Attaining a new skill can help those entering the job market navigate these challenging times

New graduates entering the job market need to equip themselves with new and relevant skills to be marketable in a post-pandemic market.

SEVEN to eight out of every 10 employed graduates aged 24 and below were working in the semi-skilled and low-skilled occupation categories in 2020, resulting in lower mean monthly salaries and wages received.

The Department of Statistics of Malaysia says in 2020, the rate of skill-related underemployment for this group went up to 78.6% as compared to 55.1% in 2019. Overall, skill-related underemployment increased to 31.2% in 2020 from 26.7% in 2019 as a result of the health crisis and its ensuing consequence on the economy.