The issue of employability or unemployability of graduates in today's job market is 21 growing concern in Sarawak as in the rest of the country.
This issue posits a challenge te both employers and, to job-seeking graduates. On the one hand, employers are finding it increasingly difficult to find fresh graduates who possess the right or needed skills where both technical and soft skills are expected.
On the other hand, job-seeking graduates claim they could not find jobs that fit their qualifications. However, one trend is definitely clear — that of employers getting increasingly frustrated in efforts, to fill their job vacancies with decently competent graduates and that, there doesn't seem to be a clear solution to this issue.
It is against the above scenario that Angkatan Zarnan Mansang, Sarawak (AZAM) in partnership with Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Germany is organizing a roundtable called A Sarawak Roundtable: Boosting the Calibre of Today's Graduates this 5th August in Kuching.
About 30 participants are to attend the one-day Roundtable comprising officers frorn the relevant government agencies, representatives of non-governmental organizations, institutions of higher learning, civil society organizations (CSOs), members of the corporate and private sectors and members of the media.
The objective of the roundtable are:-
- To enhance understanding among the various stakeholders on current issues and challenges with regards to the employability and marketability of today's graduates;
- To provide a platform for local institutions of higher learning, employee's, graduates and relevant stakeholders to share their thoughts and experiences in addressing the competency gaps among graduates;
- To suggest immediate and long term measures to boost the calibre of today’s graduates in facing the challenges of rapid development and globalisation.
The roundtable will see a key paper presentation on the Challenges and Demands of Globalisation: Boosting the Calibre of Today's Graduates by Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Hamid Bugo, the Chairman of Sego Holdings Sdn, Bhd. who was also the former Sarawak State Secretary.
A panel discussion with the theme "Employability and Marketability of Today's Graduates" will also be held. Among the topics to be presented are '"Recruitment: What employers look for in today's graduates?" by Human Resources Management Unit, Chief Minister’s Department, "Job Market in Sarawak: Treat or Threat"? by Labour Department Sarawak, "Learning & Doing: What are the gaps?" by Q Consultancy & Associates, "Competency in English: What are the barriers?" by University Technology MARA, Sarawak Branch, "Local Universities vs. Foreign Universities; Competency Gaps (Case Study)"'by Shell Malaysia Berhad and "Talent Management Programme" CareerXcell Sdn.Bhd
Yang Berhormat Datin Hajah Fatimah Abdullah, Assistant Minister the Chief Minister's Department (Human Resource and Training) and Assistant Minister of Agriculture (Horne Economics and Training) is scheduled to officially close the Roundtable on Boosting the Calibre of Today's Graduate.
This Roundtable is one of three series of roundtable organised by AZAM in partnership with KAS this year.
