FAKULTI PENDIDIKAN DAN BAHASA PROGRAM SARJANA MUDA PENGAJARAN

SEMESTER: JANUARI 2012

OUMH1103

LEARNING SKILLS

NAMA NO. MATRIKULASI NO. KAD PENGNEALAN NO. TELEFON E-MEL PUSAT PEMBELAJARAN

: ZUNARITA BT ASHAARI : 740331086106001 : 740331-08-6106 : 012-5796663 : zuna_awi74 @yahoo.com : PUSAT PEMBELAJARAN IPOH

NAMA PENSYARAH

: MATHAN A/L BALARAMAN

Table Of Content

1.0 Introduction 2.0 Definition of terms used 2.1 Employers 2.2 Graduates 2.3 Skills

3 3 3 3 4

3.0 Literature Review

4.0 Findings 4.1 Good Command Of English 4.2 Communication Skills 4.3 Critical Thinking Skills 4.4 Interpersonal Skills 4.5 Technology Skills 5.0 Conclusion

6 6 7 7 8 8 9

6.0 Recommendations 6.1 The Future Graduates 6.2 Educations Institute 6.3 The Education System

9 9 11 11

7.0 References

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1.0 Introductions We are living in the world that is constantly changing; therefore, it is to our advantage to learn how to adapt to those changes. It is imperative that we accept or embrace change. Unwillingness to change or inability to change will hinder our progress in our professional and personal lives. Nowadays, the Internet is changing the way the old companies conduct business in the new e-economy. Hence, smart companies will combine Internet services and personal contact in programs that enhance benefits to their customers. Thus, employers today are looking for a certain skill sets in our young graduates to meet their growing challenges.

2.0 Definition and terms used

For easy reference and understanding of this writing, the following terms are defined : 2.1 Employers: Employers are people or companies that employ others to work for them. Here in Malaysia, both local and international employers play a major role in setting the quality standard of their employees. These firms have to respond quickly to the changing demand of the business world, and they are in constant look out for the suitable and inspiring candidates to work for them. This is due to the increasing competitiveness of the world economy. 2.2 Graduates: Graduates are people who possess university degrees. They normally spend three to four years in tertiary education before earning their degrees in their respective fields of endeavour . For the purpose of this writing, local graduates are defined as the ones who emerge from the public or private Malaysian universities. Some of these
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graduates prefer to find work in the public sector in view of job security while others join the private sector where opportunities for career advancement are more prevalent. 2.3 Skills: The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (2005) defines skills as the ability to do something well: a particular ability or type of ability. Different job or occupation requires different skills. However, there are transferable skills that can be used in different jobs-- for instances, managerial skills and interpersonal skills.

3.0 Literature Review It is a shame that despite the high spending on education, the quality of our graduates is still questionable. As a result, these graduates face difficulty in finding employment locally, much less internationally. They are basically unable to compete in the global job market. According to Dr Marie Aimee Tourres, a senior research fellow at the Department of Development Studies, University Malaya, graduates must possess a good command of English to enable them to compete more effectively in the global job market The Star (November 7, 2011). Thus, due to the importance of mastering English among graduates in order to improve their employability, the responsibility lies on the shoulders of all parties; namely, the graduates themselves, our educators and relevant authorities in education system. High emphasis should be given on the productive skills of the language learning which are speaking and writing skills. Harmer, J. (2001). According to The Star (August10, 2011), a survey done by the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) confirmed that good communication skills in English as one of the most important characteristics that potential

employers look for in graduates. The communication skills include both verbal and written communication skills. In fact, the MEF salary survey for
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Executives 2010 showed that almost 70% of the companies surveyed stated that communication skills as the top quality required in job applicants The Star (August10, 2011). Based on these facts, graduates should take heed and begin preparing themselves in acquiring necessary knowledge and skills well before graduation. Developing a good communication skills is not an overnight job. It takes time and effort on the part of the graduates. The Kelly Global Workforce Index, one of the top headhunters in the country, revealed the same finding that communication skills is one of the top five most desired skills within the corporate sector The Star (August10, 2011). According to Hong Leong Bank Chief Human Resources Officer, Ramon Chelvarajasingam (The Star, March 04, 2012), a lot of our new graduates lack the critical thinking skills which is greatly demanded in the workplace. The increasingly competitive world has pushed companies and businesses alike to adapt to the changes through the quality of their manpower.

