PETALING JAYA: Students looking to enrol at universities should consider job opportunities alongside their personal interests, academics have advised.
Universiti Teknologi Mara Perlis campus Faculty of Business and Management senior lecturer Dr Muhammad Aiman Arifin said students need to take a long-term view and consider current global workforce demands.
While interest remains important, he explained it should be a secondary factor in course selection, with greater emphasis placed on future job prospects to avoid a glut of unemployed graduates.
“When we look at how students choose their courses, career opportunities fall into two categories – high demand and emerging fields.
“High-demand fields aren’t necessarily booming industries, but they are areas that if pursued, is likely to secure a job either quickly or eventually. These include roles such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, engineers, teachers and IT professionals.
“Emerging industries include jobs related to artificial intelligence, data science, green energy and machinists.
“Interest should be the second consideration. You do need to think about long-term passion as it helps shape your career journey. It is interest that drives individuals to climb the career ladder, not just earning a degree,” he said when contacted by theSun.
Muhammad Aiman added that a student’s interest should also align with their personality and not be decided on a whim, which can be assessed through psychometric testing.
“Most universities already offer psychometric tests, including through the UPU (Unit Pengambilan Universiti) system e-profiling tool.
“The MyMahir platform developed by TalentCorp also provides similar assessments. These tests could help confirm your interest and match you to suitable courses based on your personality.
“Sometimes, students aren’t aware of this, but personality plays a huge role. For
example, an introvert may
not suit a career requiring outgoing traits. How can an introvert be expected to become a journalist?”
He also addressed the belief that formal qualifications are no longer essential as some achieve success without them and many youths aspire to become influencers.
“We never know what the future holds, and while many are becoming influencers today, not everyone can sustain it long term. Influencers themselves now face fierce competition within their own niches to capture attention.
“Education and knowledge remain important and relevant. In fact, studies show that fewer people continue their education after SPM.
“In facing today’s global challenges, at the very least, one should have a bachelor’s degree.
“A certificate signals to employers that a candidate has basic knowledge in a particular field. With that, employers know the individual has undergone training aligned with their needs,” he said.
Meanwhile, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia associate professor Dr Abdul Rahim Zumrah said it is wise for those pursuing higher education to examine the job market to understand where demand lies.
“This effort could enhance their chances of getting a job in the field they studied,” he said in a WhatsApp message.
He agreed with Muhammad Aiman that given today’s competitive job market, jobseekers should be equipped with formal qualifications.
“I strongly encourage the younger generation to pursue university-level studies based on their capacity and interests.
Applying for an entry-level executive position today often requires at least a bachelor’s degree,” he said.
On Tuesday, the results of last year’s STPM examinations were released, with 1,266 out of 42,861 candidates achieving a cumulative grade point average of 4.0.
