Graduates are now the largest group in S’pore’s career centers. 58% found a job this way.

Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, any opinions expressed below are solely the author’s. The data is taken from the Singapore Ministry of Manpower and Randstad.

In the age of the Internet, most of us are used to looking for a job online, looking for offers on one of the many job boards or LinkedIn. Data in Randstad’s recently published Employer Brand Research 2026 seems to confirm this to be the case.

As a result, it can seem easy to forget that there are many specific ways to search for a new job. However, according to data released by Singapore’s Ministry of Labor in June, they have been growing in popularity in recent years.

Many Singaporeans are looking for help

Over the past decade, the number of job seekers seeking help from local job centers has nearly tripled, from just over 25,000 in 2016 to over 73,000 in 2025.

Job centers are more than just a public employment agency.

They offer direct, one-on-one help, and coaching. They interview candidates, help them prepare their CVs, advise them on developing potential skills and provide job matching services, connecting them with suitable employers.

In the past, they may have been considered the “last resort” of desperate job seekers (often with low education), who could not find work by applying directly. Today, they seem to be at the forefront, attracting young and well-educated job seekers.

Graduates have increased their share among candidates using CC services, from more than one-fifth 10 years ago to nearly 40% last year, becoming the single largest academic group using this form of public service assistance.

Broadly speaking, back in 2016, the split between students with high school and low education and those with secondary education (including diplomas and degrees) was about 50:50.

Today, the share of those with higher education has increased to over 70%.

Is it a sign of disaster or a sign of the times?

Skeptics may see this as a sign of a growing labor market crisis, where jobs are so difficult to find that even well-educated Singaporeans are forced to seek professional help instead of simply applying and going for interviews.

That may seem so, but there are two pieces of data that suggest otherwise.

First, the unemployment and population rates remain low, around or below 3%.

Second, job placement success rates through career centers have been increasing, as the number of candidates has increased significantly over the past 10 years.

Overall, two out of three students were able to find a job through CC last year, including 58 percent of graduates—in both cases, these are the highest numbers on record.

Educated candidates find it more difficult than those looking for simple jobs, as their skills are less and expectations in terms of salary and working conditions are higher. However, more than half of them are successfully assisted in job centers, as the demand increases.

As it turns out, even in the digital age, good, old-fashioned advice, coaching and human help still work very well.

• Read other articles we have written about the Singapore work environment here.

Featured Image Credit: Careers Connect (Center for Lifelong Learning)/ Google Street View