Too many parties have now been talking and discussing about the unemployment issue among the graduates in Malaysia such that we can probably compile all the findings and arguments into a stack of PhD dissertations.
For fresh graduates and graduating students, it’s probably better not to spend more time finding scapegoat, pinpointing people and complain.
Rather, find ways how you can start improving yourself, make self discovery and hopefully not become part of the unemployment statistics.
Here are 6 steps graduates can take to make a head start:
1. Discover yourself
If, for the past 20 years or so most of the decisions have been dictated by your parents, siblings, friends, teachers, neighbours and so on, it’s time to take a good look on the mirror, and ask questions like:
“What do I want to achieve in life? What is my real ambition?”
“I was told to go to study hard so that I can become an Engineer. Wait a minute. Do I really want to be an engineer?”
“I am here for a purpose. What’s my purpose?”
Evaluate your personality, aptitude, likes and dislikes by taking personality assessment or simply making a list.
2. Define your ideal career style
Play around and draw a chart on how your ideal career style will look like. Does working in an 8 hour rotational shift sound like an acceptable work style to you? What about intensive traveling (some people always tell they are all excited about this but wait until they are in midst of it, it is not always a beautiful thing); is it something that you look forward to?
Is working in uniform making you uncomfortable? Go back to your aptitude test result and re-read between the lines. You’d probably discover that you you’re best working in a team rather than working alone. Once you have a picture how your career style would be, the transition process of entering the real world would be easier, since you know what works for you, and what won’t.
3. Read self help materials
Some youths are obsessed with romantic and fictional novels with local authors such as Matt Romeo, Ahadiat Akashah, Aisya Sofea and Damya Hanna making big name in the industry. This is a good start, but why not expand it further to get to know local and international self-help authors such as Fadzilah Kamsah, HM Tuah, Azizi Ali, Tengku Asmadi, Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, Jack Canfield, Anthony Robbins and many more. Again, this helps you making self discovery on your strengths, likes and dislikes, and defining what you want to do in life. If you’re so kam siap to spend RM40 for a book, surf the internet and make use of the free information there.
4. Play real football, not play station
Games are not only meant for geek, but if you spend your time too long toying with them, you risk becoming one. So get out of the room and involve yourself in outdoor activities that encourage social interaction and shape up your real personality. Go hiking, play futsal, run bridge marathon, join canoe trip and so on. Choose your own favorite games and activities, and play all out with real people, in real place and get new real friends. You will improve your communication skills, and expand your network horizon.
5. Reject parents’ money
This is probably the hardest thing to do. Without money, there will be less things to buy, and less food to eat. But you’re not going to die. You will start appreciating things that you don’t have, and if you really want things so badly now, you will simulate brain activities and think hard how you want to get the money by yourself.
If this is too difficult for you, to make a start, take half of the money your parents give, keep half of it, and return the other half back to your mother. Sometimes our parents have their own financial difficulties but being parents, they never want let us know. We just have to learn it by ourselves.
6. Find training/internship, even for free
One of the first things evaluated by the employers is the work experience, and this is applicable even if the job candidate is a fresh graduate. For obvious reason, those with training, internship and part time work exposure will be preferred. Better, the work experience is similar to the industry you are joining. So, rather than spending the 3 months of your semester break in your auntie’s holiday apartment, find ways how you can break into the real employment world, albeit for a short period of time.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Eurozone unemployment hits 9.7%
The Eurozone unemployment rate rose to 9.7 percent in September and consumer prices in the 16-nation area fell for a fifth month running in October, the European statistics office Eurostat said on Friday.
Eurozone unemployment hits 9.7%
Eurozone unemployment hits 9.7%
The Eurozone unemployment rate rose to 9.7 percent in September and consumer prices in the 16-nation area fell for a fifth month running in October, the European statistics office Eurostat said on Friday.
The jobless rate was up from 9.6 percent in August, while unemployment in the European Union as a whole also went up from 9.1 percent to 9.2 percent -- its highest level since comparable records began to be kept in 2000.
Eurostat said 22.123 million people in the EU were now out of work.
