Sagah said fresh graduates would include those taking diploma courses. – Photo by Chimon Upon

KUCHING (Jan 18): Sarawak is expected to see at least 10,000 fresh graduates from both local and overseas universities next year, said Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD) Minister Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn.

He said the fresh graduates would include those taking diploma courses.

“We can’t give the actual figure right now, but we are expecting over 10,000 fresh Sarawakian graduates next year,” he told reporters after the launch of INTI International University & College counselling centre at Gala City Jalan Tun Jugah here.

Sagah said this when asked how many fresh graduates Sarawak expects to produce next year.

On the kind of courses that Sarawak really needs nowadays, Sagah said they are still gathering the data on what kind of industries are available in Sarawak and what are needed by them in terms of manpower.

He said previously they did not have the data on industries and the kind of job opportunities they are offering.

“Now, we have started to gather all the industries operating in Sarawak and what they need from us in terms of manpower.

“But based on the current data and the current development that the state government and the industries have done, most of the courses that we need are related to technical.

“And you can see in Samajaya, a lot of the industries are coming up, but we cannot just become operators, we want our people to be the technicians in those industries.

“To achieve that, we must have people to take up the technician jobs, which means our people must take up courses that are related to technical,” he said.

Sagah said before this, industries had come in and brought in their own people because Sarawak did not have skilled workers in technical field.

Therefore, he added, the challenge is for them now to encourage young Sarawakians to take up technical courses.

“It may not necessarily be at degree level. I think it is better that the young people acquire the certificates and diplomas in technical field because nowadays certificate and diploma holders in technical field can earn higher income than those having the degree.

“We have to change the people’s mindset, especially among parents and students in the rural areas, because the perception that degree holders are earning more may no longer be true.

“We have to change with time,” he said.