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Malaysiakini
23-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysiakini
Rethinking graduate wages in M'sia: Are we seeing the full picture?
While concerns over low starting salaries for graduates are valid and deserve attention, it is important to frame the conversation around comprehensive data rather than isolated anecdotal accounts. The recent narrative, as featured in an article titled 'Degree holders lament incommensurate wages', paints a dismal picture of graduate earnings. However, key national statistics suggest a more nuanced and, in some cases, more optimistic reality. A broader look at graduate earnings Contrary to claims that most degree holders earn below RM3,000, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) reports a median salary of RM4,409 and a mean salary of RM4,933 for graduates in 2023. These figures reflect a more accurate average of what degree holders are earning across industries, rather than the narrower lens of entry-level salaries in specific sectors. Furthermore, MYFutureJobs, Malaysia's national job matching platform, shows that graduate-level jobs advertise an average salary of RM4,537 as of April 2025. For better alignment with DOSM's data, another perspective from PERKESO's Data Placement 2024 reports that the average salary for graduates entering PMET (Professionals, Managers, Executives, and Technicians) occupations is RM3,598. These numbers show strong alignment between advertised and actual salaries, indicating that the labour market may be more competitive and fairer than suggested by individual employer surveys. Contextualising entry-level wages It is true that starting salaries in the public sector at RM2,250 for Grade 9 (formerly Grade 41) are lower than average salaries in the private sector. However, this doesn't capture the full compensation trajectory. Grade 9 positions in government service can reach up to RM11,110, and they often come with long-term benefits like pension schemes, job security, and annual increments that may not exist in many private roles. At the same time, graduates from arts and social sciences tend to earn lower starting salaries, largely due to a combination of market oversupply, limited demand, and the less direct commercial applicability of their qualifications. According to the Ministry of Higher Education's 2023 data, over 150,000 graduates, or more than 50 percent of total graduate output, were from non-STEM fields like Business Administration and Law (82,288 graduates), Arts and Humanities (22,558), Education (17,933), and Social Sciences (17,539). This oversupply creates a notable mismatch between graduate output and labour market needs. Bridging this gap requires targeted upskilling in areas such as digital literacy and analytical competencies, which are critical to enhancing employability and opening pathways to higher-value career opportunities, both in the public and private sectors. A case of mismatch, not oversupply One of the key issues at hand is not necessarily that there are too many graduates, but that many are underemployed. According to DOSM, 35.7 percent of employed graduates in Quarter 1, 2025, were in roles that did not match their qualifications, which is a symptom of skill mismatch, not an oversupply of graduates per see. The Graduate Employability Rate (GER) for 2024, on the other hand, stands at 92.5 percent, which reflects that the vast majority of graduates are indeed employed. Therefore, the challenge is aligning the quality of those jobs with the qualifications and aspirations of graduates, which is an issue that calls for better industry-academia alignment, not just wage reform. What needs to change Rather than placing undue emphasis solely on starting salaries, which are understandably lower as part of the natural career progression, the national conversation should pivot towards more sustainable and impactful solutions. One of the key areas requiring attention is the closing of the skill gap. This involves a critical enhancement of university curricula to ensure that graduates are equipped with competencies that align with the evolving needs of industry. A stronger emphasis on practical, industry-relevant education can bridge the disconnect between academic training and workplace expectations. Equally important is the support for upskilling and reskilling initiatives, which empower graduates to transition into high-demand and emerging sectors such as digital technology, green economy, and advanced manufacturing. These sectors not only offer better remuneration but also greater long-term career resilience in a rapidly shifting job market. Through data mining and analysis, efforts have been made to explore parameters that allow comparison between reskilled or upskilled graduates and fresh graduates. While direct official salary comparisons for reskilled individuals are limited, existing policy frameworks and research consistently highlight that reskilling enhances employability, job readiness, and career advancement. These improvements are generally associated with more favourable salary outcomes compared to those of fresh graduates entering the workforce without additional training or experience. In addition, greater industry collaboration must be encouraged. Structured partnerships between the public and private sectors can create clear, purposeful pathways from education to employment, including internships, apprenticeships, and industry-driven training programmes, which can ease the transition into the workforce and raise job quality. While there are legitimate concerns about business sustainability, especially among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), blanket suppression of graduate wages should not be seen as a viable solution. Instead, a more balanced and forward-thinking approach is needed, one that integrates performance-based remuneration, targeted government incentives, and comprehensive labour market reforms. Such a strategy would not only support business viability but also ensure fair and equitable compensation for Malaysia's highly educated workforce. This Social Security series is in collaboration with PERKESO.
