PUBLIC OPINION
MANY young Malaysians are facing an inordinately tough time finding jobs despite having obtained university degrees. Why? There are many factors: a mismatch between universities’ curricula and industries’ needs, poor command of English, lack of self-confidence and interpersonal skills, poor attitudes, lack of general knowledge, and weak problem-solving and decision- making skills.
As a former human resources director, I have observed that graduates today have high expectations but are not prepared for the job market. Employers are concerned not only by a lack of technical skills but many are also turned off by entry-level candidates who are clueless about navigating an office environment.
Universities and industries, as partners in business, must work together by providing useful feedback to each other on curriculum development to ensure graduates have the appropriate skills. Public and private universities must include industry players, professional bodies, human resources practitioners and government agencies to review courses to make sure they produce graduates who can compete in the global job market.
C. SATHASIVAM SITHERAVELLU , Seremban
Credit: The Star, 17 Aug 2020