Recently, Malaysia has faced significant concerns regarding the low employability and salaries of engineering graduates. The industry is often blamed for the low demand and inadequate compensation for engineers. However, the true extent of these issues among engineering graduates from Malaysian public universities remains unclear. This paper examines the employability of engineering graduates from Malaysian public universities, utilizing data from the national survey of graduate employability (SKPG) conducted by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). The data encompasses engineering graduates from 15 public universities between 2018 and 2021. Quantitative analysis using descriptive statistics was employed to determine the percentage, average, range, and differences in employability outcomes. The results indicate that out of 45,471 engineering graduates over four years, an average of 11,000 students graduated annually. Of these, 66.8% secured employment within six months of graduation, but only 34.6% were hired as engineers. Additionally, 28.6% of graduates had not found employment or pursued further studies within six months. The most common monthly salary range was RM2,000-RM3,000, with 40.8% of employed graduates falling within this bracket. Higher salaries were associated with engineering-related jobs, while the majority of graduates earning less than RM1,500 per month were employed in non-engineering roles. These findings challenge the societal perception that fresh engineering graduates are underpaid relative to their qualifications and workload. The data suggests that low-paying jobs are often unrelated to engineering. Despite the international recognition of Malaysian public university engineering programs by Washington Accord member countries, the employability rate of only 34.6% for engineering roles indicates a need for program improvements. This is particularly concerning given the reported shortage of 30,000 to 60,000 engineers in Malaysia. Further research is required to identify the underlying causes of these employability issues. © 2025, National University of Malaysia. All rights reserved.
Author Keywords
Index Keywords