Consumer prices in the eurozone meanwhile fell 0.1 percent in October on a 12-month comparison, following drops of 0.1 percent in June, 0.7 percent in July, 0.2 percent in August and 0.3 percent in September, Eurostat said.
Last year's bout of inflation has given way to falling prices amid the worst recession in Europe since World War II. Economists expect deflation, which can wreak havoc in an economy, to be reversed over the next few months.
Eurozone unemployment hits 9.7%
Eurozone unemployment hits 9.7%
The Eurozone unemployment rate rose to 9.7 percent in September and consumer prices in the 16-nation area fell for a fifth month running in October, the European statistics office Eurostat said on Friday.
The jobless rate was up from 9.6 percent in August, while unemployment in the European Union as a whole also went up from 9.1 percent to 9.2 percent -- its highest level since comparable records began to be kept in 2000.
Eurostat said 22.123 million people in the EU were now out of work.
Consumer prices in the eurozone meanwhile fell 0.1 percent in October on a 12-month comparison, following drops of 0.1 percent in June, 0.7 percent in July, 0.2 percent in August and 0.3 percent in September, Eurostat said.
Last year's bout of inflation has given way to falling prices amid the worst recession in Europe since World War II. Economists expect deflation, which can wreak havoc in an economy, to be reversed over the next few months.
Who is a young worker?
Malaysian's Employment Law defines a child as a person under 14 years of age and a young person as under 16. International Labor Organisation, via Minimum Age Convention 1973 sets a number of minimum ages depending on the type of employment or work. The first principle is that the minimum age should not be less than the age for completing compulsory schooling and in no event less than age 15. The second principle is that a higher minimum age should be set for hazardous work. This age may not be less than 18.
According to the Standard United Nations definition, 'youth' comprises young people aged between 15 to 24 years inclusive. The Confederation of Free Trade Unions-Asian and Pacific Regional Organization (ICFTU-APRO) defines Young Workers as a person between the age 15 to 35. The Malaysian government defines youths, as those between the age group 15 to 40 years while the Malaysian trade Union Congress (MTUC) says youth are those between 15 to 34. Thus for the purpose of this research, the researcher adopt the MTUC definition. If a person working part-time or full-time or searching for a job and the person is between 15 and 34 years of age, then he or she is considered to be a young worker.
According to the Standard United Nations definition, 'youth' comprises young people aged between 15 to 24 years inclusive. The Confederation of Free Trade Unions-Asian and Pacific Regional Organization (ICFTU-APRO) defines Young Workers as a person between the age 15 to 35. The Malaysian government defines youths, as those between the age group 15 to 40 years while the Malaysian trade Union Congress (MTUC) says youth are those between 15 to 34. Thus for the purpose of this research, the researcher adopt the MTUC definition. If a person working part-time or full-time or searching for a job and the person is between 15 and 34 years of age, then he or she is considered to be a young worker.
Malaysia labour market outlook for second half of 2009
Malaysia is on the right track towards economic recovery. This is something to cheer about since unemployment is worsening in most countries in the rest of the world. The second quarter improvement in Malaysian labour market marks a sentiment booster.
Data released by the Department of Statistics show that the unemployment rate in Malaysia had fallen to 3.6% in the second quarter, after rising to 4% between January and March, from 3.1% in the fourth quarter of last year.
Although the total labour force in the country during the quarter under review grew to 11.45 billion, compared with 11.2 billion in the preceding quarter, the sluggish economy still managed to provide some jobs to keep the number of unemployed individuals lower at 415.7 million in the second quarter, compared with 450.7 million in the first quarter.
But bear in mind, these are more than just numbers. The unemployment figures represent the anguish and despair of many individuals in the country.
And the official numbers could sometimes “under-report” this fact, as it only takes into account individuals “who are available for work at the current wage rate and are actively seeking jobs but could not find one”. It does not, for instance, count those who have given up looking for jobs and those are voluntarily unemployed.
Thus far, the unemployment situation in Malaysia is affecting mainly the manufacturing sector, which is represented by around 10% of the country’s total workforce.