Computers and the Internet are tools to make our life better. In the workplace, the use of technology has improved productivity and efficiency. Sulaiman, M. Salleh and Talib (2010) concluded that technology skills are greatly demanded in future employees because technology leads to improvements in operations and work application. Most employers are looking for graduates who possess high level of selfconfidence. Confidence--self-assurance in our ability to succeed--will win the hearts of the recruiters. Even a string of degrees wont be able to make up for the importance of self-confidence. William J.H. Boetcker said that Confidence is the foundation for all business relations. The degree of confidence a man has in others, and the degree of confidence others have in him, determines a mans standing in the commercial and industrial world. Lack of self-confidence in our graduates is the result of inability to communicate effectively which is mainly due to their poor command of

English. Their limited vocabulary hinders them from expressing their ideas and opinions.

To sum up, apart from meeting the requisites set forth by potential employees, graduates must equip themselves with the knowledge of dos and donts of the job interviewing process. In the end, the person who gets hired is not necessarily the one who can do that job best ; but the one who knows the most about how to get hired.

4.0 Findings

4.1 Good command of English It is imperative that our graduates be able to master the English language well. It is a fact that English has become the lingua franca of the world. It means that English is a language widely adopted for communication between two speakers whose native languages are different from each others and where one or both speakers are using it as a second language. This makes English the main language for international communication. In the world of increasing interconnectedness, especially in business, the ability to communicate well in English has served as an added advantage or even the deciding factor whether or not the job applicant is hired. This is because, although we have become highly technological in our society, we still need to deal with the highly complex human beings to market our products, negotiate deals, and get contracts signed. All these require employees to be able to articulate their companys desires and aspirations more effectively in order to achieve the companys goals.

4.2 Communication skills Communication skills can be further divided into verbal and nonverbal and communications. Verbal or oral communication is the way we speak or communicate with others. What we say and how we say it tell a lot about us. Prospective employees should be aware that in the workplace communication is vital. Thus, in choosing a career or a job, it helps if the graduates know whether they are suitable for the positions applied for based on the requisite. For instance, an extrovert who loves to meet and talk to people is suitable for a career in sales while an introvert will feel uncomfortable in more social setting and therefore, probably prefers to work alone. Non-verbal communication is the use of body language in communicating. Sometimes what we say verbally contradicts with what our body language tells us. We can use gestures, facial expressions and eye contact to clarify a point while speaking to others. Paying attention to body language is especially important for women who want to win over recruiters or bosses. You want to appear assertive and capable of handling the jobs you are applying for. In many circumstances, such as during the job interview, a visual first impression is often more powerful that what you actually say. Therefore, making a good impression comprises of the aspects of personal cleanliness, your posture, the way you walk, the use of gestures and facial expressions to express your thoughts and ideas. Armed with this type of knowledge, the job applicants or graduates will stand a better chance of getting hired. 4.3 Critical thinking skills The prospective employees are looking for applicants who can demonstrate critical thinking skills which is required to keep up with
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the ever changing and increasingly competitive world. They are looking for people who are able to think outside the box. Instead of accepting what is, we start thinking about what could be. The result is often a new and better way of working and or living. As the notable Albert Einstein has said, Imagination is more important than knowledge. That is a powerful statement that calls for a creative mind and creative solution. Critical thinking challenges the power of our mind. As a result employees become more creative and innovative in their approach to work and this certainly gives companies an advantage against their competitors.

4.4 Interpersonal skills Getting employment also requires candidates to possess strong interpersonal skills. The good news in that, like any other skills, good interpersonal skills can be learned. How we connect with other people plays a major role in the success of our career or profession. Since employees are constantly dealing with human beings, strong interpersonal skills--such as active listening, speaking up, showing respect and being a team player--is vital in the workplace. Strong interpersonal skills is like the glue that holds the people in that unit or organization. It is important that employees can work in harmony because failing to work for the common goal, the success of a project or a venture , in bad for business. This is where the employees strong work ethics in relation to people--his or her interpersonal skills-determines the rise or fall of his or her career. 4.5 Technology skills Another important skill looked for by employers is technology skills. According to technology skills are important because they lead to changes in operations and work applications. Companies are constantly looking for ways to make better products or give

better services to their customers. Through technology, they are able to save company time and money. Therefore, graduates should equip themselves and became computer literate. It is undeniable that the use of computers in the workplace can help employees do their work more efficiently. In fact, one should not operate a business without a computer.

