Congratulations to my group members......

I would like to congratulate my team members for a wonderful presentation and the commitment that you all have gave for this blog. Now, lets work on the report .........hehehehe.......

RQ1: Research

Unemployed or Unemployable?

RQ3: Training Scheme

Check this out.
Training Scheme for Jobless Graduates

Random

Anyway,thanks Jane for stating on what we need to do.We running out of time and please do comment on anyone's post because I think the evaluation will be based on the comments too.and also please state which RQ and RO are you guys doing.So it will be easier.Lets support each other!Thankyou!!

RQ2: What Happens When Unemployment Occurs Among Our Local Undergraduates?

When unemployment occurs among our local undergraduates we can see in the increase in crime statistic. I am not saying that the crime statistic increase mainly due to unemployment of local undergraduates but in a way it does attribute in the crime statistic. When local undergraduates do not get employed by companies they tend to get involved in criminal activities so that they can gain fast money. Although they know is the wrong thing to get involved in criminal activities, but they do not have much choice. They need income in order to survive. When they get caught, they tend to regret although is too late to do so.  Besides that, when our local undergraduates is not employed in their own country, they tend to migrate overseas in order to get a job. This will be a great loss to the country because there will be less youth left in the country to develop the country. We will also loose experts in certain field.

RQ3: What should be done to overcome unemployment among undergraduates?

In my opinion, the ways that can be used to overcome unemployment among undergraduates is by providing more job opportunities for them. The government should provide more job opportunities for the undergraduates in various field so that they will be secured with a job. Besides that, private sectors should also help the government to provide job for the undergraduates. the private sectors should employ our local undergraduate than employing foreign workers because our local undergraduates are well-qualified. Some of our local undergraduates are way much better than the foreign workers. The private sectors should have faith in our local undergraduates in working in their company.


Besides that, when the undergraduates are in the university, that should attend for the industrial training program so that they can be exposed to the working environment first before they start their real challenge in the working field. By doing so, they can know whether they can work or not in the field or they should work in other job. When undergraduates work in a particular company during the industrial training, and if they do their work well than there is changes of them being employed by the same company back once the graduate from their respective university. This in a way can overcome the unemployment among undergraduates in our country. 

3rd RQ: Attitude

RQ: How can we overcome the unemployment of local graduates?
RO: To investigate the ways to solve this issue from getting worse by the years.

It takes a really whole lot of effort to overcome the unemployment among local graduates as this is a serious issue that should not be taken for granted.The government can find as many strategies they may have to overcome this problem but it will still not work if the local graduates still have these kind of attitude.The attitude that cause them to be left unemployed.We are already aware that most of the employee prefer someone with any job experience.So the graduates should be awared of this and should not let this become the reason why they are still unemployed.If the graduates really serious in applying job that need experience,they would find ways to fulfill the inquiries.They should grab the opportunity during the semester break where they can find for any part time jobs during the holidays and at the same time not affecting their studies.But most of the local graduates have this lazy attitudes where they prefer to enjoy their holidays by spending their holidays at home and not doing anything beneficial.

Other attitudes that cause the unemployment among local graduates is when they are being too choosy in searching for jobs.Choosy is good but being too choosy can be bad and lead to more serious matters.

What do undergraduates feel when they are jobless?

Most of the undergraduates find work to support their family and themselves. They study to the highest level so that they can apply for a better job and to be paid with a good salary. However, when undergraduates do not get any job or not being offered with a job, they tend to loose their self-esteem and they tend to think that they are not worth it. Sometimes, they feel they are not being able to help their family financially and this make them feel bad. This is when undergraduates get involved in illegal activities so that they can earn some income and they can support their family. Undergraduates who are jobless sometimes get involved in drugs and snatch thieves in order to earn some money. The society who looks down at undergraduates who are jobless make things worst. The society should give them moral support so that the undergraduates will feel supported and they can try looking for other job. Undergraduates also must not give up easily and they must try looking out for jobs although the job does not match their academic qualification. Undergraduates must not be choosy when looking for a job.

By Wednesday: 5 Reviews

Hey guys, I need help with this.

Where do I categorized these following posts at?
Please let me know which RQ & RO these posts fit in. Thx.

http://socialsciencestudies.blogspot.com/2010/09/five-mistakes-done-during-attending.html
http://socialsciencestudies.blogspot.com/2010/10/problem-faced-by-undergraduates.html
http://socialsciencestudies.blogspot.com/2010/09/when-do-undergraduate-find-it-hard-to.html

I think RQ1 is about it for the reasons.
Now I need you guys to find out more about RQ2 and RQ3 respectively.
You can find articles as a reference, just remember to insert the link for us to review as well.
If it's possible, I'll do the slide by Friday.

