Grads lacking English skills have trouble landing 'limited' jobs - MEF

Fresh graduates who are lacking in English communication skills would face difficulties due to the limited job opportunities at present, the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) said today.

MEF executive director Shamsuddin Bardan told Malaysiakini that most of the currently available jobs are in the field of marketing, which would require a certain level of English proficiency.

“There are jobs but most would need communication skills. If the graduates are not proficient in English, they would find it difficult to get the jobs,” he said when asked for comments on Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s reported remarks that it was “shameful” for unemployed graduates to resort to selling nasi lemak.

“It is quite difficult for graduates to find jobs now and that’s how we see them doing jobs which do not commensurate with their qualifications,” he said.

Asked whether he agreed with Mahathir’s views on unemployed graduates being forced to take-up other opportunities to earn an income, Shamsuddin cited an example of an engineering graduate who reportedly worked as a cleaner.

“Even though that (being a cleaner) is an honourable job, but is that was has been desired by the graduate? So there is that gap.

“Then comes the issue of what could be done by the graduate? Do they see it is a bad thing for them to find work outside of their field of studies?” he said, while urging fresh graduates to not remain idle and at the same time upgrade their skills to be more marketable in available fields.

Grads not keen on short-term jobs

Shamsuddin also noted that many fresh graduates are less keen to accept short-term job offers as opposed to any permanent position.

“Many positions available right now are on a contractual basis of maybe three months or six months.

“These (short-term) contracts in the available sectors may be less attractive to fresh graduates as there would be no long-term surety,” he explained.

When contacted, youth group Challenger secretary-general Jean Vaneisha said she concurred with Mahathir’s views and that people should be “angered” by the latest figures cited by the Malaysian Industrial Development Finance in its last study on youth unemployment - that one in 10 youths under the age of 25 is unemployed.

“Why should we cripple ourselves in student loan debt if the skills we have do not correspond to the opportunities available to us?

“Tun (Mahathir) is right. Our potential to be a high-income nation with a majority labour force of professionals cannot be realised if we do not actively demand for jobs equivalent to our skills,” she said.

She also added that a continuous trend of low employment opportunities would result in Malaysia losing its skilled workers to other countries.

Harapan must provide solution

Kesatuan Mahasiswa Malaysia secretary-general Asheeq Ali, however, stressed that Mahathir as Harapan’s prime ministerial candidate should do more in terms of drafting policies and strategic plans that would help address the issue of youth unemployment.

“Yes, it is true that youths are now finding it difficult to get jobs, and they (have) resorted to driving Ubers or selling nasi lemak.

“It is also true that the current government must be held responsible, but Mahathir and Harapan should not just launch criticisms without any alternative solutions if they were to take over Putrajaya,” said Asheeq (photo).

“So far they (Harapan) have only promised to raise the minimum wage to RM1,500… If they are serious about fixing the unemployment problem, prove it by coming up with a plan,” he stressed.

Youth groups coalition Demi Malaysia spokesperson Anis Syafiqah Mohd Yusuf, meanwhile, concurred with Asheeq in calling on Harapan to present its policies, as a government in waiting, to tackle the issue of unemployment.

“Graduates who are selling nasi lemak or driving Ubers are doing it to survive. Whether or not that is ‘shameful’ to Tun (Mahathir), they still need to survive,” she said.

Mahathir had made the remarks during his weekly "Policy Talk" show, which was aired live on Facebook yesterday.

It has since received flak from quarters who said the former premier was mocking graduates who sold nasi lemak, for example, after failing to secure a job relevant to their field of studies.- Mkini