UWB 20302

TECHNICAL WRITING

LECTURER: TUAN HAJI AZMI BIN ABDUL LATIFF

SECTION: 19

NAME
1. SITI FATIMAH BINTI BADRUDDIN

MATRIC NO
DF140050

2. ANISHA ADZIHAN BINTI BAKRI

DF140013
3. WAN FATIN AFIFAH BINTI WAN MOHD FAUZI
DF140024
4. NUR ATIQAH BINTI ZULLKIFFLE
DF140103

TERTIARY EDUCATION

UNEMPLOYMENT

FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTES ON THE

UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG FRESH GRADUATES

1.0

INTRODUCTION

1.1

Background of Study
Education plays an important role for Malaysia in building a sturdy nation, encouraging

the creation of a just society, and maintaining sustainable economic growth. Usually children in
Malaysia begin their education as early as at the age of four at pre-schools although this is not
compulsory. In general, the national education system in Malaysia is separated into pre tertiary
and tertiary education[1]. The pre tertiary education is under authorities of Ministry of Education
(MOE) while the tertiary education is under the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). Tertiary
education is also recognized as post-secondary education which is including the undergraduate
and postgraduate education. Colleges, universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics are
the main institutions that offer tertiary education[2].
Those who decided to advance to a tertiary level have more options and choices when it
comes to looking for job compare to those who chose not to continue their studies to this level.
Those who graduate also receive more salary than those who are not graduates.[2]Tertiary
education, theoretically, will give individuals to expand increase knowledge and skills, expand
their understanding of the world and their community.[1]
1.2

Problem of Statement
Nowadays, unemployment is an important issue encountering in many developing

countries like Malaysia. Unemployment among graduates is not a new concern [3]. However,
this case should not be taken lightly. This study is to find out the awareness of students at UTHM
on the issue of unemployment among graduates, which focuses on the factors that cause these
problems. But the number of employment among fresh graduate is increasing.
The Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr. Abd. Latifif Ahmad said that 13% of
the 31,000 jobless graduates between July 1997 and June 2002, had first class degree but still
failed to gain a job due to their incapability to communicate properly (Utusan Melayu, 2002).
Until now there are a lot of unemployment graduates and it shows a bad picture about Malaysia
but it still unsure that whether this is a result of low of quality or what they have learnt not
satisfies the market necessity. [3]

1.3

Research Objectives
1.3.1

The purpose of this study is to identify the factor of unemployment issues among
fresh graduates.

1.4

Research Question
1.4.1

1.5

What are the factors that contribute to unemployment among fresh graduates?

Significance of Study
This study will hopefully give valuable information about the factor that contribute to

unemployment among fresh graduates. It is also hoped that this study will help the students and
the authorities to prepare the students with the knowledge and skills required by the job market.
In the previous study, entitle investigating the level of students awareness and perception
on the unemployment issue among graduates and their preparation for the job market by
Norhisalmim Binti Mohamad being used as a reference for this research. Compare to the
previous study, the different being made in this recent study are the factor that contributes to the
unemployment among fresh graduates. The respondents of this research focus on the Human
Resources of the company while previous research focus on the students.

2.0

LITERATURE REVIEW
The increasing rate of unemployed graduates is one of the issues that trigger world's

concerns lately. Most of the fresh graduates have been called a lot of times for an interview;
nevertheless they do not meet the prospective quality desired by the employer of the company.
About over 200,000 students graduate from higher institution every year. However, 1 out of 4
graduates remain unemployed 6 month after graduation. 35.3% of these university graduates are
unemployed which is the majority among them are Degree holder [4]. According to the findings
of a Graduate Tracer Study in 2006, 30.7% of graduates remained unemployed six months after
convocation, while 5.7% were still awaiting job placement. The study involved 132 900
graduates from 18 public universities, 18 polytechnics, 34 community colleges and 13 private
institutions of higher learning from all over Malaysia [5].

