Employability skills policy in HEIs: are Malaysian graduates from a public technical and engineering-based university contented?

Abstract

As a strategic mechanism to secure graduates' employment, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Malaysia are urged to interviewing the employability/generic skills within taught academic undergraduates and postgraduates courses offered by HEIs. Thus, this study is considered as an impetus attempt in examining the Malaysian Ministry Of Higher Education's policy on generic/employability skills within every course offered across the 12 selected faculties in a public technical and engineering-based university. In measuring the effectiveness of the policy, we analysed 1,200 graduates from selected 12 faculties who were locals and international students through official questionnaire from the Ministry of Higher Education's tracer study items to obtain the relevant feedback on graduates' generic/employability skills attainment. In addition, we also interviewed six graduates to attain information on their approval with the implementation and lastly, their suggestions on improving the system. Descriptively, graduates felt contented with the policy which would improve their non-technical assets as preparation for their job-market placement which future workers with good non-academic skills such as teamwork, decision making and leadership skills needed as additional capacities for their potential employees. Graduates also provided two major suggestions towards improving the implementation system, being increased usage of English, and generic skills which should be practiced by lecturers in their classroom settings.