‘Focus on long-term gains’: benefits of pursuing tertiary studies far outweigh upsides of being a gig worker

 

Brighter future: Numerous studies suggest that college life most often leads to more holistic individuals. – 123rf.com

 

Benefits of pursuing tertiary studies far outweigh upsides of being a gig worker

THE last couple of weeks had been a rather busy period for many universities and colleges which had their open days where they showcased their courses.

While most education fairs witnessed a fair share of visitors, the decline in the number of students completing their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), and the issues surrounding this, has caught the media’s attention.

In 2022, for instance, 3.8% or 14,858 of first-time SPM candidates were absent for at least six subjects. In 2021, the figure was close to 10,700 students.

In another report, a staggering 72.1% of SPM graduates surveyed revealed that they had no intention of pursuing a higher qualification. The same report also purported that Malaysia is not alone in witnessing this trend. In the United Kingdom, for example, only a third of school-leavers feel that obtaining a university qualification is vital.

Naturally, the following questions warrant answers: Why aren’t all qualified school-leavers excited to continue their studies? Where are they in the economy if they do not? Is obtaining a higher education qualification still vital given the massive role technology plays in our lives?

Reports by various commentators suggest that three possible reasons explain this trend.

Firstly, this may have to do with the prevalence and growth of the gig economy. Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), in a published report, projected that the Malaysian gig economy would grow to a minimum of RM650mil in 2025, largely due to the growth and development of local platforms.

The growth in the gig sector seems to be in tandem with the number of school-leavers in search of gig jobs.

Research suggests that gig workers can earn anything between RM2,500 and RM5,000 per month, with some claiming to even exceed RM6,000 per month.

One could argue that gig jobs seem more lucrative relative to the median salary of RM2,062 as per the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) reports in 2020.

In essence, the allure of gig money seems to be driving segments of school-leavers away from pursuing higher education.

The temptation of becoming a professional social media influencer could be another factor.

The ubiquitous nature of the Internet, coupled with the ease of using social media platforms to create content, is seen by some to be an alternative to higher education.

A third reason could be the belief that a higher education qualification may not necessarily guarantee better employment prospects.

While these are fair and logical arguments, there are many points in favour of having a higher education qualification. Let’s examine some of them.

Issues with gig jobs 

A gig worker is someone who works based on freelance contracts, usually short-term, in contrast to a longer-term fixed-salary position with an organisation.

Various industries hire gig workers, and these include the information technology, administrative, and creative sectors.

However, close to 72% of surveyed SPM school-leavers in Malaysia expressed interest to work in either the e-hailing or social media influencer sector of the gig economy.

The short-term benefits of working in such positions in the gig sector include flexible work hours, a low level of commitment expected from employers, and opportunities for working anywhere, anytime.

However, the main challenge of gig workers, particularly in the e-hailing sector, is the lack of a safety net. Typically, gig workers are not entitled to perks such as healthcare and retirement benefits.

In Singapore, Grab recently announced laying off 1,000 employees to remain competitive.

When companies in the gig sector decide to slash payrolls, gig workers are often to be first at risk.

In sum, while the allure of short-term gain is there, securing long-term and more sustainable employment, with a better safety net, may require higher education qualification.

Personal development

Numerous studies suggest that college life most often leads to more holistic individuals.

According to a recent study by the Utah State University in the United States, the major benefits of a college education include producing individuals who are more mature, confident and have a stronger sense of self.

This report also suggests that individuals with higher qualifications tend to have higher ethical and moral standards.

A three-to-four-year college process and activities allow individuals to work in teams and with people from different cultural backgrounds, thus allowing them to make more balanced, reasoned, and generally unbiased judgements.

Some studies also state that a college education often leads to individuals who are more disciplined and professional in nature.

Networking opportunities

Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, met while pursuing a doctoral degree in computer science at Stanford University in the US.

A major benefit of pursuing tertiary education in this context is the vast networking opportunities that it offers.

Many successful companies have been founded based on the strong bond individuals built and developed as they ventured on the college journey together.

Although there are successful entrepreneurs who never finished college, the numbers who do, and start something after that, are significant.

