By Azra Farzana Shuib
Why would you spend about four years in the university, investing a lot of time and money, and won’t be able to sell yourself in the job market? University years are not meant merely for spending time on books and passing examinations. It is also the time for you to build network, be involved in activities, refine your skills and thus prepare yourself to ameliorate your future life.
Nowadays, a student with a 4.0 CGPA is not necessarily more intelligent than a student with 3.0 CGPA. Provided that the student with a lower CGPA has vast experiences in organising big programmes, better communication skills and a more prestigious internship, then that might overshadow the grades because eventually it’s your practical skills that will sell you. But if you have a package of a high CGPA combined with involvements in several activities that require some impressive skills, then that’s no doubt the best help you can have to ensure you shine in securing employment.
During the National Leadership Symposium held recently, one of the keynote speakers, Edmund Bon expressed his views on how law graduates nowadays are mostly “not fit for purpose”. The Head of Chambers BON Advocates and Founder of UndiMsia stressed the importance of hands on approach in learning, and even suggested that the Ministry of Higher Education terminate the current education system for law undergraduates and form a new syllabus based on the experiential model rather than the banking model of education. He also urged students to get out and meet people instead of merely being a bookworm.
Another keynote speaker, James Tanabe also emphasised on acquiring ‘many languages’. Based on his experience meeting people from different culture, it is important that we learn these languages in order to build strong networking. There is a language of business, language of arts, economics and so forth. If we want to be a leader someday, he said, it is necessary to possess knowledge in many fields in order to have sustainability in whatever we do. Furthermore it is also important to learn to be independent, because in the pursuit of our dreams, he said, we should not be afraid to be alone. He emboldened the audience to be brave and to trust ourselves in anything that we do.
Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh had also encouraged graduates to be more creative in venturing into the job markets. They should be self-reliant as he called on students not just to be job seekers, but also job creators. In a statement to Astro Awani on 26 October, he said: “In other words, future graduates of institutions of higher learning will no longer depend on the government or the private sector for jobs but will be able to create jobs for others.” This has portrayed the importance of cultivating leadership, creativity, and effective communication skills among students.
Most universities in Malaysia now have provided students with so many platforms to enhance themselves, but only a few would grab such opportunity. Times have changed and nowadays students who receive straight A’s are not rare anymore. This is the main reason why employers now seek more than just academic intelligence, because practical experience is more important. In the realm of uncertainty these days, it is crucial for students to be equipped with the necessary skills and experiences to surpass the expectations of future employers.***