Don't be choosy, Wee tells fresh grads

JOHOR BARU: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong today called on fresh university graduates not to be choosy when applying for jobs as they should be ready to take on even a blue collar job.
"It's all in their mindset," he said, adding that graduates should take up whatever job offers that come their way.
Speaking to reporters at the 4th Johor Career and Postgraduate Expo here, Wee said some 200,000 fresh graduates enter the job market every year and thus they cannot afford to be choosy.
He added that they should be realistic about the current economic situation and take up whatever jobs that come their way including learning new skills, working as a blue collar worker or doing their own business.
He attributed some 67% of the graduates being unemployed due to their own incompetency such as having a poor command of English, both communication- and written-wise, and also asking for a high salary.
"One out of four graduates remain unemployed, even 6 months after graduation, and they are among the current 400,000 unemployed individuals in the country, making up 35.3% of them," he said.
Wee said although this year’s job market does not look good as compared to that of last year, graduates can still find a job if they have the right attitude.

Top five industries that still offered jobs are the manufacturing, banking and financial services, construction, ICT, and wholesale and retail sectors.