Barriers in Employability of Fresh Graduates in the Construction Industry in Malaysia

Foo, Jing Ling (2022) Barriers in Employability of Fresh Graduates in the Construction Industry in Malaysia. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

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Abstract

In Malaysia, the number of unemployed fresh graduates is increasing year by year. There is an interrelationship between the unemployment rate among young graduates and employer’s perceptions. As the standard of the minimum requirements set out by employer raises, the fresh graduates are facing a tougher situation to secure a job. In this study, there are several minimum requirements set out by employers when they are acquiring new workers are similar to the results of the survey carried by NACE. This research will focus on the problems faced by fresh graduates and provide some solutions to overcome the challenges. For example, the proactiveness of fresh graduates to learn new skills after graduation is still lacking. The tertiary education providers like MQA should amend the syllabus by instilling specific traits and personalities that can increase the marketability of graduates. University should also make internship compulsory for construction students to provide them with real work-life experience. Besides, a questionnaire survey will be distributed to target respondents and the data collected will be analysed, then conclusions can be drawn. From the results, the most challenging barrier faced by fresh graduates is lack working experience and the most effective solution is attending AutoCAD Knowledge webinars organised by Autodesk. In conclusion, this research helps the unemployed fresh graduates to obtain a job and provide a clearer view and a better understanding of their career life by obtaining proper knowledge and skills before entering the construction field. There are also a few limitations and recommendations suggested for future research.