Question

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Government administers any scholarships aimed at encouraging students to work with local SMEs; and (b) if not, what is the rationale for ending the administration of such scholarships.

Written Answer by Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong

1. The Government partners sponsoring companies, including local SMEs, to award the Singapore-Industry Scholarships (SgIS) to Singaporeans undertaking their undergraduate studies. After graduating, SgIS scholars contribute to a range of industries, including infocomm and media, lifestyle and food, electronics, and supply chain management. In addition, there are other industry-specific scholarships offered by sector agencies which local SMEs can tap on, such as the SG Digital Scholarships offered by IMDA.

2. Besides scholarships, EnterpriseSG and MOE also partner local SMEs and other companies on various talent development programmes to help them attract and develop young talent. This includes the Global Ready Talent Programme which encourages and supports young Singaporeans to undertake local and overseas internships in our Singapore enterprises, as well as Work-Study Programmes where students from our educational institutes learn through structured on-the-job training.