PETALING JAYA, Nov 8 ― The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has called for a national paid internship programme to increase fresh graduates’ employability.

MTUC president Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor suggested that fresh graduates register with a centralised system set up by the government for a national training programme, where they can seek at the very least a minimum-wage internship to sharpen their existing skills and gain exposure to market needs for one year.

"The national job programme can utilise the graduates according to their skills and fit them where they can best served. The graduates would then be given proper hands-on training while earning an uninsulated exposure to the job market.

"They could then use the experience as a testimony to seek better employment elsewhere,’’ he said.

He added that that practical on-the-job training could expose graduates to expand their skill sets and knowledge to help them remain employable.

Halim added that a mismatch of skills among graduates and their current profession was bound to happen as some opted to work in other fields when they were presented with other opportunities.

However, the issue has always focused on how Malaysia should manage its labour force, which some 500,000 people enter in a year as Halim claimed.

Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan also agreed on exposing graduates to more practical knowledge and prefered more programmes that practiced "industry attachment”.

"Under the previous administration, the Two University Two Industry (2U2I) initiative was introduced to help university students to received practical knowledge that will help them remain relevant in the current job market.

"Although there are no updates on the programs’ current status, I do hope such initiatives and others like it could be done to help boost our graduates' employability and market exposure,” Shamsuddin told Malay Mail.

The 2U2I initiative requires students to undergo two years in learning institutions, with another two years attached to work in their preferred industry.

This means that by the time the students graduate, they have met all the requirements or attributes needed by the industry.