The convocation – every undergraduates’ dream. To put on the graduation gown complete with the mortarboard. To receive the scroll and finally jumped with joy. The day that makes “burning the midnight oil” justified. Four years of toiling academically and endless exams are finally over. Unless one decides to further pursue a postgraduate qualification.
What is the main reason for tertiary education? For that matter, a postgraduate qualification after having slogged for a bachelor’s degree? Graduates' typical response is to ensure having the qualification to secure a good job. And that is becoming increasingly challenging and competitive as universities are churning out thousands of graduates annually. Compounding the issue, fresh graduates have to fight off job seekers armed with a couple of years of work experience. The former Education Minister of Malaysia Maszlee Malik was quoted in the Malay Mail dated 15 October 2019 as saying: “Nearly 60 percent of first-degree holders and above remain unemployed after one year of graduating”.
Education is a big business. It is recession-proof. No matter the financial standing of parents, education is top on their priority list. It is therefore ironic that job search is not a syllabus taught in the institutions of higher learning. It seemed many graduates have the misconception that job search merely entails dropping off the curriculum vitae to the desired employer. And magically an interview invitation and the perfect job shall follow. Only to be sorely disappointed; wondering why the hundreds of applications went unanswered. That “magic” may be true decades ago when a basic degree is a password to that prized job and a big salary. Unfortunately, the reality of today begs to differ. Being a university graduate no longer guarantees you a job. In fact, that perfect job seemed to be an illusion for many fresh graduates.
I did a job search program in a couple of universities years back. Regrettably, many questioned the need to have an external consultant sharing on this subject. “Our lecturers are capable of doing this” was a typical response in rejecting my proposal to conduct this program for their graduating students. The real reason? Perhaps the reluctant of these institutions of higher learning to absorb the cost of the program. Yet, how many actually have such a program in place?
I believe, it is incumbent upon colleges and universities to take it as a duty or responsibility to ensure no graduate of theirs is unemployed. Alas, that may be unlikely and unconvincing. Notwithstanding, in the eventuality that a university or institution of higher learning is keen to collaborate on bringing this job search program to their graduating students, I would gladly bring it back.
It is difficult to appreciate the frustration and pain of being unemployed unless one has experienced it personally. As a headhunter, I can only empathize with job seekers who are still unemployed after months of job hunting. Employers seek “qualified” candidates. Oxford dictionary define qualified as “officially recognized as being trained to perform a particular job; certified”. Having a first degree merely gives you a ticket to compete. Just sending in your curriculum vitae is no guarantee for an interview invitation and job offer. What more is needed from the fresh graduate job seekers? Embrace positivity and upskill for a start.
Graduates with a career are assets of the nation. All stakeholders – government, university, employer, headhunter, trainer, community – should join hands toward realizing the goal of every graduate being gainfully employed. We may not be able to achieve it overnight. But it all starts with the first step.
KAPR Advisory in collaboration with a training company has launched a “Train & Place” special program for fresh graduates. This CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative is focused on IT and/or non-IT training and certification of fresh graduates who are still unemployed three months after graduation. The fresh graduates will be trained in hard skills and/or soft skills as required by participating employers at no cost to the fresh graduates and employers. However, the employers shall be billed a minimum placement fee on successful hiring. Fresh graduates and employers keen to participate in this “Train & Place” special program may contact us for more details at teddy@kapradvisory.com.
Yes, no graduate should remain unemployed!