Even so, the recovery of the local labour market seems to suggest that the measures taken by the Government under its fiscal stimulus packages to contain the rise of unemployment in the country are working.
To recap, under the RM60bil Mini Budget announced in March, the Government had endeavoured to create 63,000 contract jobs in the public sector and provide various incentives to encourage employers in the private sector to create jobs. These include doubling the tax deduction for those who hire retrenched workers.
As it is, the retrenchment of workers in the country has eased considerably, according to reports from the Human Resources Ministry.
The number of retrenched workers between April and June stood at 7,470, compared with 12,590 during the first three months of the year. Data as at the middle of September showed that the number of retrenched workers for the third quarter has dropped further to 2,274.
With the additional stimulus packages of RM1bil per month till the end of next year, as announced recently by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the local job market will most likely hold steady and weather the storm until the economy finds a stronger footing.
At the moment, though, the official estimate of unemployment for the full year of 2009 still stands at 4.5%.
Data released by the Department of Statistics show that the unemployment rate in Malaysia had fallen to 3.6% in the second quarter, after rising to 4% between January and March, from 3.1% in the fourth quarter of last year.
Although the total labour force in the country during the quarter under review grew to 11.45 billion, compared with 11.2 billion in the preceding quarter, the sluggish economy still managed to provide some jobs to keep the number of unemployed individuals lower at 415.7 million in the second quarter, compared with 450.7 million in the first quarter.
But bear in mind, these are more than just numbers. The unemployment figures represent the anguish and despair of many individuals in the country.
And the official numbers could sometimes “under-report” this fact, as it only takes into account individuals “who are available for work at the current wage rate and are actively seeking jobs but could not find one”. It does not, for instance, count those who have given up looking for jobs and those are voluntarily unemployed.
Thus far, the unemployment situation in Malaysia is affecting mainly the manufacturing sector, which is represented by around 10% of the country’s total workforce.
Even so, the recovery of the local labour market seems to suggest that the measures taken by the Government under its fiscal stimulus packages to contain the rise of unemployment in the country are working.
To recap, under the RM60bil Mini Budget announced in March, the Government had endeavoured to create 63,000 contract jobs in the public sector and provide various incentives to encourage employers in the private sector to create jobs. These include doubling the tax deduction for those who hire retrenched workers.
As it is, the retrenchment of workers in the country has eased considerably, according to reports from the Human Resources Ministry.
The number of retrenched workers between April and June stood at 7,470, compared with 12,590 during the first three months of the year. Data as at the middle of September showed that the number of retrenched workers for the third quarter has dropped further to 2,274.
With the additional stimulus packages of RM1bil per month till the end of next year, as announced recently by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the local job market will most likely hold steady and weather the storm until the economy finds a stronger footing.
At the moment, though, the official estimate of unemployment for the full year of 2009 still stands at 4.5%.
Study on the Unemployment Situation in Malaysia, 2002
Consultant : Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
This Study is to examine the extent of the unemployment situation in Malaysia and its characteristics, especially among unemployed graduates and to suggest remedial measures.
The Study indicates that the unemployment situation is clearly associated with the slowing down of the economy financial crisis in mid 1997. Economic revival needs to be hastened to create more new jobs in general, with larger and stronger labour demand to meet the steady expansion of labour supply in the market.
Given the need to ease the labour exchange and to monitor the labour market situation, an integrated labour market information system and network should be take place for better policy and action plan.
This Study is to examine the extent of the unemployment situation in Malaysia and its characteristics, especially among unemployed graduates and to suggest remedial measures.
The Study indicates that the unemployment situation is clearly associated with the slowing down of the economy financial crisis in mid 1997. Economic revival needs to be hastened to create more new jobs in general, with larger and stronger labour demand to meet the steady expansion of labour supply in the market.
