Masidi receiving a memento from AIC Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Yen.
KOTA KINABALU: Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun emphasised importance of students selecting higher education courses aligned with industry needs rather than merely to graduate.
He highlighted the mismatch between industry requirements and the output of higher education institutions in Malaysia, including Sabah, as a contributing factor to the high number of jobless graduates.
“Often, students opt for easier courses to simply earn a qualification, resulting in difficulty in finding employment due to low market demand for these subjects,” he said at the 11th Almacrest International College (AIC) and 3rd Almacrest Global Skills Centre (AGSC) convocation ceremonies here, today.
Masidi advised the students and parents to thoroughly research industry demands and pursue more challenging yet market-relevant courses.
Praising the graduates, many of whom excelled despite the challenges posed by lockdowns, he noted their course choices were in-demand fields, particularly for Sabah, such as tourism and early childhood education.
Masidi also encouraged exploration of the industrial and oil and gas sectors, with the State Government intensifying efforts in these areas.
He also presented certificates to 78 AIC students and 98 AGSC students during the event.
