in September 2025, up from 26,000 in the previous year, with nearly 40% of these opportunities in promising sectors.