Talentbank has revealed the companies awarded the Graduates’ Choice Award, recognised for leaving an outstanding workplace impression as rated by graduates.
MALAYSIA’S leading graduate employability authority Talentbank has announced the recipients of the Graduates’ Choice Award (GCA) 2025.
The GCA has been touted as Malaysia’s largest graduate employer benchmarking award for eight consecutive years. The award distinguishes itself by being entirely driven by student votes, thus ensuring transparent results free from external influences.
Students from over 100 universities cast a total of 597,036 votes to determine the top employers for 2025.
The award serves as a critical barometer for employer branding excellence, offering deep insights into the preferences and values of the country’s future workforce.
By highlighting what young talents expect from their employers, the award helps organisations align their recruitment strategies to attract, nurture and retain outstanding talent effectively.
Talentbank chief executive officer Ben Ho explained, "The Graduates’ Choice Award represents the collective voice of Malaysia's emerging talent. Employers leveraging these insights gain a significant advantage, knowing precisely what graduates seek and expect from their professional journeys."
These companies represent the gold standard of employer excellence, recognised for the exceptional employer branding impressions they leave on graduates.
They stand out for offering competitive remuneration packages, abundant career growth opportunities and strong leadership development pathways.
Students have been voting for the best companies to work for since 2018.
The range of top employers includes world-class conglomerates, major international corporations, industry-leading local enterprises, renowned fashion houses, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, healthcare pioneers, widely recognised telco and tech companies, natural resource organisations as well as popular social media and e-commerce platforms.
Many of them also offer a conducive working environment that promotes good ergonomics and practical amenities to fulfill work-life needs, making the office a productive and inclusive place to be.
The GCA 2025 survey insights
Based on findings, it is clear that while competitive remuneration remains important to fresh graduates, compensation alone no longer dictates career attractiveness.
Instead, graduates increasingly prioritise holistic career experiences, valuing meaningful work, job security and clear opportunities for long-term growth.
Today’s digital-native graduates—often referred to as “Zoomers”—place high importance on autonomy, flexibility and work-life balance.
A workplace culture that supports employee well-being alongside professional excellence has become essential to attracting and retaining talent.
The Graduates’ Choice Award features the top companies from various sectors.
Companies offering robust training programmes, mentorship and clear career progression are particularly attractive, as they facilitate ongoing skill enhancement, personal growth and effective succession planning.
The survey also revealed that employers who prioritise holistic employee well-being significantly enhance their attractiveness, as comprehensive healthcare benefits and wellness initiatives have become non-negotiable criteria for Malaysian graduates – reflecting a broader societal emphasis on health-conscious workplaces.
The survey also highlighted a persistent employability gap, with employers rating graduate career readiness consistently at approximately six out of ten since 2022.
Talentbank identifies this as an area for enhanced collaboration between universities and industries.
Universities must engage with employers to ensure curriculums remain relevant, practical and aligned with industry requirements.
Employers also play a vital role in offering internships, mentorship programmes and training opportunities to ensure graduate workforce readiness.
Talentbank has been actively working to align educational outcomes with workforce requirements over the past 15 years, launching several initiatives to uplift graduates in their job search and assist employers in curating recruitment solutions to appeal to graduates.
According to Ho, the insights gathered from the awards throughout the years have been instrumental in guiding and transforming Malaysia’s employment landscape.
“Our fruitful collaborations with the Higher Education Ministry, extensive university outreach and innovative engagement initiatives, coupled with tailored recruitment strategies, have significantly enhanced the employability, skills and future-readiness of our nation’s graduates.
“We remain committed and inspired to continue fostering meaningful opportunities and impactful careers for generations to come.”
A career toolkit
Talentbank is excited to announce the upcoming launch of its Career Playbook, in conjunction with its anniversary celebration.
Tailored specifically for the graduates, this guide will offer practical career strategies, real-world examples and insightful advice to help graduates successfully enter and thrive in the workforce, while effectively managing early career challenges.
It will be available in both print and digital formats, ensuring accessibility for graduates across the country.
Your voice matters
The Graduates’ Choice Award 2026 is now open for voting.
Students can cast their votes at www.graduateschoiceaward.com/vote to crown the top graduate employers of 2026.
For the full list of 2025 winners, click here.
