
Singapore's tech graduates face job struggles as market shifts
Singapore's tech graduates face job struggles as market shifts
- Singapore's digital economy contributed substantially to GDP and supported a significant number of tech jobs as of 2024.
- Despite this growth, the employability of tech graduates has declined markedly, with decreasing rates of full-time job placements.
- The job market is evolving, with employers focusing on efficiency and specialization, posing challenges for new entrants.
Story
Singapore's digital economy saw significant growth, contributing 18.6 percent to its GDP and supporting 214,000 tech jobs in 2024. However, despite this positive growth, tech graduates are finding it increasingly challenging to secure jobs. Reported layoffs at major global tech companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Intel in recent years have heightened caution in the job market. As a result, the employment outcomes for graduates have suffered, with a decline in the percentage of information and digital technology graduates securing full-time permanent roles. This decrease has been noted over the last two years, dropping from 87.6 percent in 2023 to 78.3 percent in 2025. Graduates from the university sector are faring even worse, with full-time employment rates declining to 74.4 percent in 2025, while median salaries remain around $5,500 monthly since 2024. Meanwhile, polytechnic graduates also experienced a slight dip in employability. Furthermore, the latest Employment Outlook Survey from ManpowerGroup Singapore indicates that employers are shifting toward streamlined operations and efficiency, directly affecting entry-level positions. Many entry-level tasks and roles that once provided training opportunities are now either eliminated or absorbed into senior roles, a trend supported by advancements in automation and AI tools. With an evolving skills landscape, there is a growing emphasis on specialization in high-demand areas, such as cloud security engineering, machine learning operations (MLOps), and data science. Additionally, while industry attachments remain common, many students face a disparity in the depth and applicability of their experiences. Some internships provide limited exposure, often prioritizing observation rather than hands-on experience, thus leaving graduates with strong theoretical knowledge but inadequate practical skills. Looking to the future, workforce studies predict that over 30 percent of skills required in Singapore's job market may change between 2024 and 2030. To address this, experts advocate for expanding applied training in critical areas and for employers like Accenture and NCS to continue hiring fresh talent. Educational institutions are encouraged to incorporate credit-bearing industry projects and certifications in areas like cloud fundamentals or cybersecurity, helping create a more capable workforce. Moreover, initiatives like Living Labs on campuses aim to provide students with real-world problem-solving experiences, utilizing industry-standard tools and emerging technologies.