3 Government Grants Singapore SME can tap into

Thinking of hiring in Singapore? There are a few government grants we have found out about and you should really consider tapping on them when making your next hiring move if you are a local SME.

Professional Conversion Programme (PCP)

This is one of the latest (at least is what we know of) initiative by Workforce Singapore - WSG to help companies defray their overheads by coming in with up to 90% salary support!

It is a programme that aims to help mid-career switchers move into a new career, without too much of an opportunity cost for the employer who is willing to take the "risk".

For most of the programmes, they last for a few months to a year. The company will be supported by WSG of their new hires' pay for as long as it lasts (i.e. 6 months programme equals to 6 months salary support).

Apart from that, WSG (with support from Skillsfuture Singapore) also subsidise up to 90% of the course fee that the employer needs to pay.

Amazing. (cue IKEA book book's ad voiceover)

One of the available programme is a digital marketing course which also helps to explains in detail how this programme works: PCP in Digital Marketing

Open Door Programme

The open door programme is an initiative designed by SGEnable to help companies in Singapore hire & train persons with disabilities and help push them higher into the workforce.

Employers who hire PWDs will be eligible to grants and employment support services under the Programme:

• On-the-job Training Grant to support employment and retention of PWDs
• Job Redesign Grant to support re-designing of jobs
• Purchases of equipment and workplace modification
• Training Grant for skills upgrading of PWDs and training of employees with no disabilities
• Recruitment and Job Support Services
• Full subsidy for attending SG Enable’s Disability Management Workshop

This grant helps employers to recruit and retain persons with disabilities by supporting up to 90% of the job redesign costs, capped at $20,000 per employee with disability.

It can be used to defray the cost for the following job redesign initiatives:

• Purchase of equipment
• Workplace modifications
• Redesigning of job scopes or processes
• Consultancy Services

If you are thinking about making a difference by hiring a person with disability (PWD), we made it easy for you by this link to one of the authorised trainers of SGEnable; social enterprise Make The Change.

Career Support Programme (CSP) for Employers

Another programme by WSG, the CSP is a programme to encourage employers to hire eligible Singapore Citizen Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs).

2 groups of Singaporeans fall under this category of eligibility. Singaporeans who are more than 40 years old who are unemployed and actively looking for jobs for 6 months or more; and Singaporeans below 40 years old who unemployed and actively looking for jobs for 6 months or more.

SMEs must also be willing to pay $3,600 or more per month for this new hire, with an employment contract of at least 12 months, before they will be deemed eligible for this programme.

For more information, visit: https://www.wsg.gov.sg/programmes-and-initiatives/wsg-career-support-programme-employers.html