Not lacking opportunities but lacking needed skills

Daily Express

4 days ago

Published on: Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Published on: Tue, Jul 15, 2025
By: Crystal E Hermenegildus Text Size: Vun receiving a souvenir after the panel discussion. Kota Kinabalu: Despite holding formal qualifications, many graduates in Sabah are failing to secure jobs not due to a lack of opportunities, but because they lack the very skills employers need. Council member of the Federation of Sabah Industries (FSI), Ir Jess Vun, said 60 per cent of Malaysian employers report a mismatch between job seekers' skills and the demands of the workforce, particularly among graduates from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes.
Advertisement She said while technical skills are one concern, soft skills – like communication, teamwork and humility – are proving equally scarce. 'Some graduates think they deserve RM8,000 a month but refuse to do basic tasks like photocopying. They say, 'That's not my job.' They lack humility and real-world readiness.' She said this during a sub-theme panel discussion session during the Sabah TVET Symposium 2025 themed Sustainable TVET for Sabah's Future Human Capital: Integrated TVET System, here, recently. The issue is especially alarming in Sabah, where unemployment remains the highest in the country at around 7.9 per cent. Yet, Vun said more than half of employers report struggling to find suitable candidates to fill positions. 'There's something wrong somewhere,' Vun said. 'How can so many people be looking for jobs, and yet so many companies say they can't hire?' She said factory owners have turned to female workers to fill the gaps left by male candidates who have either dropped out of the workforce or shifted their career goals entirely. 'Over time, gender inequality in Sabah may no longer be a concern. However, it's worrying that many of the remaining workers are women, as men seem to have opted out,' she said. Instead of entering the workforce through conventional roles, many graduates – university-educated or not – are opting to become YouTubers or Grab drivers, drawn by the promise of higher income and flexibility. 'One Sabahan didn't even finish university but is now a millionaire YouTuber. Others prefer to drive Grab. They see it as more profitable than using the skills they were trained in,' Vun said. This trend suggests a loss of confidence in the traditional employment path and points to a broader issue: the lack of compelling, skill-aligned jobs that appeal to younger generations. For employers, it means fewer skilled candidates to hire. For graduates, it often means underemployment – or working outside their field entirely. Vun proposed a three-part strategy to bridge the gap between education and employability. 'Firstly, we must move from theory to practice. Most polytechnics and technical colleges have Industrial Advisory Boards – these boards must review the curriculum every six months. The updates must be driven by industry needs, not by outdated academic standards. 'Secondly, we need to embed micro-credentials into TVET programmes. These are competency certificates that recognise practical, professional, and technical skills beyond traditional coursework. For example, Simed Malaysia and Polytechnic Malaysia co-designed an automation module, and 100 per cent of the graduates were hired. This shows that when industry and education collaborate, graduates become job-ready. 'Thirdly, themeaningful Apprenticeships and Earn-While-You-Learn models. Two- or three-month industrial training during semester breaks is not enough. A minimum of six months is needed for real learning to occur. 'Programmes should integrate work and study – for example, three days on the job, two days in the classroom – to build both income and experience,' Vun said. The issue, however, doesn't lie solely with students. Vun also said many TVET trainers themselves lack industrial experience, having transitioned into teaching with limited time in actual factories or companies. 'You can't expect your students to be practical if you're not,' Vun argued. 'A lot of university lecturers have never worked in the fields they teach. That must change.' Vun proposed introducing 'industrial professors' – veteran professionals who can deliver masterclasses based on lived experience rather than theory. Trainers should also be required to shadow industries quarterly to stay updated with real-world practices. To truly transform graduate outcomes, Vun also outlined a four-step roadmap for government and educational institutions: First is to tie Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) to Key Performance indicators (KPIs). Vun said every industry partnership must include clear targets, such as 70 per cent employment rates, and must result in real knowledge and experience transfer. Then, incentivise employers. She said tax breaks and levy grants should be offered to companies that collaborate on training, curriculum, and apprenticeships. Next is digital feedback loops. Real-time dashboards should be developed to track hiring success, skills gaps, and programme effectiveness. Lastly, streamline approvals. Approval for new industry-linked programmes must be accelerated – no more five- or 10-year delays. 'Just talking about knowledge is not enough. Experience is everything. We need to walk the talk,' Vun said. She cited an example of an engineer who couldn't fix an air-conditioner, while a technician without formal education could. 'One has the certificate but no skill. The other has the skill but no certificate. That's why competency-based training matters,' Vun said. Sabah – and Malaysia as a whole – must rethink how we prepare our graduates. Without real change, the country risks producing more degrees, but fewer people who can actually do the job. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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