Simply put, higher education is not about the pursuit of knowledge alone, but should be viewed through the lens of opportunities that it has to offer by connecting people. This is something that short-term monetary gains can never buy!

Keeping it relevant

To ensure young adults are lured into the mainstream higher education pathway, colleges and universities have a major role to play.

Firstly, these institutions must ensure that the programmes they offer are in line with what industries require.

Stated differently, the onus is on these institutions to produce highly employable graduates. This means continuous improvement to the curriculum, and taking input from industry players, is a must across all disciplines.

Programmes related to computing, technology, and engineering must be developed with future industry trends in mind. For example, in the tech sector, jobs such as prompt engineers, full-stack developers, blockchain developers, and cybersecurity experts are set to command higher salaries.

Institutions that offer such programmes will be sought after and thus remain relevant in the long run – and perhaps attract teenagers who may otherwise opt out and become part of the gig sector.

My son, a budding musician who wants to make it big and seek a career in the digital music industry, assured me that despite his deep interest in music, he will pursue a college degree as a backup. For a conservative and somewhat traditional family, this is reassuring indeed.

One may play a part in the gig sector. Nevertheless, do consider the long-term benefits of having a higher education qualification. Just in case.

Prof Dr Murali Raman is the deputy vice-chancellor (Academic Development & Strategy) overseeing postgraduate and continuous education at Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU). Focused on executive training and consultancy, his niche training areas include design thinking, coloured brain communication and emotional drivers, digital economy, crafting digital strategies, and mindset change. The views expressed here are the writer’s own. 

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Hidden hands at work; UiTM Bumi-students against the intake of Non-Bumi!

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Hidden hands at work

THE Malaysian education system, despite some weaknesses, was one of the best in the world. This I learnt in 1984 when I was doing a Master’s course in Education and took an option entitled “Education in Developing Countries”.

The policies on the whole, grounded on sound education principles, were rational.

However, today, there are hidden hands which subvert government policy. Some parents have complained to me that a principal of a national-type secondary school in Kuala Lumpur had made it mandatory for her SPM students this year to take only nine subjects.

So no Bible Knowledge for the SPM, no Bahasa Cina, Bahasa Tamil, Bahasa Punjabi, etc. Not only that, she calls in the students who wish to take the 10th subject to dissuade them from signing up by asking them whether they are confident of getting an A for that subject.

This is surely wrong. No principal should be allowed to override the National Education Policy. Education is not solely about getting As.



The Malaysian education system rightly emphasises holistic education and has given students a wide choice to pursue subjects according to their aptitude and ability.

They should be free to take, as their 10th subject, Music Education, etc, which is allowed under the rules of the Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia.

All that the principal should ask for is proof that the students are being instructed in the subject of their choice by their attendance and course work, but they should not be banned from signing up and studying for their 10th subject by personal agendas of school principals.

It makes me think whether this emphasis on academic As is due to heads desiring their schools to be high performing schools, and the top administrators getting monetary rewards for their schools’ success.

Very often, to get a high Grade Point Average, the schools would have to control the intake of students (only bright students need apply) and control the number of subjects they take.

But is this what education is all about? What happens to the students not academically inclined?

It could be that the “blue ocean” strategy employed to upgrade the national education system is used wrongly here. The schools which are better endowed would have an inbuilt advantage and the top administrators of such schools would be monetarily rewarded.

But is monetary reward for individuals the proper incentive? Should not the schools’ infrastructure be upgraded? Or the very fact that they have made it to the elite club of top performing schools be enough – no need for other rewards?

Should not the schools which are less well endowed be given more to make them better?

May I suggest that in this race to be a high performing school, there should be recognition for schools which have a heart for their students.

A rethink should be made about the NKRAs for education and

the monetary rewards for top administrators of high performing schools.

EDUCATIONIST, Petaling Jaya.
The Star Jan 11, 2012 

UiTM Bumi-students against the intake of Non-Bumi students into UiTM!

Maybe they should protest on non-bumi paying the TAXES so that a University like this cannot be built on the tax-payers' $$. 

