Unrealistic to expect all grads to be a Steve Jobs
I AM concerned about some letters to the editor criticising graduates, especially one where the writer glibly put down the benefits of higher education and even offered unrealistic homilies, such as prospective employees should go backpacking overseas before applying for jobs.
If only we are all that fortunate. As a Universiti Putra Malaysia graduate, I wish to speak on behalf of graduates.
It is true that many entrepreneurs start their careers by turning their backs on conventional education.
However, for every Steve Jobs, there are millions of bankrupt would-be millionaires.
Statistics in most developed and many developing nations, including Malaysia, show that graduates consistently earn more than those who had only school education.
A bachelor’s degree, especially in the technical and scientific fields, is not only beneficial but also a requirement.
The legal, medical and engineering fields are a few examples. Do you expect a Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia leaver to walk into an engineering company and design a high-speed rail link?
I have a feeling that many employers have a misleading view on the function of university degrees.
Graduates should have obtained mastery of theories and basics of his field. Though they might not have the experience, they should be able to figure out solutions.
In other words, graduates are trained to become problem solvers and innovators, not clerks and manual workers.
Furthermore, employers in Malaysia expect new hires to work without further training but are not will-