So please give 5 Posts or Articles or Comments[At whichever RQ & RO u prefer] anyway you like it.
Thank you very much. Sorry for taking up your time but we're running out of time, so please update it asap.

2#
RQ: What happens when unemployment of local graduates occur in our nation?
RO: To investigate the consequences and impact unemployment among local graduates in our private and government sectors.

3#RQ: How can we overcome the unemployment of local graduates?
RO: To investigate the ways to solve this issue from getting worse by the years.

Issues

A job is very important to undergraduates as it gives a positive image to them. This shows that they are eligible for a job. The impact that they might face when they do not have a job is they will have lower self image. They will be looked down by family members, friends and also society. They might feel very stressful and lose hope in searching of job. They also think that they may be lacking of certain skills or they had taken up a wrong course where there are no job demand. The respect from the family members will be less because they might be labeled as "jobless" and cannot support the family.

RQ1: Reasons

I can say that this is one of the possibility that causing the unemployment among local graduates.I'm not blaming at only one side but the mentality of today's graduates that want to find a job that only based on what u learnt in university is certainly cannot be accepted in today's job environment.For some cases,a degree or diploma is only a ticket for the graduates to get into the interview.For example if you have a degree in English,i does mean that you have to apply jobs that relates with teaching or something educational.The graduates can even apply for job at those place such as TV station, business company and many other places.It is during the interview that the graduates have to worry about because for most employee,the interview plays really important part as it is during the interview the employee manages to identify the most qualified and how the graduates carry themselves is that matter the most besides the qualifications.So the graduates should stop being choosy when looking for a job.With today's economy that has slowed down ,the graduates should be aware that it means they have to compete and challenge each other to get into job marketing.These are the global challenges and reality that the graduates have to face and deal with.

RO2: Impacts

1. Occurrence of economy imbalance
2. Increase in the amount of social problems
3. Lack of manpower in certain sectors
4. Gives a negative images towards other countries

FIVE MISTAKES DONE DURING ATTENDING INTERVIEWS

1. Bad preparation before attending an interview.
2. Answering questions badly.
3. Not telling the truth.
4. Not giving a good impression for the first time.
5. Does not attend at time.

Important

Please check back each and every post and please leave comments wherever possible about your take on the RQs and ROs.
If we can finish the blog by next week, I can finish the slides by the end of the month.
And we'll have our report prepared as soon as possible too.
Please push it even though our hands are tight, because it's important that we clear our assignments by week 13, which is 10th October.
Thank you so much for your cooperation.

Regards, Jane.

When to meet?

So when will we meet and discuss about the slides and the reports?I think we have to meet and do it within this week as we are now fastly approaching the dateline.Please reply this.Thankyou.

When Do Undergraduate Find It Hard To Get For Job?

Undergraduate find it hard to get a job as soon as they graduate. This is because there are many graduates who apply for the job at once and companies only gives job to graduate who are much qualified than others. Besides that, undergraduate finds it hard to get a job when the countries economy is not in a good condition. This is because many companies cannot afford to hire in new employee because of the economy crisis.

RQ3: How to overcome Unemployment among Undergraduates?

1. Undergraduate must not be choosy in picking up for a job.
2. Undergraduate must be proficient in English as company gives priority in it.
3. Undergraduate must be prepared when going for an interview.
4.  Undergraduate must be confident when attending an interview as this gives a good impression to the interviewer.

Attention

Please follow the blog, it'll make it easier to keep us updated with it.
And besides that, please leave comments at each other's post whenever you're free,
Since we don't really have much time left I really hope everyone can cooperate.
Better still before we get back to Uni. TQ.

RQ3: Solution 2

Department Statistic shows that Malaysian employment rate was recorded at 3.5% for the year 2009 and believed to increase to 4.5% by the end of 2009.There are many researches done to ovecome this problem. One of it is Jobless Insurance Scheme which was proposed by National Economic Advisory Council(NEAC). This scheme was introduced to lower the increase of the rate of jobless in the nation and it aims the jobless to quickly seek for new jobs even at lower salary and believed that this scheme helps them to get hired faster.

RQ3: Solution

RQ: How can we overcome the unemployment of local graduates?
RO: To investigate the ways to solve this issue from getting worse by the years.

1st thing 1st, I personally think that no man will go hungry without getting a job, especially in Malaysia, as I see jobs opportunity everywhere. The question is it's not easy landing the exact job that you want, or what has been your ambition all along.

