KUCHING: It is necessary to equip graduates with knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship, training them to become job creators instead of job seekers to ensure institutional finance.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said graduates should not limit themselves to seeking traditional employment as their only post-graduation path from higher education institutions.
Instead, he urged them to explore opportunities and embrace entrepreneurship, a concept also emphasised in the Malaysian Education Development Plan (PPPM) (2013-2025) which seeks to nurture well-rounded, entrepreneurial graduates who can contribute to job creation.
“It is possible that the government and our education system (in the future) will emphasise the exposure to the field of investment and financial literacy as a ‘game changer’ in reducing the unemployment rate among fresh graduates,” he said.
“We need to produce or train our students ‘smart investors’, especially among the graduates so that they are capable of generating their own incomes as well as creating jobs for others,” he added.
He was speaking at the 7th convocation ceremony of Politeknik Metro Betong Sarawak (PMBS) held in Betong today (Sept 9), which celebrated 79 graduates who completed their studies in Session 1 2022/2023 and Session 2 2021/2022.
Additionally, the commemorative convocation event also celebrated 222 graduates, including those who completed their studies in 2018, 2019, as well as 2020. The convocation ceremony for these graduates (2018, 2019, 2020 sessions) could not be held due to COVID-19.
Uggah added that graduates must harness the potential of digital technology and venture into business and entrepreneurship, aligning with the knowledge and skills imparted in the polytechnic education system.
“This effort is capable of producing graduates who are creative, innovative and enterprising in contributing and stimulating the sustainable economic growth of our state, Sarawak.
“Furthermore, Sarawak’s digital economy approach and policy is not only focused on urban areas, but various efforts are also being made to expand it to rural areas to ensure that no one will be left behind,” he said.
With the existence of this digital economy, he said, graduates living in rural areas can not only use smartphones for marketing and promoting products but can also conduct financial transactions, accept and record orders, and more, digitally.
During the ceremony, Uggah also presented the Director’s Award to Ellya Emelda Rochellow Ajon and Firdaus Hadi Suhaimi Wahab.
Both of them, who are graduates of the Diploma in Tourism Management, also received the Academic and Co-Curriculum Excellence Award. Mohd Danial Ikwan Mohar was named as the sole recipient from the Commerce department who received the same award.
Meanwhile, the best project award was won by both Congklak and Portable Batik Canting group.
To date, PMBS, a local higher education institute specialising in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has produced 671 graduates in the field of tourism management as well as finance and banking since it was established in 2013.
According to the institute, the graduate employability rate recorded at 89.3 per cent for the year 2022, exceeded the targeted Key Performance Institution for the institution.
Also present at this convocation ceremony was Zainab Othman, Senior Director of Competency, representing the Director General of Department of Polytechnic Education and Community College Education.
