Grab provides agility for driver-partners to grow career paths

Acknowledging the volatility that has been brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, Grab has moved to increase the support measures for its fleet of driver-partners.

Andrew Chan, Managing Director of Transport, Grab Singapore, explained, “With a phased approach to reopen our economy, we are expecting demand for rides to gradually return. It is hence important that we help out driver-partners to expand their earning opportunities in the meantime, so that they can continue to earn a viable living on the Grab platform, as well as outside of it.

“Through the new training courses and the Grab Career Support Portal, we hope to enhance our driver-partners’ employability so that they can better capture those opportunities.”

Working in collaboration with Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Grab is offering a Driver Training programme, which will launch this June with two courses on an initial six-month duration.

The two courses, Customer Service and Quality (fully online), and Vehicle Safety and Maintenance (half online and half practical with a max of 10 people per class based on classroom measurement), are designed to equip driver-partners with customer service skills, as well as safe driving practices and theoretical knowledge to keep their vehicles in good condition and minimise maintenance cost.

Supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), 90% of the course fees will be supported under the Enhanced Training Support Package for point-to-point drivers, with Grab subsidising in full the remaining cost fees.

For driver-partners looking to explore job opportunities outside of the Grab platform, the new Grab Career Support Portal will address the common challenges faced by driver-partners in seeking new career opportunities.

It will also aggregate relevant resources and programmes in one single portal, allowing interested drivers to search and seek help. To support Singapore’s digitisation efforts, the initial opportunities available on the portal will be dominated by digital or technology roles.

In addition to these initiatives, Grab and Workforce Singapore (WSG) are also rolling out a jobs widget in Grab’s driver-partner app. The widget curates in-demand job opportunities from WSG’s MyCareersFuture.sg portal so that driver-partners can search and apply for suitable jobs based on their skills and preferences.

Grab aims to offer 2,000 to 3,000 of its active driver-partners training or career support through these initiatives – designed for those with different career goals and mindsets – in the next six months.

In a survey of 3,000 driver-partners, more than 70% indicated that they planned to stop driving after two years. Additionally, 50% indicated that they are willing to participate in career-related training, with IT-related and digital marketing the top course choices.