PETALING JAYA: The high enrolment rates in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) courses are a positive indicator that it could address the acute labour shortage in certain industries, say experts.
However, they also warn that a high number of TVET graduates could result in underemployment due to an oversupply of skills and labour in the job market.
Prof Dr Balakrishnan Parasuraman from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan said students should be trained in skills that are in demand by the industry.
However, he noted that an excess of university graduates in specific fields has led to a saturation in the job market, where the number of job seekers far surpassed the number of available positions.
“Hence, the disconnect between education and employment can result in underemployment, where individuals are compelled to take jobs that do not entirely utilise their qualifications,” he said.
Prof Balakrishnan said underemployment could afflict TVET graduates too, and to prevent this, all stakeholders – including the Education Ministry – should reassess current policies and take necessary actions to address these issues.
He said educational institutions, from kindergartens to secondary schools, should place greater emphasis on developing practical skills and integrating them into the curriculum.
Prof Balakrishnan said employers in the manufacturing, engineering and IT sectors are willing to pay competitive salaries for technical skills.
However, he added, this only applies if graduates possess technical knowledge and soft skills such as effective communications, teamwork, adaptability and problem solving.
Economist Dr Geoffrey Williams said TVET programmes are more practical and therefore, employment rates are higher for such graduates.
According to Williams, underemployment is less acute for TVET graduates compared with university graduates, as technical and vocational skills are more in demand in the labour market.
“We will need mechanics, electricians, plumbers, hairdressers, and care workers for the foreseeable future and these will be the most in-demand job types.
“In fact, many students in universities should actually be in TVET courses, which would suit them better and help them get what they need more quickly,” he added.
However, Williams said the market should determine the minimum wage for TVET graduates and the government should not intervene in that matter.
