Solve graduates’ misery

A recent study has revealed that there is a growing gap between the qualifications of university and tertiary college graduates and the practical skills employers seek from new hires. According to data from the Commission for University Education (CUE), it takes an average of 11.6 months for graduates to land their first job, as their academic degrees do not always translate to the necessary workplace abilities.

The CUE report highlights that a lack of work experience is the most significant obstacle to employment. Other contributing factors include limited opportunities, skills mismatches, weak professional networks, and insufficient labor market information. Four out of ten graduates take over a year to secure a job, while 25.3% find employment within six months. Twenty-five point three percent of graduates land a job in six to 12 months, with 26.7% taking two years and 13.3% waiting more than two years.

Employers emphasize that they evaluate graduates not only based on their degrees but also their ability to perform required tasks without constant supervision. In the manufacturing sector, for example, it can take six to 12 months for graduates to become fully productive. Additional training is needed to close these skills gaps. Academic curricula often fall behind the rapid pace of industry technology and market demands, making traditional degrees less aligned with real-world requirements.

To address this issue, the study recommends that the Ministry of Education develop a national graduate employability framework. This framework should promote work-integrated learning and incentivize organizations that offer internships, apprenticeships, and graduate trainee programs.