Malay Mail
23-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘Eager and inexperienced': Fresh grads most at risk of overseas job scams, says Labour Dept
IPOH, May 23 — Fresh graduates who have just completed their studies at institutions of higher learning are found to be the most vulnerable to overseas job scams. The Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) director-general Kamal Pardi said this is because these individuals are easily deceived by syndicates promising high salaries and various other benefits. 'They (young people) are eager to start working. They have no experience and often fail to verify whether the job offers are legitimate. Most of the offers involve employment abroad. 'This is the reason why many of them fall into the trap and become victims of forced labour,' he said in a press conference after launching the roadshow on Prevention of Labour Exploitation: Towards Zero Forced Labour 2030 at a shopping mall, here today. Kamal said the department strongly encourages jobseekers, especially youths, to register with legitimate job-matching platforms such as the MYFutureJobs portal to find suitable job opportunities and avoid falling victim to employment scams. At the same time, Kamal said the roadshow convoy is part of an integrated initiative to raise public awareness and strengthen collective action against worker exploitation and forced labour in the country. He said the roadshow is expected to travel from Perak to Perlis, with several identified pit-stops to deliver outreach and information directly to targeted communities. 'The programme includes a variety of activities such as talks, community outreach sessions, distribution of printed materials and mini exhibitions related to workers' rights, forms of exploitation and reporting channels. 'The convoy approach enables more comprehensive, inclusive and direct communication with all layers of society,' he said. He added that the programme is also in line with the government's aspiration and international commitment to eradicate forced labour by 2030. — Bernama
Barnama
23-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Fresh Grads At Risk Of Overseas Job Scams, Labour Dept Cautions
IPOH, May 23 (Bernama) -- Fresh graduates who have just completed their studies at institutions of higher learning are found to be the most vulnerable to overseas job scams. The Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) director-general Kamal Pardi said this is because these individuals are easily deceived by syndicates promising high salaries and various other benefits. 'They (young people) are eager to start working. They have no experience and often fail to verify whether the job offers are legitimate. Most of the offers involve employment abroad. 'This is the reason why many of them fall into the trap and become victims of forced labour,' he said in a press conference after launching the roadshow on Prevention of Labour Exploitation: Towards Zero Forced Labour 2030 at a shopping mall, here today. Kamal said the department strongly encourages jobseekers, especially youths, to register with legitimate job-matching platforms such as MYFutureJobs portal to find suitable job opportunities and avoid falling victim to employment scams. At the same time, Kamal said the roadshow convoy is part of an integrated initiative to raise public awareness and strengthen collective action against worker exploitation and forced labour in the country. He said the roadshow is expected to travel from Perak to Perlis, with several identified pit stops to deliver outreach and information directly to targeted communities. 'The programme includes a variety of activities such as talks, community outreach sessions, distribution of printed materials and mini exhibitions related to workers' rights, forms of exploitation and reporting channels. 'The convoy approach enables more comprehensive, inclusive and direct communication with all layers of society,' he said.
New Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Rethinking graduate wages
WHILE concerns over low starting salaries for graduates are valid and deserve attention, it is important to frame the conversation around comprehensive data rather than isolated anecdotal accounts. The recent narrative, as featured in a news article, paints a dismal picture of graduate earnings. However, key national statistics suggest a more nuanced and, in some cases, more optimistic reality. A BROADER LOOK AT GRADUATE EARNINGS Contrary to claims that most degree holders earn below RM3,000, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) reports a median salary of RM4,409 and a mean salary of RM4,933 for graduates in 2023. These figures reflect a more accurate average of what degree holders are earning across industries, rather than the narrower lens of entry-level salaries in specific sectors. Furthermore, MYFutureJobs, Malaysia's national job-matching platform, shows that graduate-level jobs advertised an average salary of RM4,537 up to last month. In alignment with DOSM's data, the Social Security Organisation's (Perkeso) 2024 Data Placement also reports that the average salary for graduates entering PMET (Professionals, Managers, Executives, and Technicians) roles is RM3,598. These numbers show strong alignment between advertised and actual salaries, suggesting that the labour market may be more competitive and fairer than what individual employer surveys suggest. ENTRY-LEVEL WAGES It is true that public sector entry-level salaries, such as RM2,250 for Grade 9 (formerly Grade 41), are lower than private sector medians. However, this figure does not capture the full compensation trajectory, as Grade 9 positions in the government can rise to RM11,110 and come with long-term benefits such as pension schemes, job