Manpower Staffing Services (M) Sdn Bhd country manager Sam Haggag whose
company provides workforce solutions that include recruitment and training said that six out of
10 graduates from Malaysian universities taking as much as six months to find a job. The other
40 percent take even longer. They found out that seven out of 10 graduates who come to
recruitment interviews fail the English competency test. This is due to the lack of proficiency in
English which limits their ability to communicate and this led to lower their confidence [6].
Based on Jobstreets.com report say that most common reasons why graduates are still
unemployed are because they are too demanding, lack of experience and general knowledge.
Jobstreets Malaysia Manager Chook Yuh Ying added that most of the employees have these
criteria besides they request a higher salary for the position. Other than that, these graduates have
bad attitude and not able to speak English fluently. The employer more preferred to hire
graduates with skills and experience [7].
The best employment prospects for graduates are in civil engineering and accountancy,
followed by business and management studies, media studies and building. It is because this
subject offers the highest employability rates. Meanwhile, pure science or humanity degrees is an
field that particularly high unemployment. [2]

3.0

METHODOLOGY

3.1

Setting
This study will be conducted in Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur which

is also known as KL is the capital city of Malaysia. It is located in the middle of Selangor. Well
developed and rapid economic growth of Kuala Lumpur attracts most of the people to working
there. However, due to growth of human population and the increase in foreign worker, most of
the fresh graduates to find work even harder although have been many times to apply for job and
attends a lot of interviews.

3.2

Participants
In this study, the focusing respondent consist of Human Resources (HR) of Malaysian

International Shipping Corporation (MISC) Bhd, Mastium Engineering Sdn Bhd, Crystal Ville
Group, STME Asian Designer Sdn Bhd, MyEG Services Sdn Bhd and Aniza Aziz & Associates
(see table 1).
Table 1:

The respondents in this study

COMPANY
Malaysian International

NAME
Mrs. Fadzilah Bt

POSITION
Executive

EXPERIENCES
15 years

Shipping Corporation (MISC)

Serbaini

Bhd
Mastium Engineering Sdn Bhd
Crystal Ville Group
STME Asian Designer Sdn

Mr. Rashid B. Aziz

Mrs. Nurul Bt. Jeffri
Mrs. Hamidah Bt

HR Manager
HR Manager
HR Manager

9 years
7 years
11 years

Bhd
MyEG Services Sdn Bhd
Aniza Aziz & Associates

Jilani
Mr Azrul
Ms. Nadia Nagiehah

HR Assistance
HR Assistance

8 years
5 years

Bt Zulhishah

3.3

Instrument
Research instrument that will be used in this study is self-administrated questionnaire.

The information from the questionnaire distributed to the officer that hiring graduates will be
able to help the researcher to identify the factor that affecting unemployment among fresh
graduates.

3.4

Data Collection Procedure

3.4.1

Make a call to the administrative of the selected company to get the permission in
order to make the research at their company.

3.4.2

After get the permission, the appointment was made.

3.4.3

Went to the office and hand the questionnaire.

3.4.4

After 1 hour the questionnaire was collected.

4.0

ANALYSIS OF DATA

4.1

Introduction
This chapter discusses analysis of data collected from the research. This chapter is

divided into 2 sections which are Section A: Background of respondents and Section B: What are
the factors that contribute to unemployment among fresh graduates?
4.2

Section A: Background of Respondents

4.2.1

Company sector

Company Sector
government

private

17%

83%

Figure 4.1

Figure 4.1 shows the company sector of the respondents. 83% of the respondents from private
sector while another 17% from government sector. Majority of the respondent is from
government sector followed by private sector.
4.2.2

Gender

Gender
male

female

33%
67%

Figure 4.2
Figure 4.2 shows the gender of respondents for the research. 67% of the respondents were female
while another 40% were male respondents. Most of the respondent is female followed by male.
4.2.3

Status

Status of respondents
single

50%

married

50%

Figure 4.3

Figure 4.3 shows the status of respondents for the research. 50% of the respondents were married
while another 50% is single.
4.2.4 Do you think lack of soft skill can affect employer expectations?

Lack of soft skill can affect employer expectation

yes no

100%

Figure 4.4
Figure 4.4 shows that all the respondents agree that lack of soft skill can affect employer
expectation.

4.3

Section B: Factors that contribute to unemployment among fresh graduates.

4.3.1

Fresh graduates are too choosy about the position offered in an organization

Fresh graduates are too choosy about the position offered in an organization.
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

Figure 4.5
Based on figure 4.3 shows that an answer of respondents based on whether fresh graduates are to
choosy about the position offered in organization. 70% of them has mixed feeling about the
statement. On the other hand, 10% has strongly agree and another 10% strongly agree. In
contrast, 10% disagree about this statement.
4.3.2

The employers more prefer experience workers than fresh graduates

The employers more prefer experience workers than fresh graduates.

80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

Figure 4.6

Based on figure 4.4 shows that an answer of respondents based on whether employers more
prefer experience workers than fresh graduates. 70% of them agree with the statement. On the
other hand, 10% strongly agree with the statement. In contrast, 10% of the disagree with the
statement while 10% has mixed feeling.

