SUSS Graduates in Social Work and Early Childhood Education See Growth in Employment Rates Amidst Moderating Job Market
- Social Work and Early Childhood Education graduates see healthy growth in full-time permanent employment
- Accountancy and Finance graduates continue to achieve high employment rates
Singapore, 24 February 2025 – Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) graduates are seeing strong employment outcomes, particularly in fields that contribute to community development, amidst lower hiring demand1. This trend underscores the increasing demand for professionals dedicated to social impact and aligns with SUSS’ mission of driving social good through purposeful learning and applied knowledge.
Despite current job market conditions, the full-time permanent employment rates2 for graduates from the Social Work and Early Childhood Education programmes saw healthy growth, reaching 74.6% and 80.4% respectively. These figures reflect the continued demand for social services3 and early childhood education professionals in Singapore, with employers actively seeking skilled graduates to fill these roles. This development also comes amidst the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s expansion plans for the early childhood sector4.
Business programmes also saw positive results, with SUSS’ Accountancy and Finance programmes achieving full-time permanent employment rates of 90.2% and 83.3% respectively.
These results were revealed in the annual Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey (JAUGES), jointly conducted by SUSS and the other Autonomous Universities.
A total of 631 out of 835 full-time SUSS graduates participated in the survey, achieving a response rate of 75.6%, comparable to previous years. The respondents include graduates from the Accountancy, Business Analytics, Early Childhood Education, Finance, Human Resource Management, Law, Marketing, Public Safety and Security, Social Work, and Supply Chain Management programmes.
The mean and median gross monthly salaries for those in full-time permanent employment also rose to $4,251 and $4,000, compared to $3,986 and $3,700 in 2023, respectively.
SUSS President, Professor Tan Tai Yong, said: “It’s encouraging to see our graduates securing roles that contribute meaningfully to society. As Singapore moves towards greater inclusivity, many are pursuing careers that allow them to make a direct impact in communities. The improvement in employment outcomes in Social Work and Early Childhood Education highlights the growing recognition of these essential roles, reflecting our mission to empower graduates who drive positive change.”
1Refer to MOM’s Report: Labour Market Fourth Quarter 2024, 27 January 2025.
2Full-time permanent employment rate refers to the percentage of graduates in the labour force (i.e. employed or unemployed and actively looking for a job) who are employed in full-time jobs.
3According to the Opening Remarks by Minister Masagos Zulkifli at NCSS Social Service Tribe Forum, 23 January 2025.
4According to ECDA’s Press Release: More Preschool Places and Initiatives to Strengthen Quality in Early Childhood Sector, 2 Nov 2024.
Profile 1
Tay Kiat Peng (Bachelor in Accountancy, School of Business)
Tay Kiat Peng is currently employed in the accountancy sector as a Tax Consultant, specialising in Goods and Services Tax (GST) at PricewaterhouseCoopers Singapore (PwC). He secured his position after receiving a Priority Offer from the GST team, following a successful work attachment (24 weeks internship). Prior to that, Kiat Peng had interned with PwC’s Financial Services Corporate Tax team as part of his university’s internship programme.
SUSS’ Career Development team and his career mentor played a pivotal role in Kiat Peng's career development by providing extensive support, including resume enhancement and access to a wide range of internship opportunities across various sectors. This support helped Kiat Peng choose an internship that aligned with his career interests.
The academic foundation provided by SUSS, particularly in the field of taxation, equipped Kiat Peng with essential knowledge of GST rules and concepts. Additionally, the various internship and co-curricular activities at SUSS enhanced his leadership and coaching abilities, enabling him to apply his GST expertise in guiding peers and interns in the workplace.
Kiat Peng has found his current role to be both enriching and fulfilling. He has developed valuable writing skills and gained exposure to a diverse range of GST-related tasks, such as company registration/deregistration, advisory services, and GST audits. The supportive and dynamic team environment at PwC has contributed significantly to his job satisfaction.
Kiat Peng is a graduate of Ngee Ann Polytechnic, where he completed his studies prior to pursuing further education at SUSS.
Profile 2
Bryanna Melodie Koh (Bachelor of Early Childhood Education with Minor (Communications), S R Nathan School of Human Development)
Bryanna Melodie Koh graduated with a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education with Minor in Communications from SUSS. During her studies, she went through several practicum sessions where school mentors provided guidance and assessed her teaching. These hands-on experiences enabled her to apply what she had learned in theory to real-life teaching situations.
These sessions also gave her a better and clearer understanding of what to expect in the field, from lesson planning to classroom management. Her minor in Communications further strengthened her ability to engage with parents and children and allowed her to hone the design skills she picked up through creating engaging teaching materials for the children under her care.
During her overseas internship, Bryanna had the opportunity to be guided by an experienced mentor who provided regular insightful feedback to support her growth. Her mentor also consistently checked in on her well-being, which made the internship a fulfilling, enjoyable and enriching experience. Bryanna’s biggest takeaway from the internship was to start a preschool from scratch - from designing classroom spaces, planning the first few weeks of lessons, preparing lesson materials and carrying out trial lessons to potential families.
With the help of Bryanna’s mentor, Bryanna was able to land a job in the early childhood sector after graduating. In her current role as a full-time preschool teacher, she is responsible for lesson planning, preparing classroom materials, establishing an engaging and nurturing learning environment for children, as well as interacting with parents and other stakeholders. Bryanna’s experiences in school, particularly her internship, have given her a strong foundation, helping her to adapt seamlessly to her current role.
Profile 3
Wong Hong Xiang (Bachelor of Science in Marketing (Minor in Psychology))
Before embarking on his Work Attachment (WA), Wong Hong Xiang proactively sought guidance from a career mentor. Uncertain about which path to pursue, he engaged in thoughtful discussions to evaluate his interests, strengths, and industry opportunities.
These conversations provided him with valuable insights and helped him navigate his options with greater clarity. With his mentor’s support, he ultimately decided to explore the beauty industry, despite initial hesitations due to its predominantly female workforce.
He secured a Work Attachment at L’Oréal, where he worked as a Trade and Commercial Marketing Intern, analysing performance metrics across various product lines. This experience not only deepened his understanding of the industry but also sparked a keen interest in the fragrance sector.
Motivated by this newfound passion, Hong Xiang subsequently pursued an internship at Parfums Christian Dior, where he took on the role of a Regional Category Management Marketing Intern. At Dior, he gained deeper exposure to the fragrance market and discovered his preference for the B2B aspect of fragrance marketing, where he could contribute to business strategies instead of focusing solely on consumer engagement.
In the midst of completing his final semester, he once again turned to his mentor for career advice, seeking direction on how to translate his internship experiences into a long-term profession. Through these discussions, he learned about opportunities within the wholesale fragrance sector, an area that aligned well with his interests.
With a clearer career trajectory in mind, Hong Xiang narrowed his search to the speciality chemical sector, where he successfully secured a role as a Regional Category Marketing Specialist at Givaudan, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of flavours, fragrances, and active cosmetic ingredients.
His journey underscores how strategic guidance can empower individuals to make informed choices and forge meaningful career paths.
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