Out of 10 management trainee programs out there, 8 are just sexy names for fresh grads where there is no visible difference compared to normal executive hires.

Real MT programs should have these features:

1) 1 or at most 2 openings per department, anything more than that is just mass recruitment
2) Above average starting pay, at least 3.5k
3) Comes with assigned mentor or coach in the company
4) Some form of job rotation during the program, preferably with a short overseas posting
5) Promoted to a real manager upon graduation, at least 5k within 2 years
6) Decent annual training budget allocated to the program
7) Stringent interview process including things like ability tests, scenario play, business presentation etc

You can assess NTUC & SMRT’s program against these guidelines. Anything less than meeting 5 out of the 7 conditions means it’s likely just a marketing gimic to hire fresh grads.