Hence, so many graduates couldn't find a job the moment they leave the university. One of the reasons I think is because the graduates nowadays are too picky, they just couldn't settle for a job that has a lesser pay than what they was hoping for, or perhaps jobs that doesn't fit their expertise, and so they don't see a point of working a job that doesn't requires their skills.

This is seriously a misconception, for when you leave the university and not get a job within the 1st 3 months, at most 6 months, you'll be classified as a jobless person instead of a fresh graduate. The reason is simply because when you don't work for more than 3 months, when you go for interviews after that, the interviewer will question your ability to work and function as an individual that will benefit the company.

Besides that, of course, most company would prefer to hire individuals that are flexible and can function in terms of sense and logical thinking. They need people that could make the right choice and pick out what will be beneficial for the company, instead of individuals that couldn't work as a team and even more do everything by the book.

Hence, it is crucial that IPTs should train university students skills to face challenges when they goes out into the working world. They should alter the Curriculum to fit their job requirement skills instead of baseless curriculum that doesn't really helps build up an individual's personality. In addition, the IPT should create more programs that students can involve in to enhance skills and human development.

Take Aiesec for example, an organization that is lead by university students all around the world, where it serves as an international platform in discovering the potentials of each individuals and bringing out their leadership qualities.

The courses offered in the universities should be based on what they'll really practice when they go out to work instead of some unnecessary courses that takes up a student's time. For most of the times, when they don't practice what they learn, they can't function well when they are required to do so in their job requirements.

These are some of the ways I think will help decrease the rate of unemployment among graduates. Please give me some feedback as to whether my opinion can be accepted. Do note that we have to review each other's opinion and not only focus on our own RQ's and RO's. TQ.

RQ1: Unemployment among local graduates.

This is for the RQ that Penthius has posted before.

RQ: What are the reasons that cause unemployment among local graduates?

You can scrolled down through the older post and find that some of us have posted some of the causes which as you can see most of them are likely the same.We can use them but I wrote them back in points form so that you can see clearly the points and it is easier to read.I've elaborated the first point and Kitty you may elaborate the second point then.

The reasons of unemployment among local graduates are:

1.Lack of soft skills among local graduates which is now highly demanded from the employers.

2.The local graduates can't speak and communicate well in English

3.The local graduated are very choosy in finding jobs.

4.Lack of guidance in finding the right job and during the interview.

1.Lack of soft skills among local graduates

Getting a job today are way much more complex than 15-20 years ago. Nowadays a good combination of soft skills with a good qualification is are highly demanded by the employers.Qualification is just a ticket for you to get to an interview but how you perform during the interview that matters and this is all involved your soft skills.Soft skills which involved the communication skills,the ability to lead and participate in a team,ability to solve problem and making decision,self confidence are very important in todays's market.Local graduates should have developed this skills when they were still in university so that when they finished studies and when its time to apply a job,they already have all the qualities needed for a good job.

Posted by Myra.

RO1: 5 Factors of Undergraduate being Unemployed

There are five factors which cause undergraduate not getting job. The first factor is that the undergraduate are always searching for perfect job. They always want to get hired to high position on the first month of getting a job. They also want to get job according to their qualifications and they don't want to do any job which do not suit them.
     The second factor is sending a cover letter or resume' filled with grammatical mistakes and typographical errors. This will eventually shows the hiring managers that they are not cared about the quality of work. This is because normally the resume' will reflect personality and how they pay attention when doing a resume'.
     Furthermore, the third factor is showing up late for interview.This factor will create a negative impression to the hiring managers because they is a saving which goes,"the first impression is the last impression''.The undergraduate will give an opinion to the future management that they are not discplined.
     The fourth factor is the undergraduate that goes for an interview should be in a proper dress code. They should match their dress code according to their job.
     The final factor is not researching about the company before attending interview.They should take an initiative to find out about the company history,its goals and its culture so that they will have an idea about the company before they go for an interview.

Group Members

Myra: Saidah Umairah

Kitty: Dasmesh Kaur

Penthius: Jane

Sapphire: Indrani

Research Questions & Research Objectives

Here is my suggestion. That each of us do one Research Question and one Research Objective respectively.

1#Kitty & Myra[This has more to say on it as it seems, so I think two people should focus on this.]
RQ: What are the reasons for the unemployment of local graduates?
RO: To investigate the causes of the unemployment among local graduates.

