Grads: Skills to Pay the Bills. That's It?

Source: Of grads and rewarding jobs

THE difficulties faced by graduates to find jobs, especially one that is related to their fields of study can be quite a task and has drawn much debate.

This seems to be a global problem. But the intensity of the debate here indicates that we, as a society, feel the issue is an important one.

There was a recent report about the education system not producing thinking graduates and it is no doubt a serious issue.

My analysis in this article arises from my experience as a businessman since I often meet entrepreneurs, and also as a visiting lecturer, where I am in contact with university students regularly.

To me, Malaysian graduates do not lack technical skills or qualifications. But what makes them less prepared for the job market is their lack of “humanistic” education.

Malaysia has a large number of technical and technological colleges where the different science disciplines are offered and taught.

A technical-oriented education will ensure that we have a good pool of technicians but companies do not look for technicians to fill their strategic positions.

A technical-oriented education will produce graduates with a desire to work hard who may be eventually driven by money.

Such an attitude may not be good for the nation as short-term hunger for money alone does not produce entrepreneurs.

What we need is a new education culture that produces individuals who look for careers with a purpose.

There has to be a higher aim in the job, and, that helps one contribute to nation-building. A job is, first of all, a vocation. What makes it interesting is the realisation that the job can shape our destiny and contribute to the destiny of the country.

But how can we produce individuals who can shape a nation’s destiny? Here I go back to the education system.

We have to perhaps revolutionise our education system from primary school right up to university level, and bring back the teaching and learning of history, literature, philosophy and some of the old topics in the syllabus that have now been left out.

A lesson on some of the world’s greatest historical figures, for instance, Alexander the Great, will not only enhance a student’s knowlege of this legendary leader but will also give one an insight as to the attributes and psyche of the person. Values will also be learnt along the way.

It is from the past that we can find inspiration and, above all, the roots of our relationship with our future. If we do not explore the roots, or, worse, if we cut off the roots, we will only produce students who will not know where to go, or start from.

If we have this new culture in education, we can hope to see a change in attitude in almost everything, and in our quest for jobs. The product of such a system will be individuals who are exposed and who have a holistic view of situations and who will succeed in the job market.

Money, I am sure, will come with that success. More importantly, we will see individuals who will push the country forward.

DR CARMELO FERLITO

Fellow at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS).