DBS to hire 500 more young Singaporeans as AI reshapes work
Tue, 19th May 2026 (Today)
DBS plans to bring in more than 500 young Singaporean recruits this year through its Management Associate, Internship and Traineeship programmes, taking total intake across the three schemes to nearly 1,600 between 2024 and 2026.
The hiring plan reflects a continued focus on early-career talent as artificial intelligence reshapes work across banking and technology roles. Internships are expected to make up the largest share of this year's intake, with more than 400 students set to join. The bank has also hired 112 people into its Management Associate programme, while trainee numbers are expected to be similar to last year.
Associate intake
Management Associate intake has risen sharply this year. DBS hired 112 associates in 2026, more than double its average annual intake across 2024 and 2025.
The 12-month programme is designed to develop future leaders through training, mentoring and rotations across business, operations and technology. Participants work on projects in different parts of the bank, gaining exposure to both financial services and technical functions.
Student pathways
Internships remain the main entry route, with more than 400 interns expected this year, up from previous years, as DBS seeks to reach students earlier and give them direct exposure to banking and AI-enabled workplace tools.
The bank also plans to keep traineeship intake at about the same level as last year. In 2025, it brought in 44 trainees through the Graduate Industry Traineeship programme, a six-month placement for fresh graduates across business units, support functions, technology and operations.
The latest hiring figures come as banks reassess how AI will affect junior roles, training needs and graduate recruitment. While some employers have signalled caution over entry-level hiring as automation expands, DBS believes AI increases the value of giving younger recruits earlier access to real work and structured development.
Tan Su Shan, Chief Executive Officer of DBS, set out that view in comments accompanying the announcement.
"We remain deeply committed to keeping the front door open for young talent - and in the AI era, we believe those opportunities can become even more meaningful. AI is enabling young graduates to learn faster, contribute earlier, and take on higher-value work from the outset. Innovative programmes such as the Young Talent Programme for AI in Finance, shaped by DBS' extensive experience in AI and workforce transformation, further enhance the career readiness of young graduates, and we look forward to partnering with IBF and industry partners to collectively future-proof Singapore's banking talent pipeline," said Tan Su Shan, Chief Executive Officer of DBS.
AI tools
Her comments reflect a broader argument across the sector: AI may reduce some repetitive entry-level tasks, but it is also changing the work given to graduates, with greater emphasis on judgement, experimentation and problem framing.
One example cited by DBS is Clarissa Jew, who joined in 2024 through the Management Associate programme and now works as a data scientist. After graduating from Nanyang Technological University with a degree in data science and AI, she completed rotations in Risk Management and Consumer Banking before moving into her current role.
"Using the bank's in-house AI tools such as CodeBuddy and DBS-GPT has really accelerated how quickly I can contribute. They help me move faster, whether it's debugging code or getting up to speed on business context, so I can spend more time on the exciting, meaningful work - framing the right problem, running agile experiments and designing solutions. The best part is that I'm able to grow into more complex work earlier with valuable guidance from senior teammates along the way," said Clarissa Jew, Data Scientist, DBS.
Talent pipeline
For DBS, the emphasis on early-career hiring also serves a longer-term workforce goal. Banks in Singapore and across Asia are competing for candidates with skills in data, software, product development and risk, while also trying to build management pipelines from within.
Its mix of banking and technology roles gives it scope to place graduates across a wider range of functions than a traditional financial institution. That structure has become more relevant as lenders embed AI tools into coding, customer service, operations and decision-making.
By sustaining intake across associates, interns and trainees, DBS is signalling that it still sees formal entry routes as a key source of future talent even as work patterns change. This year's intake is expected to bring the bank close to 1,600 young local recruits over the 2024 to 2026 period.