PM 'Najib'.., Is this the "1-Malaysia" you wanted it to be in reality?

 

Malaysians!! All true Malaysian of all races ...WAKE UP & BE COUNTED !

Make sure your hard earned money is not used to produce such graduates!

           

 

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The accidental entrepreneur

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LOOKING back at the last nine years, here are the hard facts I have had to face:

1. Before SPM, I was too lazy to study hard as I knew I had the financial backing of my parents. I never thought about how lucky I was, or how much they sacrificed to put me through college;

 

All great journeys start with small steps, and I hope anew everyday to have the courage to take them —ANAND PILLAI

2. I finished SPM with dreams of being a hotshot engineer in Silicon Valley riding the dot-com bubble. Of course, I knew shockingly little about what any of those things really entailed; and

3. Up till recently, my knowledge of the world – its problems, its people, and its culture – was severely lacking as it was shaped by commercialised Western television and the Internet. Although I grew up in Malaysia, I had little exposure to folk from other social classes.

My journey began at the dawn of the millennium when I completed my A-Levels and went on to pursue an engineering degree at Northwestern University in Chicago, the United States (US). It was very, very cold there – minus 20 degrees Celsius at times.

Three years after starting college, I was a radically changed person. I realised that my true calling was to devote my life to work that was meaningful to me, and that I did not enjoy engineering in its traditional sense, although I graduated with a Bachelor in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences.

Upon graduation, I was determined to find employment in the non-profit sector and secured an internship at an organisation that provided food to the homeless in Chicago.

Although I enjoyed my work immensely, I was not able to remain employed there due to my US work visa situation. I had to decide if I was to return to Asia to work in the development/non-profit field, or pursue a corporate career in the US, which was the only way to secure a work visa at the time.



The allure of a large pay cheque, sharp grey suits and expense accounts eventually won me over and I accepted a management consulting position in Philadelphia. I worked there for two years and went on to become a manager at a global pharmaceutical company in Princeton, New Jersey, making more money than I ever thought possible.

Fortunately, throughout my corporate career, I focused on learning from my work environment and saving as much money as I could while pursuing other interests after work hours.

After three years in my cubicle, I left the corporate world and began to work on my own entrepreneurial ventures in Philadelphia and other cities. I wanted to be a small business entrepreneur because it would allow me to live a lifestyle that I cherished. More importantly, I would be able to pursue work that would be meaningful to me – personally and professionally – without being held accountable to someone else’s whims or the profit motives of owners or investors.

Over the years I discovered (due to a combination of part-time work and meeting new people) that my passion lay in “social business”.

This is the model of running profitable, successful companies which at its core takes into account the 3 P’s – people, planet, and profits.

This effectively combined my interests in the traditional business world with providing a social benefit to the communities I worked in.

My entrepreneurial ventures include partnering with an experienced real estate investor on low-income housing in Philadelphia. I also developed an education consulting business where I worked as a career counselor for 20-somethings who were trying to find their place in the world. Most importantly, both endeavours were entrepreneurial in nature and very meaningful to me as they met the objectives I wanted to achieve in my professional career.

After spending close to 10 years in the US pursuing further education and work opportunities, I recently decided to move back to Asia.

Spending time with my family, pursuing meaningful business ventures in Malaysia, and exploring and enjoying my native land was a calling too strong to ignore.

I intend to continue my work in real estate and career guidance here, but also focus my energies on other business ventures including sustainable tourism, fitness, and nutrition – all passions of mine.

As I pause midway through my life and look back at life after SPM, I realise that the road I took was one that I never expected to be on, but I am eternally grateful and humbled by the opportunities I have had. I intend to live the rest of my life building upon that foundation.

I constantly remind myself of my primary goal – creating positive change in the world. All great journeys start with small steps, and I hope anew everyday to have the courage to take them.

● Finishing school is a fun time but for most of us, it is a time for some serious thinking about your future. The Star Education Fair’s Options After SPM talk is a good place to help you make your choices easier.

This story is published in What’s After SPM? available at MPH Bookstores.