According to the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) there is a disparity between available jobs and graduates as higher learning institutes have been producing more university and college graduates than the market needs.
In 2021, the Statistics Department stated 2.9 percent of 4.57 million employed graduates worked fewer hours than expected and 33.9 percent experienced skills related underemployment which is a poor reflection of the situation.
The MEF noted that MyFutureJobs data revealed about 40 percent of graduates worked in semi-skilled positions and there were challenges from flexible gig work and a shortage of job opportunities matching qualifications.
This made it difficult for the private and public sectors to create and sustain jobs for fresh graduates and this also highlighted the need for private sector employers to create more job openings as they account for 90 percent of job opportunities.
Currently, the MEF is working together with the Higher Education Ministry and Skills Development Department to address the mismatch in the job market and to engage the private sector in curriculum development.
The MEF further recommended that employers invest in upskilling their workforce through their training academy as this is essential for the reskilling of their workforce, boosting career development and in increasing productivity.
-HR HUB