2#Indrani:
RQ: What happens when unemployment of local graduates occur in our nation?
RO: To investigate the consequences and impact unemployment among local graduates in our private and government sectors.

3#Jane:
RQ: How can we overcome the unemployment of local graduates?
RO: To investigate the ways to solve this issue from getting worse by the years.

For now I'd only thought of 3 RQs and 3 ROs. So whoever thought of another RQ and RO please state it here and we'll discuss it together. TQ.

RQ1: Unemployment among graduates

Why Graduates Are Unemployed?

The reason graduates are unemployed is because they are very choosy in finding a job.Graduates prefer to work in a comfortable and cozy environment than working in a much harder and tougher environment. Besides that, some graduates only look at jobs which offers higher pay and allowances.Moreover, some companies do not hire graduates because of lack of command in English language. Some graduates cannot speak in English language and companies only pick candidates who speaks in English because many local companies deals with foreign companies therefore making it compulsory for graduates to speak good in English language in order to get a job.Besides that, graduates prefer to work in private sectors than working in the public sector. This is because private sectors offers higher pay and allowances and bonuses making graduates to work in private sectors.

The 5W's & 1H

Below are examples of what we could look about for the topic. Please give me more suggestions on the 5W's & 1H. TQ.

Where?
+As in where does unemployment usually happens? Private sectors or Public sectors? Which party is more willing to absorb local graduates intotheir industry?

When?
+Is it all year round of it hits even worse during economic crisis? The time they applied for work. The current situation of the nation.

What?
+What happens to the ones that couldn't get a job? Will they be able to survive and support their own? Or will they continue to be dependant on their families?

Who?
+Who are the ones that are affected the most when such things happens? Is it their partners? Themselves? Their family? Etc.

Why?
+Why does such things still happen when Malaysia has so many jobs opportunity for foreigners? Is it because the local graduates are not up to par to the ones coming from overseas?

How?
+How can we deal with the situation and how to help decrease the rate of unemployment among Malaysians. As in to overcome the problem.

RO1: Causes of Unemployment

This can be the causes why the unemployment among local graduates has become world major concerns today.

Because they lack social and communication skills in addition to a poor command of language and low levels of self confidence.

Lack of communication skills

Employment counselors are well aware that communication skills are in demand in the workplace. 
Successful careers require the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; these critical competencies will become more valuable as technology intensifies the significant role of messages in the workplace. 
Language is a powerful force. 
People in the workplace need to communicate quickly and effectively in messages sent by e-mail and handheld instant messaging devices; in meetings and dyadic encounters; and, of course, in letters, memorandums, and report.

Results showed that employers were less than satisfied with overall communication skills of their new hires and recommended that students receive more training in both oral communication and written communication skills.

Poor command of language

It is confirmed what has long been known most of the unemployed are Malays from lower-income families who lack command of the English language.
The poor command of our English with current generation is probably due to the many of the participants were Malays with degrees in business studies or information technology from public universities, where courses are taught in Malay.
They are still using Malay language along all the lessons.
These is why most of the graduates can't communicate and speak in English well.

-Umairah-

By the way,can anyone of you post the questions that we have been discussed before?Thank you.

RQ1: Why Graduates are Unemployed

 As a Reference*

The increasing unemployment rate among the graduates in Malaysia is a worrying trend.
For many years, the issue cropped up again and again, made the news headlines, and even hit the parliament.
The days have passed when a degree scroll can become your automatic passport to employment.
Higher education is no longer a symbol of career success.
This may sound painful for graduates but let’s face it. It is reality, no matter how harsh it may appear.

In July 2006, The Sun newspaper reported that the unemployment rate of public universities has reached a staggering 70%, whereas the private institutions recorded 26% and foreign graduates 34%. Out of the 70%, the highest unemployment was contributed by the following statistics:

1. Universiti Teknologi MARA, UiTM – 3,278 (16.2%)
2. Universiti Utara Malaysia, UUM – 1,532 (7.6%)
3. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM – 1,147 (5.7%)
4. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM – 971 (4.8%)
5. Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM – 919 (4.5%)

The situation was somewhat different before the 1997 crisis when Malaysia was having a vibrant employment and graduates were in high demand. But those were the good old days and things are no longer the same today. Is the job market getting more competitive, or it is the job seekers and graduates are actually unmarketable these days? Can we blame it entirely on education?

Perhaps we can take a look at some contributing factors:

1. Economy

The changing of the economic structure and landscape is a probable cause for the rise in the unemployment. For many years, the manufacturing has been the strongest sector in the country until it is now being progressively replaced by the services sector. The services sector requires people who do not only possess the right technical knowledge, but also those who possess the right soft skills – interpersonal, communication, wisdom, maturity and are business oriented. Now, getting graduates with that kind of quality is a tough endeavor these days. It is even hard to find graduates who can speak moderate English.