5.0 Conclusion Thus, it is obvious that in order to improve the quality of our graduates, so as to make them more employable, all parties should work hand-inhand in creating a new system that really works. This can be achieved through synergistic efforts by educators and relevant authorities in implementing changes. The graduates, being the integral part of the

equation, should be motivated enough to embrace change in order to meet market demand. After all, they are the ones who will go through the interviewing process in the hope of being hired.

6.0 Recommendations To develop the skills required by employers takes time and effort on the part of the future graduates, the educational institutions and the related government agencies. 6.1 The future graduates The future graduates should become independent learners with regards to acquiring the important skills. Knowing how important communication skills is in getting employment, future graduates should take the initiatives to master the English language. This can be done both formally and informally. For instance, they can enroll in a language centre where they learn English in a more condusive environment. Even some of the instructors are native speakers.
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Often a language centre is well-equipped with library and audiovisual aids. This helps the students improve their English faster. Moreover, the students may pick up the language by listening to English songs and watching English movies or programmes,. In fact, there are a lot of ways students can improve their English. It is good for future graduates to have friends from other countries. Apart from improving their English, the students can learn about other cultures and values. Hence, they will learn to be more appreciative of other peoples ways of life. Mastering a language takes a lot of time and effort; therefore, the student has to be determined and steadfast in achieving his or her goal. Gaining work experience is an effective way to develop communication and interpersonal skills. For instance, the student may work as a waiter or a waitress in a restaurant. Waitressing teaches you how to connect and deal with people. You will learn to smile when you approach a customer and treat him or her as the most important person at that instance. In fact, you will learn more about human behaviour and how to effectively handle them--hands on. Therefore, it is a good training ground for a career in sales. The point is to approach this work as a learning ground, to learn as much as you can from the experience. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to hear or read about students who make extra money selling products such a perfumes, scarfs or handicrafts. Some even start online businesses or join the multilevel marketing companies. Their success stories should inspire other students to follow their footsteps. With the help of the computers and the Internet, they are able to set up their own businesses. Computers are the gateways to a wealth of information, contacts, and activities and those who know how to take advantage of this technology will reap the most benefits. In order to excel both in their studies and little business, these working students will learn how to manage their time well and how
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to set priorities. They will learn about marketing and human relation. They also learn early on that technology in a great lever that helps grow businesses.

6.2 Educational institutions The way English in thought at school level needs improvement. Learning English should be based on the four language skills which are reading, writing, speaking and listening. More emphasis should be placed on the productive skills which are writing and speaking. Writing skills is needed to prepare reports, proposals, and correspondence. Likewise, speaking skills will help the students to communicate better in terms of expressing their thoughts and opinions. Mastering these productive skills will enhance their employability especially in more reputable firms.

6.3 The education system Our education system needs to be improved in view of the changing demands expected from these graduates. We should put more emphasis on practical application or project-oriented, taskbased syllabus rather than theories. Team performance, instead of individual achievement, should be more encouraged through project papers and educational activities. This will give the students more opportunities to require and develop interactive skills. As a result, we are able to instill in our young people the values of teamwork and cooperativeness.

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References

Harmer, J. (2001). The Practice Of English Language Teaching . Pearson Education Limited . Completely Revised And Update . ( 3th Editions ) . Longman, Cambridge

Azizan, H And Lee. Y.M. (2011). Top Jobs Only For Those Who Know The Language Well. The Star

Bernama, (2011). Don: English Standard For Undergraduates Is Still Not Up To Par .The Star

Salleh, K.M. Sulaiman, N.L and Talib, K.N. (2010). Globalisations Impact On Soft Skills Demand In The Malaysian Workforce And Organisations : What Makes Graduates Employable? : Proceedings Of The 1st UPI International Conference On Technical And Vocational Educations And Training

Bernama, (2012). Educations System Not Producing Thinking Graduates, Say Experts. The Star

Bernama. (2012). Local Grads Not Up To Mark . The Star

Sulaiman, N. I. S. and Burke, M. (2009) International Journal Of Information Management : A Case Analysis Of Knowledge Sharing Implementation And Job Searching In Malaysia

Lightfoot, C.R. (1992). Handbook of Business Quotations : Choice Words of Business Wisdom for Successful Speeches, Reports, Letters, and Papers. S. Abdul Majeed & Co, Publishing Division

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