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Senior Minister of State Mr Tan Kiat How said fresh graduates cannot be expected to enter their first jobs with years of practical experience, especially as AI is increasingly taking over some of the entry-level tasks that traditionally allowed young professionals to learn and build experience. He said employers, educational institutions, industry groups and the Government must create new bridges between education and employment. To address this, the Government is expanding TIP Alliance+ under the new Bridge2Tech initiatives, with about 3,000 year-long internships for eligible technology students over the next three years. The programme covers ITE, polytechnics and autonomous universities, with internships lasting 10–12 months and integrated into students’ curricula. Students will work on substantial projects, learn from experienced colleagues and develop professional judgement through real-world experience. The article highlights SP graduate Joon Yi, who spent almost a year at NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine developing web applications, including AI-enabled tools, for medical education. Mr Tan also called on more than 200 employers that have pledged support for skills-based hiring to put those commitments into practice, while stressing that internships, apprenticeships, and mentorship should be viewed as investments in the future workforce.