Given the need to ease the labour exchange and to monitor the labour market situation, an integrated labour market information system and network should be take place for better policy and action plan.
unemployment statistic
Statistic shown that most of the umemployed graduates are from IT-related fields, and breakdown of the umemployment graduates are as follows:
Malay: 57,072 [96.33%]
Chinese: 1,027 [1.73%]
India: 1,007 [1.70%]
Others: 144 [0.24%]
Total: 59,250
JobStreet, a Malaysian employment agency, conducted a survey of 3300 human resource personnel and bosses from March 29-31 2005 via email to find out the factors for graduate unemployment. The factors are:
. Weak English 56%
. Bad social etiquette 36%
. Demand too much pay 32%
. Degrees not relevant 30%
. Fresh grads too choosy 23%
. No vacancies 14%
Malay: 57,072 [96.33%]
Chinese: 1,027 [1.73%]
India: 1,007 [1.70%]
Others: 144 [0.24%]
Total: 59,250
JobStreet, a Malaysian employment agency, conducted a survey of 3300 human resource personnel and bosses from March 29-31 2005 via email to find out the factors for graduate unemployment. The factors are:
. Weak English 56%
. Bad social etiquette 36%
. Demand too much pay 32%
. Degrees not relevant 30%
. Fresh grads too choosy 23%
. No vacancies 14%
5 reason
The increasing unemployment rate among the graduates in Malaysia is a worrying trend. For many years, the issue cropped up again and again, made the news headlines, and even hit the parliament.
The days have passed when a degree scroll can become your automatic passport to employment. Higher education is no longer a symbol of career success. This may sound painful for graduates but let’s face it. It is reality, no matter how harsh it may appear.
In July 2006, The Sun newspaper reported that the unemployment rate of public universities has reached a staggering 70%, whereas the private institutions recorded 26% and foreign graduates 34%. Out of the 70%, the highest unemployment was contributed by the following statistics:
1. Universiti Teknologi MARA, UiTM – 3,278 (16.2%)
2. Universiti Utara Malaysia, UUM – 1,532 (7.6%)
3. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM – 1,147 (5.7%)
4. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM – 971 (4.8%)
5. Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM – 919 (4.5%)
The situation was somewhat different before the 1997 crisis when Malaysia was having a vibrant employment and graduates were in high demand. But those were the good old days and things are no longer the same today. Is the job market getting more competitive, or it is the job seekers and graduates are actually unmarketable these days? Can we blame it entirely on education?
Perhaps we can take a look at some contributing factors:
1. Economy
The changing of the economic structure and landscape is a probable cause for the rise in the unemployment. For many years, the manufacturing has been the strongest sector in the country until it is now being progressively replaced by the services sector. The services sector requires people who do not only possess the right technical knowledge, but also those who possess the right soft skills – interpersonal, communication, wisdom, maturity and are business oriented. Now, getting graduates with that kind of quality is a tough endeavor these days. It is even hard to find graduates who can speak moderate English.
Additionally, unlike the manufacturing sector, a company providing services would not require a large number of staff to be employed. Statistics show that between 2006 and 2007, the country’s manufacturing employment grew by 3%, from 3.244 million workers, to 3.347 million. The business services sector employment, on the other hand grew by 2.6%, from 0.771 million, to 0.791 million.
Now, where GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth is concerned, the manufacturing growth recorded 3.1% whereas services tops the chart with a thumping 9% growth.
In English, this means that while the employment growth of services sector is lower compared to manufacturing, it is actually contributing to much higher economic achievement. Get the picture?
Malaysia Unemployment: Why Fresh Graduates are Unemployed in Malaysia2. Quality of education
It seems that every year the country produces more and more brilliant students. This is evident with the increasing number of straight A students in SPM. It is also easier to find degree holders with first class honors. Surely, this is a good yardstick of the graduate’s quality. Is it? Not so, it seems.
My own experience with graduates – not once, but many times – has convinced me that today’s academic achievement has little to do with how well you can excel in the working world. I used to be short listing 4-5 first class graduates for an interview and in the end rejected them all, and hired a second class student instead. It seems that the country is blessed with institutions highly capable to produce low quality, academic achievers. This statement may not bode well with some of the institutions out there but this should be taken as a challenge, not a mockery.
