Malaysia needs more skilled graduates

• Malaysia needs more skilled manpower to compete on a global basis but that’s not happening fast enough says the experts from Heriot Watt University Malaysia (HWUM).

Malaysia needs a more skilled workforce if they wish to reduce reliance on expatriates, but there’s so much more demand than the supply right now, says HWUM provost and chief executive officer Prof Robert Craik.

Heriot-Watt University’s Institute of Petroleum Engineering in Edinburgh head Prof Dorrik Stow says that the demand for skilled workers in the petroleum engineering industry will open up in the coming decade not just in Malaysia, but also globally. He also added that the level of education needed was at least a master’s degree.

HWUM offers programmes that help graduates get employed in these fields. The MBA programme has already started and the other master’s programmes are due to begin in September.

While having a master’s degree paves a way into the industry, HWUM Edinburgh Business School Malaysia acting head Craig Robinson says qualification is just one of the many factors of succeeding. Skills are important as qualifications, so the most important thing is to keep learning.