Graduates from ITE work-study programs earn salaries comparable to polytechnic diploma holders.
The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) in Singapore will introduce five new diploma programs in 2025, increasing opportunities for students to achieve higher qualifications. With these additions, 15% of ITE graduates will advance to diploma programs, up from 10% in 2023.
The new programs will focus on community care integration, paramedicine, clean energy engineering, health and exercise coaching, and human resource management. These additions bring the total number of ITE diploma courses to 48, with 1,700 students expected to enroll in 2025.
Work-Study Diploma Success
The Work-Study Diploma (WSDip) program, launched in 2018, allows students to work full-time while studying. Graduates from 2023 reported a median monthly salary of $2,850, comparable to polytechnic graduates. This marks a significant increase from the $2,000 median salary they earned at the program’s start.
Second Minister for Education Dr. Maliki Osman highlighted that WSDip graduates also achieve strong employment outcomes, with more than 90% securing full-time jobs within six months of graduation.
Partnerships with Industry and Overseas Institutions
The programs are supported by 900 industry partners, offering mentorship and hands-on experience. Some technical diplomas, such as clean energy engineering and health and exercise coaching, include collaborations with institutions in Germany and Hong Kong, offering students opportunities for international exchanges and industrial attachments.
Among recent graduates, Dinash Kumar Jayabal, 22, stood out as a Gold Medal recipient in aircraft maintenance engineering. His hands-on training with the Republic of Singapore Air Force inspired him to pursue further studies in aerospace engineering or economics and data science.
