Undergraduates Lack Soft Skills Needed For Work, Malaysian Education Providers Urged To Collaborate With Working Sectors

The Covid-19 pandemic has definitely caused a severe impact on Malaysians, especially in terms of employability. In May 2020,  the unemployment rate among Malaysians rose to 5.3% (826,100 individuals) which is the highest percentage compared to the last three decades.

Despite this increase in unemployment, Finance Minister, YB Senator Tengku Dato’ Seri Zafrul bin Tengku Abdul Aziz, said that the exact scenario is happening worldwide where the rate in some countries has reached two digits. For example, in the United States, the unemployment rate has reached 11 per cent. 

left: yb senator tengku dato’ seri zafrul bin tengku abdul aziz, minister of finance malaysia. Right: dytm tengku amir shah ibni sultan sharafuddin idris shah alhaj, crown prince of selangor

During the dialogue session, ‘Selangor Youths Have A SAY! – Budget 2021 Town Hall’  held in Sunway Hotel Resort & Spa, the Crown Prince of Selangor, DYTM Tengku Amir Shah Ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj, expressed that there is a need to build a better ‘bridge’ between education providers with the working industries.

He said that undergraduates are not taught the exact and up-to-date knowledge needed in the current working sectors which is why there is a mismatch of skills.  

He then added that most of the undergraduates do not acquire the soft skills that they’re expected to have once they start to work. DYTM Tengku Amir urged the relevant sectors to work hand in hand to equip the students with the latest methods and knowledge in order to prepare them to embrace the working world.

Education providers need to understand the programmes they’re providing to ensure that they are relevant to the current situation. Thus, the issue on unemployability should not only be the responsibility of the government but also that of the private and other relevant sectors. 

Do you agree with the points brought up? Let us know in the comments section below! 

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