IF entry-level jobs demand more advanced skills, how should Malaysia’s education and training systems adapt to ensure graduates are not locked out of the labour market?
Malaysian Employers Fede-ration (MEF) president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman says Malaysia’s education and training systems need to move from a model that places emphasis on qualifications and completion of courses towards one that places greater emphasis on demonstrable competencies and employability.
MEF sits on the Malaysian Qualifications Agency board, which is a statutory body in Malaysia set up under the Malaysian Qualifications Act 2007 to accredit academic programmes provided by educational institutions.
He says if entry-level jobs increasingly require advanced digital, analytical and problem-solving capabilities, universities and TVET (technical and vocational education and training) institutions must ensure that these competencies are developed before graduates enter the labour market, rather than expecting employers to provide all the necessary training after recruitment.
“There should be much closer collaboration between industry, universities, TVET institutions and professional bodies in determining curricula and occupational competencies. Courses should be reviewed more frequently because technology and job requirements are changing much faster than traditional curriculum cycles.
“This does not mean every graduate needs to become an artificial intelligence [AI] specialist. AI literacy should become a foundational employability skill across disciplines, alongside communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability and teamwork.”
He points out that Malaysia should strengthen work-integrated learning, internships, apprenticeships, industry projects and competency-based assessments; employers should be able to assess what a graduate can actually do, not merely what qualification the graduate possesses.
“There needs to be greater emphasis on lifelong learning and modular upskilling. A degree should no longer be viewed as the endpoint of education. Graduates need pathways to continuously acquire new skills as occupations evolve.”
Syed Hussain says the objective should not be to make
graduates compete with AI but to ensure graduates are capable of using AI to become more productive, while retaining the human qualities that AI cannot readily replace: judgement, creativity, communication, leadership, empathy and accountability.
“The issue is not simply whether Malaysia will have fewer entry-level jobs. The more important question is whether our education and training system can redesign the pathway from education to employment quickly enough to ensure that young Malaysians remain employable in an AI-enabled economy.”
Malaysian Industrial Commer-cial Service Employers Associa-tion (MICSEA) president YK Lai says employers should also invest in reskilling from the point of entry. AI training should not be reserved for managers or technology teams.
“New employees should be taught how to use relevant AI tools productively, how to verify AI-generated information, and when human judgement must override technology.
“Another important step is to reconsider recruitment criteria. There is a danger that employers may respond to AI by demanding that fresh graduates have increasingly long lists of technical skills and experience.
“This could create an unrealistic barrier to employment. Companies may need to place greater emphasis on potential, adaptability and learning agility, rather than expecting a graduate to arrive fully job-ready.”
Lai also says that industries may also see the emergence of more structured apprenticeship, internship and rotational programmes.