4.3.3

Fresh graduates lack communication skill, experience and self-motivation

Fresh graduates lack communication skill, experience and self- motivation

90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

Figure 4.7
Based on figure 4.5 shows that an answer of respondents based on fresh graduates lack
communication skill, experience and self-motivation. 80% of them agree while 20% strongly
agree with the statement
4.3.4

Fresh graduate demand for high salary

80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

67%

33%

0%

0%

0%

Figure 4.8: Percentage of respondent about fresh graduate demand for high salary
Figure 4.8 shows whether fresh graduates were demand for high salary or not. 66.67% of the
respondent agree with the statement. Meanwhile, 33.33% of them strongly said that fresh
graduates were demand for high salary.
4.3.5

The main reason of unemployment is government is not keen in providing jobs to

fresh graduates.
33.33%

35%

33.33%

30%
25%
20%

16.67%

16.67%

15%
10%
5%
0%

0.00%

Figure 4.9: Percentage of respondent about the reason of unemployment is government is

not keen in providing jobs to fresh graduates.

Figure 4.9 shows the percentage of respondent about the reason of unemployment is government
is not keen in providing jobs to fresh graduates. It shows that 16.67% of respondent was disagree
with the statement. Nevertheless, 33.33% of respondent had mixed feeling about the reason of
unemployment is government is not keen in providing jobs to fresh graduates. On the other hand,
16.67% of them agree with the statement while the remaining 33.33% of the respondent strongly
said that the government is not keen in providing jobs to fresh graduates that cause the reason of
unemployment.

4.3.6

Our system of education causes of unemployment because our students are not

getting practically work just getting theoretically

80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

66.67%

16.67%

16.67%

0.00%

0.00%

Series 1

Figure 4.10: Percentage of respondent response about system of education cause of

unemployment because students not getting practically work just getting theoretically
Figure 4.10 shows the percentage of respondent response about system of education cause of
unemployment because students not getting practically work just getting theoretically. 16.67% of
respondent said that education did not the cause of unemployment. Nonetheless, the same

percentage of 16.67% of respondent got mixed feeling whether the system of education was the
cause of unemployment because students are not getting practically work just getting
theoretically. However, 66.67% of them said that the system of education had cause
unemployment. It is because students not getting practically work just getting theoretically.

4.3.7

System of reference so much indulged in our society to get a job.

60%

50.00%

50%
40%

33.30%

30%
16.70%

20%
10%
0%

0.00%

0.00%

Figure: 4.11
Figure 4.11 shows whether the system of reference so much indulged in society to get a job. So
50% of them have mixed feeling with the statement. 33.3% disagree. Meanwhile, 16.7% of them
strongly said that the system of reference so much indulged in our society to get a job.
4.3.8

Employers more prefer graduates that had achieved excellent academic result.

60%
50%

50%

50%

40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Storngly
0%
Disagree Disagree

Mixed Feeling

Agree
0%

Strongly
0%Agree

Column2

Figure: 4.12
Figure 4.12 shows whether the employers more prefer graduates that had achieved excellent
academic result. 50% of the respondents was disagree while another 50% had mixed feeling
about this statement.
4.3.9

Employers more prefer graduates that active in co-curricular activities.

35%

33.30%

33.30%

33.30%

Disagree

Mixed Feeling

Agree

30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

Strongly
0.00%
Disagree

Column2

Figure: 4.13

Strongly
0.00%
Agree

Figure 4.13 show whether the employers more prefer graduates that active in co-curricular
activities. 33.3% of the respondents agree and disagree about this statement however the other
33.3% had the mixed feeling if the employers more prefer graduates that active in co-curricular
activities.

REFERENCE
[1]

tertiary education, university education in Malaysia. [Online]. Available:

http://www.etawau.com/edu/Department/EducationSystem.htm. [Accessed: 03-Apr-2016].

[2]

degree, wordpress. [Online]. Available: http://www.degreemalaysia.com/tertiaryeducation-in-malaysia/. [Accessed: 03-Apr-2016].

[3]

M. Norhisalmin, Investigating the level of students awareness and perception on the

unemployment issue among graduates and their preparation for the job market: A case
study at Faculty of Information Technology & Quantitative Sciences, UiTM Shah Alam,
no. May, 2004.

[4]

L. Michelle, What You Didnt Know About Fresh Graduate Unemployment in Malaysia
[Infographic], 2016. .

[5]

N. H. binti Saari, Unemployed Graduates: How can We Address this Situation?,

Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM), 2012. .

[6]

Local graduates fall short of employers expectations, BorneoPost Online, 2012. .

[7]

Astro Awani, 3 main reasons graduates still unemployed, Astro Awani Network, 2013. .