Graduate employability has received significant attention across Malaysia’s higher education landscape, particularly post-COVID-19. There appears to be some education-job mismatch in the event management sector, which carries a negative connotation for students’ educational investment and future workforce. This qualitative study explored the factors limiting Pasir Salak Community College’s Event Operations Certificate graduates from working in event-related fields. Data was acquired via semi-structured interviews with seven graduates. The findings reveal that these graduates were indeed qualified for employment yet resorted to working outside their field for three reasons: workload and burnout, family obstacles, and low salary offer. Subsequently, this study proposes three strategies to increase graduate employability in the event management sector: active collaboration with industry players, specialised career counselling, and early exposure to career prospects. © The Author(s) 2024.
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