Hiring is expensive, and the hardest roles to fill are often the ones where the perfect candidate simply does not exist in the market. Singapore’s Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) offer employers a practical answer: hire someone with the right aptitude but the wrong background, and let the government co-fund the reskilling that turns them into the employee you need. With salary support of up to 90%, the CCP is one of the most generous workforce schemes available — and it is under-used by smaller companies who assume it is only for large employers. This guide explains how it works and how to tap it.
What is the Career Conversion Programme?
Career Conversion Programmes are run by Workforce Singapore (WSG), together with appointed programme partners such as e2i. They help employers broaden their talent pool by reskilling mid-career hires or existing staff into growth roles, with the government subsidising a large share of salary and training costs during the conversion period. WSG offers CCPs across roughly 30 sectors, so most industries are covered.
The three CCP modes
| Mode | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Place-and-Train | You hire a mid-career jobseeker first, then put them through structured on-the-job training for a new role. | Employers ready to commit to a permanent hire. |
| Attach-and-Train | You act as a host employer providing training and a work attachment, ahead of employment in the sector. | Sectors with strong pipeline demand. |
| Job Redesign Reskilling | You send existing employees for reskilling to take on new or redesigned roles. | Companies transforming roles internally. |
How much support do employers get?
Under the Place-and-Train and Attach-and-Train modes, employers can receive salary support of up to 90% of the new hire’s monthly salary during the training period (typically three to six months, capped at a monthly ceiling), along with funding to offset course fees. The exact percentage depends on the profile of the individual: higher support applies to mature jobseekers aged 40 and above and the long-term unemployed. This tiering is deliberate — it steers the subsidy towards the workers who most need a route back into good jobs.
Eligibility for employers and jobseekers
To participate in a PMET-level CCP, the employer generally must be registered or incorporated in Singapore, offer the trainee a permanent, full-time role, and pay a minimum fixed monthly salary of at least S$2,500 for the entire training and retention period. That salary must be a fixed base amount and cannot include variable bonuses. On the jobseeker side, participants are typically Singapore citizens or permanent residents who are new to the role and meet the individual programme’s criteria.
Because a CCP hire is a genuine employee, the usual employment-law obligations apply from day one. Make sure the employment contract is properly drafted and that you are meeting your CPF and statutory duties.
Why the CCP is worth the paperwork
For a small or growing company, the economics are compelling. Instead of competing for scarce experienced hires at market rates, you recruit for attitude and transferable skills, then convert the person into the role you need while the government carries most of the wage cost during training. Done well, you end up with a loyal employee who was given a career break by your company — and a lower effective cost of hire. It sits naturally alongside other capability-building support; see our comparison of EDG, PSG and MRA grants for the broader toolkit.
How to apply
1. Identify the role and mode. Decide whether you are hiring externally (Place-and-Train) or reskilling existing staff (Job Redesign Reskilling).
2. Find the relevant CCP. Check the WSG or e2i listings for a programme in your sector and role family.
3. Apply as a participating employer. Submit the company’s details, the job role, the training plan, and the salary offer.
4. Onboard and train. Once approved, hire the individual on a permanent contract and run them through the structured training.
5. Claim the support. Submit salary-support and training-cost claims per the programme terms during the funded period.
Frequently asked questions
Is the CCP only for large companies?
No. SMEs are actively encouraged to participate, and the salary support is often most valuable to smaller employers who cannot easily absorb the cost of training a career-changer.
Can I reskill my existing employees?
Yes — that is the Job Redesign Reskilling mode, which funds reskilling staff into new or redesigned roles within your company.
How long does the funded period last?
Typically three to six months of training, subject to the specific programme. There is usually a minimum retention period during which the employee must remain in the role.
Does the hire have to be a Singapore citizen?
CCPs are targeted at the local workforce — generally Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Foreign hires go through the work-pass framework instead.
How Raffles Corporate Services can help
We support employers with the corporate, payroll, and employment-compliance groundwork that CCP participation requires — from drafting compliant employment contracts to keeping CPF and statutory records in order. If you are considering a CCP hire and want the back office ready, we can help you set it up.
— The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services