Additionally, unlike the manufacturing sector, a company providing services would not require a large number of staff to be employed. Statistics show that between 2006 and 2007, the country’s manufacturing employment grew by 3%, from 3.244 million workers, to 3.347 million. The business services sector employment, on the other hand grew by 2.6%, from 0.771 million, to 0.791 million.

Now, where GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth is concerned, the manufacturing growth recorded 3.1% whereas services tops the chart with a thumping 9% growth.

In English, this means that while the employment growth of services sector is lower compared to manufacturing, it is actually contributing to much higher economic achievement. Get the picture?

2. Quality of education

It seems that every year the country produces more and more brilliant students. This is evident with the increasing number of straight A students in SPM. It is also easier to find degree holders with first class honors. Surely, this is a good yardstick of the graduate’s quality. Is it? Not so, it seems.

My own experience with graduates – not once, but many times – has convinced me that today’s academic achievement has little to do with how well you can excel in the working world. I used to be short listing 4-5 first class graduates for an interview and in the end rejected them all, and hired a second class student instead. It seems that the country is blessed with institutions highly capable to produce low quality, academic achievers. This statement may not bode well with some of the institutions out there but this should be taken as a challenge, not a mockery.

3. Choosy job seekers

I remember when I first got my first job in Penang, I did not have a permanent place to stay as my hometown was back in Terengganu. I was temporarily staying in an old friend’s house. I also did not own any car or motorbike. When asked by my boss how I was going to report for my first day of work, I told him that I would be using the company’s bus.

As the buses were used to transport the production operators, my boss laughed at my face and told me that I would be the first engineer in the history of the company to have used bus coming to work. I got a new place to stay, and my own car only after few months working with the company. The most interesting part is that, I didn’t even ask about the salary when I accepted the job!

But how different it is today. Nowadays, candidates are expecting job offer to come with a package – a good pay, convenient working location, no shift, no work beyond 6pm and so on, with everything handed in a silver platter. Job seekers have come to me to complaints and made admissions that shocked me till no end.

They are not willing to drive from Sentul to Cyberjaya because “It’s very far and I do not want to spend this much money on toll everyday”. Another was not willing to take the LRT from Cheras to Masjid Jamek because “too many people in the train and this will make me stressful.” To date I am yet to come across a job seeker that will tell me, “I’m so glad with this opportunity. As for the transportation, accommodation and other matters, no worries, I will settle them from my end here. I am just glad I don’t need to rely on my parents for pocket money anymore.” Will you be one?

4. Lack of guidance

Blaming the graduates themselves for the whole predicament is not entirely right either. After all, they are products of a flawed system. Majority of them are oblivious to the expectation from them in the employment market. Upon graduation, they become babies again, not ready to face the real world. The supposedly days of liberation suddenly becomes the days of uncertainty. This happens due to obvious discrepancy between the education and the employment – i.e. study is study and work is work. This gap needs an immediate bridging.
While organizing a career fair and sending penultimate students for industrial placement are commendable effort, these are just not enough. Graduating students need a closer feel to the employment world. The career office should be their second home. If that also means bringing executives, engineers and managers into the university to give practical advice to the students, by all means do it. Universiti Teknologi Petronas, UTP has pioneered this move, which won a praise by The Star reader today.

I must take my hat off to University Technology Petronas (UTP), which has formed an Industry Advisory Panel (IAP), and invites professionals from the industry to review their curriculum and suggest areas for improvement. UTP is serious about this and has implemented many of the suggestions introduced by its IAP.
UTP also has an adjunct lectures series where professionals are called in to give lectures to the undergraduates. I think these are good initiatives that other universities would do well to emulate.
- Shyam Lakshmanan, The Star, 17 April 2008

5. Choosy employers
There is no need for long explanation here. As Zaid Ibrahim (that new MP) put it in his book, In Good Faith, it’s catch-22 situation – if the employer is putting ‘working experience’ as a pre-requisite to get a job, when is the fresh graduates going to get their first job?

Unemployment of Local Graduates

You can start to post any findings on the related topic starting now.
At least 1 post by every Sunday.
The More the Better.
TQ.

Announcement

Please decide on which topic shall we research on by tomorrow.
Family Suicides or Unemployment of Local Graduates.
Just leave your comment on the Subject that you Prefer.

Thank You.