Question

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry whether the Ministry will consider (i) extending the Global Talent Ready Programme to foreign multinational corporations that do not meet the 30% local shareholding requirement or (ii) introducing another version of the programme specifically designed to support internship opportunities and workforce training with foreign firms to better prepare students for employment and provide work experience.

Oral Answer (to be attributed to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong)

1. The Global Ready Talent Programme (GRTP), administered by Enterprise Singapore, seeks to help Singapore enterprises build a talent pipeline through local and overseas internships for our students. The minimum local shareholding criterion of 30%, which is in line with other business grant schemes to support Singapore enterprises, reflects this intent.

2. There are other opportunities for students to undertake internships with different archetypes of firms, including Multinational Corporations (MNCs) based in Singapore. For example, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) works with the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to provide internship opportunities with leading international technology firms based in Singapore, co-funded by the Government. IHLs, through their own efforts, are also able to secure sufficient internships with both local and foreign firms for students to complete course requirements. These internships allow students to build industry-relevant skills, gain global exposure, and improve employability, while enabling firms to build a pipeline of local talent.