Jamus Lim proposes national on-the-job training programme, says paper qualifications are ‘incomplete’

MP Jamus Lim suggests expanding existing schemes into national on-the-job training programme

Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) Jamus Lim has called for Singapore to scale up its current internship and traineeship efforts into a national on-the-job training (OJT) programme.

In a Facebook post on Thursday (19 March), he said Singapore’s strong emphasis on paper qualifications is “not bad, per se”, but ultimately “incomplete” as it focuses more on assessment than the actual demonstration of skills.

He argued that many essential job skills are picked up through hands-on experience rather than in the classroom.

Many skills are learnt on the job, not in school

Reflecting on his childhood, Mr Lim shared that his interest in economics and finance began when his mother brought him to her stockbroking office on Saturday mornings.

Although he did not fully understand what was happening at the time, those early observations later helped him pick up operational work more easily during his summer jobs.

“I’d wager that a great number of skills needed for any job are learned not in the classroom, but while doing the task itself,” he said, referring to what is commonly known as OJT.

Calls to expand GRIT into national OJT scheme

Mr Lim noted that apprenticeships and structured training systems have long existed globally, but Singapore continues to place heavier emphasis on academic certification.

While acknowledging the value of qualifications, he said this approach can lead to people “learning to the test” without being able to perform effectively in real-world situations.

To address this gap, he proposed expanding the Graduate Internship and Traineeship (GRIT) programme into a full-fledged national OJT scheme.

Currently, GRIT offers only about 100 placements, which he suggested is too limited.

One key idea is to allow SkillsFuture credits to be used as subsidies for employers to take on trainees. These traineeships could last between six months and a year, with a clear pathway towards eventual employment.

Safeguards needed to prevent misuse

Thinking ahead, Mr Lim also stressed the need for safeguards to prevent abuse of such a system.

For instance, he suggested that employers should be required to submit credible OJT plans to qualify for subsidies, and there should be a structured pathway to employment based on reasonable performance.

He added that trainees should be treated as employees under the Employment Act, with proper protections and benefits such as annual leave.

“There should also be checks to ensure genuine knowledge transfer,” he said.

AI and youth unemployment make programme more urgent

Mr Lim highlighted that the need for a stronger bridge between graduation and employment is even more pressing in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).

“Youth unemployment is now higher than before, and technology threatens to hollow out entry-level jobs. Yet the demand for mid-tier professionals remains as strong as ever,” he said.

Describing this as a “classic market failure”, he argued that policy intervention is needed to help young workers gain experience early, so they can progress into mid-career roles.

He added that Singapore already has key building blocks in place, including SkillsFuture, GRIT, and Workforce Singapore programmes, and that the next step is to bring them together into a cohesive national system.

All that’s needed is to put these together purposefully, for the next generation of workers.

Also Read: Jamus Lim suggests converting underused multi-storey carpark floor space into pickleball courts

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Featured image adapted from Jamus Lim on Facebook and Facebook.