The SME sector represented by the Small and Medium Enterprise Association Malaysia is supporting the comment made by MITI Minister Tengku Zafrul on allowing international graduates to work in order to ease the chronic talent crunch within the industry, especially in the engineering and technical fields it said.
President Datuk William Ng We said he estimates that Penang alone is short of 50,000 engineers and technicians. This has limited growth in the semiconductor, manufacturing, and logistics industries. The problem is especially severe among SMEs, who have to compete with multi-nationals for these talents.
The popular misconception is that SMEs are not paying enough for local workers adding that its not true as he said some SMEs are paying between RM 4,000 and RM 5,000 for fresh engineering graduates. However, he noted that these graduates either prefer to work for MNCs or are demanding preferred work conditions that many SMEs cannot deliver.
The association feels by allowing graduating international students to work it will not only eases the talent crunch, but also allow Malaysia to retain these talents that have been trained. The number of international students in engineering and technical studies number less than 20,000 and that even if a quarter of them graduate each year, and ten percent chooses to stay and work, that’s less than 700 engineers and technicians that can be absorbed noted William.
On the comments that by offering foreign students the local talents could find it difficult, William said having this immediate pool of additional talents will help convince foreign and domestic investors to stay and expand their operations – in turn enlarging the economic and employment pie for Malaysians.
The SME association President pointed to advanced economies such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United Kingdom where they allow graduating international students to work and contribute to their economies.