3. Choosy job seekers
I remember when I first got my first job in Penang, I did not have a permanent place to stay as my hometown was back in Terengganu. I was temporarily staying in an old friend’s house. I also did not own any car or motorbike. When asked by my boss how I was going to report for my first day of work, I told him that I would be using the company’s bus.
As the buses were used to transport the production operators, my boss laughed at my face and told me that I would be the first engineer in the history of the company to have used bus coming to work. I got a new place to stay, and my own car only after few months working with the company. The most interesting part is that, I didn’t even ask about the salary when I accepted the job!
But how different it is today. Nowadays, candidates are expecting job offer to come with a package – a good pay, convenient working location, no shift, no work beyond 6pm and so on, with everything handed in a silver platter. Job seekers have come to me to complaints and made admissions that shocked me till no end.
They are not willing to drive from Sentul to Cyberjaya because “It’s very far and I do not want to spend this much money on toll everyday”. Another was not willing to take the LRT from Cheras to Masjid Jamek because “too many people in the train and this will make me stressful.” To date I am yet to come across a job seeker that will tell me, “I’m so glad with this opportunity. As for the transportation, accommodation and other matters, no worries, I will settle them from my end here. I am just glad I don’t need to rely on my parents for pocket money anymore.” Will you be one?
4. Lack of guidance
Blaming the graduates themselves for the whole predicament is not entirely right either. After all, they are products of a flawed system. Majority of them are oblivious to the expectation from them in the employment market. Upon graduation, they become babies again, not ready to face the real world. The supposedly days of liberation suddenly becomes the days of uncertainty. This happens due to obvious discrepancy between the education and the employment – i.e. study is study and work is work. This gap needs an immediate bridging.
While organizing a career fair and sending penultimate students for industrial placement are commendable effort, these are just not enough. Graduating students need a closer feel to the employment world. The career office should be their second home. If that also means bringing executives, engineers and managers into the university to give practical advice to the students, by all means do it. Universiti Teknologi Petronas, UTP has pioneered this move, which won a praise by The Star reader today.
I must take my hat off to University Technology Petronas (UTP), which has formed an Industry Advisory Panel (IAP), and invites professionals from the industry to review their curriculum and suggest areas for improvement. UTP is serious about this and has implemented many of the suggestions introduced by its IAP.
UTP also has an adjunct lectures series where professionals are called in to give lectures to the undergraduates. I think these are good initiatives that other universities would do well to emulate.
- Shyam Lakshmanan, The Star, 17 April 2008
5. Choosy employers
There is no need for long explanation here. As Zaid Ibrahim (that new MP) put it in his book, In Good Faith, it’s catch-22 situation – if the employer is putting ‘working experience’ as a pre-requisite to get a job, when is the fresh graduates going to get their first job?
The days have passed when a degree scroll can become your automatic passport to employment. Higher education is no longer a symbol of career success. This may sound painful for graduates but let’s face it. It is reality, no matter how harsh it may appear.
In July 2006, The Sun newspaper reported that the unemployment rate of public universities has reached a staggering 70%, whereas the private institutions recorded 26% and foreign graduates 34%. Out of the 70%, the highest unemployment was contributed by the following statistics:
1. Universiti Teknologi MARA, UiTM – 3,278 (16.2%)
2. Universiti Utara Malaysia, UUM – 1,532 (7.6%)
3. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM – 1,147 (5.7%)
4. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM – 971 (4.8%)
5. Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM – 919 (4.5%)
The situation was somewhat different before the 1997 crisis when Malaysia was having a vibrant employment and graduates were in high demand. But those were the good old days and things are no longer the same today. Is the job market getting more competitive, or it is the job seekers and graduates are actually unmarketable these days? Can we blame it entirely on education?
Perhaps we can take a look at some contributing factors:
1. Economy
The changing of the economic structure and landscape is a probable cause for the rise in the unemployment. For many years, the manufacturing has been the strongest sector in the country until it is now being progressively replaced by the services sector. The services sector requires people who do not only possess the right technical knowledge, but also those who possess the right soft skills – interpersonal, communication, wisdom, maturity and are business oriented. Now, getting graduates with that kind of quality is a tough endeavor these days. It is even hard to find graduates who can speak moderate English.
