Non-marketable courses among reasons for graduate unemployment in Sarawak

Composite photo of Dr Annuar (left) and Dayang Noorazah. Photos taken during question time in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting on Oct 15, 2026. Photo credit: Sarawak Information Department (JAPEN)

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, Oct 15: Courses that do not match industry demand are among the reasons for graduate unemployment in Sarawak, with some students ending up in programmes they ranked seventh or eighth in their university applications.

Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee said some students applying through the centralised university admission system—UPU, were offered courses ranked seventh or eighth among their choices.

“One of the key factors we have identified so far is that many of our graduates are offered courses that are not marketable when they apply through UPU.

“They are offered courses ranked seventh or eighth among their choices, which are not marketable. This contributes to graduate unemployment,” he said in response to Lingga assemblywoman Dayang Noorazah Awang Sohor during question time at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting today.

Dr Annuar said other factors included mismatches between graduates’ job expectations and available opportunities, academic qualifications that did not meet industry needs, insufficient growth in high-skilled jobs, and a lack of practical work experience and industrial exposure.

He also highlighted the importance of practical application of knowledge and skills, as well as communication skills, in improving graduates’ employment prospects.

To address the mismatch between education and workforce demand, Annuar said Sarawak’s Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) was partly aimed at ensuring the State developed the talent needed by its industries.

He said the scheme offered 64 courses rather than every available course to avoid an oversupply of graduates in fields with limited employment opportunities.

Meanwhile, he noted that Sarawak’s graduate unemployment rate fell from 4.4 per cent in 2020 to 3.2 per cent in 2024, a 27.3 per cent reduction over five years, despite a 20.7 per cent increase in the number of graduates.

Annuar said the State government would also strengthen graduates’ readiness for employment through the Graduan Enhancement Training Sarawak Work Readiness Programme (GETS-WRP), which would receive RM22 million next year to benefit 1,000 graduates.

The programme would focus on key sectors including renewable energy, hydrogen and green energy.

On graduate employability at Sarawak-owned universities, he said Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak recorded a rate of 98.9 per cent, followed by University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) at 92.1 per cent.

Curtin University Malaysia in Miri recorded 85.4 per cent, while i-CATS University College recorded 83.4 per cent. — DayakDaily