Career conversion programmes, up to S$1,600 in training incentives to help taxi, private-hire drivers amid AV transition
The career conversion programmes come with up to 90 per cent of salary support, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling.
Traffic at a busy intersection in Singapore. (Photo: iStock/davidf)
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SINGAPORE: Career conversion programmes and up to S$1,600 (US$1,240) in incentives for training are part of a new transition package to help taxi and private-hire drivers better adapt amid the autonomous vehicle (AV) transition.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling announced the move in parliament on Tuesday (Jul 7) during a motion on Singapore's transport strategy. The motion was tabled by the Transport Government Parliamentary Committee and led by its chairperson, MP Tin Pei Ling (PAP-Marine Parade-Braddell Heights).
“We recognise that autonomy and AI, if not managed well, can bring disruption to existing jobs, industries and business models,” Ms Sun said.
The government will roll out the use of autonomy and AI at a pace that is acceptable to residents, she added.
The package was developed by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) in partnership with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Grab Singapore and ComfortDelGro.
“The government recognises that career transitions can be challenging, particularly with the opportunity costs of stepping away from driving to attend training,” they said in a joint media release.
“The package has been designed to offer drivers practical, accessible support that meets them where they are.”
A new career conversion programme for “AV specialists” will be launched to equip drivers with technical and operational skills for roles in the AV sector, such as safety operators, remote operators and fleet management positions.
The programmes come with up to 90 per cent of salary support, said Ms Sun.
It will be offered by the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) in collaboration with industry partners, MOT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
GrabAcademy, Grab’s training arm, will also be a registered training provider.
Drivers interested in pursuing careers in the public transport sector can also look forward to a new pathway under the career conversion programme for public transport professionals, which will provide them with a customised route to becoming bus drivers.
Both the new career conversion programme and pathway will be launched in the third quarter this year, and they will be administered by the Singapore National Employers Federation. More details will be announced by SWDA when ready.
NEW TRAINING INCENTIVE
The MOT and LTA will pilot a new training incentive scheme focused on short-form courses from January next year, which will run for three years.
Eligible drivers can choose from around 2,000 SWDA-supported courses to attend and receive a training incentive of S$20 per hour, up to a cap of 80 hours during the pilot period.
This amounts to a training incentive of up to S$1,600 per driver, which will defray some of the vehicle rental fees and income while drivers undergo training.
“This training incentive amount is significantly higher than any other training allowances currently offered, as we understand that drivers have additional expenditure like car rentals to manage,” said Ms Sun.
Drivers can use this incentive to acquire new skills and have an early taste of reskilling, before committing to longer-term programmes such as the career conversion programmes, said MOT and its partners.
The government and NTUC will also step up outreach and career guidance efforts to raise awareness among drivers of the support measures available.
Other than career fairs and roadshows, drivers can find out more on a new resource page launched on SWDA’s website.
“The government will take a proactive approach to help workers adapt, support job transitions, and equip Singaporeans with the skills and capabilities needed in the age of autonomy and AI,” said Ms Sun.
“We will continue to work closely with the unions and support our workforce as jobs evolve.”