Additionally, unlike the manufacturing sector, a company providing services would not require a large number of staff to be employed. Statistics show that between 2006 and 2007, the country’s manufacturing employment grew by 3%, from 3.244 million workers, to 3.347 million. The business services sector employment, on the other hand grew by 2.6%, from 0.771 million, to 0.791 million.
Now, where GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth is concerned, the manufacturing growth recorded 3.1% whereas services tops the chart with a thumping 9% growth.
In English, this means that while the employment growth of services sector is lower compared to manufacturing, it is actually contributing to much higher economic achievement. Get the picture?
Malaysia Unemployment: Why Fresh Graduates are Unemployed in Malaysia2. Quality of education
It seems that every year the country produces more and more brilliant students. This is evident with the increasing number of straight A students in SPM. It is also easier to find degree holders with first class honors. Surely, this is a good yardstick of the graduate’s quality. Is it? Not so, it seems.
My own experience with graduates – not once, but many times – has convinced me that today’s academic achievement has little to do with how well you can excel in the working world. I used to be short listing 4-5 first class graduates for an interview and in the end rejected them all, and hired a second class student instead. It seems that the country is blessed with institutions highly capable to produce low quality, academic achievers. This statement may not bode well with some of the institutions out there but this should be taken as a challenge, not a mockery.
3. Choosy job seekers
I remember when I first got my first job in Penang, I did not have a permanent place to stay as my hometown was back in Terengganu. I was temporarily staying in an old friend’s house. I also did not own any car or motorbike. When asked by my boss how I was going to report for my first day of work, I told him that I would be using the company’s bus.
As the buses were used to transport the production operators, my boss laughed at my face and told me that I would be the first engineer in the history of the company to have used bus coming to work. I got a new place to stay, and my own car only after few months working with the company. The most interesting part is that, I didn’t even ask about the salary when I accepted the job!
But how different it is today. Nowadays, candidates are expecting job offer to come with a package – a good pay, convenient working location, no shift, no work beyond 6pm and so on, with everything handed in a silver platter. Job seekers have come to me to complaints and made admissions that shocked me till no end.
They are not willing to drive from Sentul to Cyberjaya because “It’s very far and I do not want to spend this much money on toll everyday”. Another was not willing to take the LRT from Cheras to Masjid Jamek because “too many people in the train and this will make me stressful.” To date I am yet to come across a job seeker that will tell me, “I’m so glad with this opportunity. As for the transportation, accommodation and other matters, no worries, I will settle them from my end here. I am just glad I don’t need to rely on my parents for pocket money anymore.” Will you be one?
4. Lack of guidance
Blaming the graduates themselves for the whole predicament is not entirely right either. After all, they are products of a flawed system. Majority of them are oblivious to the expectation from them in the employment market. Upon graduation, they become babies again, not ready to face the real world. The supposedly days of liberation suddenly becomes the days of uncertainty. This happens due to obvious discrepancy between the education and the employment – i.e. study is study and work is work. This gap needs an immediate bridging.
While organizing a career fair and sending penultimate students for industrial placement are commendable effort, these are just not enough. Graduating students need a closer feel to the employment world. The career office should be their second home. If that also means bringing executives, engineers and managers into the university to give practical advice to the students, by all means do it. Universiti Teknologi Petronas, UTP has pioneered this move, which won a praise by The Star reader today.
I must take my hat off to University Technology Petronas (UTP), which has formed an Industry Advisory Panel (IAP), and invites professionals from the industry to review their curriculum and suggest areas for improvement. UTP is serious about this and has implemented many of the suggestions introduced by its IAP.
UTP also has an adjunct lectures series where professionals are called in to give lectures to the undergraduates. I think these are good initiatives that other universities would do well to emulate.
- Shyam Lakshmanan, The Star, 17 April 2008
5. Choosy employers
There is no need for long explanation here. As Zaid Ibrahim (that new MP) put it in his book, In Good Faith, it’s catch-22 situation – if the employer is putting ‘working experience’ as a pre-requisite to get a job, when is the fresh graduates going to get their first job?
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