Preparing students for a dynamic economy
THE path to pursue further studies is getting more complicated.
Previously, it was much easier; if students knew what they wanted to do, they would do that and if they did not know what they like, any of the alternatives would have helped them enter the workforce.
Many students benefited from this rather carefree arrangement as the leniency was especially favourable to those who were not too sure of what to study after secondary school. Since the path was not rigid, students do not have to postpone their studies as they ascertain what programmes or careers were most suitable for them.
Increasingly, however, the nature of the economy, and job market is becoming more specialised.
Multimedia University (MMU) president Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Rafi Mohamed Eshaq described the current reality: “Significant portions of the global economy have been driven over the recent years pretty much due to rapid technical advancements. To illustrate this point, we need only consider how, in 2016, a smartphone manufacturer had to stop selling its line of flagship smartphones, which were overheating. The decision cost the company about US$6.2bil (RM24.3bil) while also adversely affecting its country’s economy.”
In other words, technology now drives the world. However, the pace of technological development has become so fast that in some sectors, cutting-edge technology becomes obsolete in just a few years.
Prof Rafi said: “The implication is that knowledge or technology, which was introduced when a student enrolled into university, might become obsolete by the time the student graduates. This is naturally troublesome for students and their families because entering the job market with knowledge of recently obsolete skills is not a winning proposition.”
The problem becomes more pronounced when we consider that different economic sectors are growing at different rates.
For instance, jobs in certain sectors are becoming less available or might even be disappearing.
Instead of getting new hires, many businesses are turning to technology to either wring additional value out of their current offerings or offer new products and services.
Fortunately, this difficult situation is still manageable if students prepare for it properly.
One way involves accepting the fact that the job market now is fundamentally different from that of even five years ago, and students need to improve their employability by enrolling into programmes leading into fast-growing industries. Within the current global economy, fast-growing industries tend to be those that produce or support technology-based products and services.
In MMU, nearly half of its courses are geared for fast-growing industries.
These courses span across a variety of fields, including engineering, IT and computer science, life science, business and finance, creative multimedia, cinematic arts and strategic communication.
According to Prof Rafi, this wide selection is necessary to ensure Malaysian students have as many options as possible in furthering their studies and pursuing their careers.
“It would not be realistic to expect everyone to take courses in nanotechnology, optical or robotics engineering. While these disciplines will undoubtedly be the major driving force in technological advancements in the years to come, we stepped back to look at the bigger picture and included other disciplines so that our students and graduates could be welcomed into any segment of the job market they are interested in, regardless of how fast change comes,” he said.
Prof Rafi also assured students and parents that MMU takes great care in preparing students in handling the rapid obsolescence of knowledge.
“At MMU, we go to great lengths in developing very strong foundations in our students, regardless of discipline. By developing their understanding of the basics, students will not need to rely on any single piece of technology, which may become obsolete at any time. Instead, they will be able to use technology properly as tools which they have control over.”
By addressing the fundamentals, MMU aims to give all of its graduates a brighter future, one that is not limited by deprecated technology, but rather one they could navigate with confidence and pride.
■ To learn more about MMU, visit www.mmu.edu.my or call 1300 800 668.