security and annual increments, which are often absent in many private sector roles. At the same time, graduates from the arts and social sciences tend to earn lower starting salaries, largely due to market oversupply, limited demand and less direct commercial applicability of their qualifications. According to the Higher Education Ministry's 2023 data, over 150,000 graduates, or more than 50 per cent of total graduate output, came from non-science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields such as Business Administration and Law (82,288), Arts and Humanities (22,558), Education (17,933) and Social Sciences (17,539). This oversupply has created a mismatch between graduate output and labour market needs. Bridging this gap requires targeted upskilling in areas such as digital literacy and analytical competencies — skills critical to enhancing employability and creating pathways to higher-value career opportunities in both the public and private sectors. MISMATCH, NOT OVERSUPPLY One of the key issues is not necessarily an oversupply of graduates, but underemployment. According to DOSM, 35.7 per cent of employed graduates in the first quarter of this year were in roles that did not match their qualifications — a clear sign of skill mismatch rather than graduate surplus. Yet, the Graduate Employability Rate for last year stood at 92.5 per cent, reflecting that the vast majority of graduates are employed. The challenge lies in aligning job quality with graduate qualifications and aspirations. This issue calls for improved industry-academia collaboration, not just wage reform. WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE Rather than focusing solely on starting salaries, naturally lower as part of early career progression, the national conversation should pivot toward sustainable and impactful solutions. Chief among them is closing the skill gap, which requires critically enhancing university curricula to ensure graduates are equipped with skills that align with evolving industry needs. Greater emphasis on practical, industry-relevant education can bridge the disconnect between academic training and workplace expectations. Equally important is supporting upskilling and reskilling initiatives, which empower graduates to transition into high-demand sectors such as digital technology, the green economy and advanced manufacturing. These sectors offer not only better remuneration, but also long-term career resilience. Data analysis has begun to explore ways to compare outcomes between reskilled/upskilled graduates and fresh graduates. Although direct official salary comparisons are limited, existing policy frameworks and research consistently show that reskilling improves employability, job readiness and career progression, often leading to better salary outcomes than those available to fresh graduates. Additionally, stronger industry collaboration must be encouraged. Structured partnerships between the public and private sectors can create clear, purposeful pathways from education to employment, such as internships, apprenticeships and industry-driven training programmes that ease workforce entry and raise job quality. While there are legitimate concerns about business sustainability, especially among micro, small and medium enterprises, blanket suppression of graduate wages should not be seen as a viable solution. Instead, a more balanced and forward-thinking approach is required: one that integrates performance-based remuneration, targeted government incentives and comprehensive labour market reforms. Such a strategy would not only support business viability, but also ensure fair and equitable compensation for Malaysia's highly educated workforce.
New Straits Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
High-profile jobs on offer at MyFutureJobs carnival, some paying up to RM16,000
KUALA LUMPUR: More than 10,000 exclusive and high-profile job opportunities will be offered at the Premium MYFutureJobs Career Carnival 2025 on May 10 and 11 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). Perkeso said the premium version of the carnival features the participation of leading companies and high-profile positions across various sectors with more than 70 per cent of the positions in the executive category, making it a strategic platform for graduates and professionals looking to advance their careers. "The premium carnival is specially designed to match top talent with the country's leading employers, where job seekers may attend walk-in interviews and potentially receive on-the-spot job offers. "The carnival also reflects the government's commitment to strengthening Malaysia's employment ecosystem to be inclusive, responsive and resilient," Perkeso said in a statement today. Running from 9am to 5pm for both days, the carnival will feature top employers such as Perkeso, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), CIMB, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), PwC, KPMG, Deloitte, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), Petron Malaysia and Proton, with some roles offering salaries of up to RM16,000. Exclusive Pocket Talk sessions will also be hosted by industry experts including Mohd Nizam Ahamad (PakTam), Sharifah Hani Yasmin, Muhamad Fairuz Zainal Abidin, Lora and Ku Sim Ling (Aunty HR), along with personalised CV review sessions by Ku. The first 500 visitors each day who participate in MYFutureJobs On The Go activities and download the MYFutureJobs mobile application will receive exclusive ZUS Coffee vouchers and stand a chance to win RM20 Touch 'n Go eWallet top-ups, along with attractive lucky draw prizes. Job seekers and graduates are encouraged to register at or download the app to explore the wide array of career opportunities available.
