JOHOR BAHRU - Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has maintained its strong graduate employability performance for five consecutive years, achieving a 100 per cent Graduate Employment Rate since 2023.
UTM said in a statement that its consistent performance had earned recognition from the Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) through the Graduate Employability Excellence Performance Award, underscoring the effectiveness of its structured and comprehensive graduate development ecosystem.
Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir presented the award to UTM vice-chancellor Prof Ts Dr Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim during the MOHE Graduate Employability Conference 2026 and launch of the Graduate Employability Strategic Plan (PSKG) 2026-2030 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur.
Mohd Shafry said the achievement reflected the university’s continued commitment to developing graduates equipped not only with academic qualifications, but also the competencies, professional skills and readiness needed to meet the demands of an increasingly dynamic job market.
He said the achievement was the result of the collective efforts of all university staff in developing a comprehensive graduate employability ecosystem.
"The measure of success is not just how many graduates successfully secure jobs, but how well they are prepared, how valuable and relevant they are to industry, and how effectively they can contribute to society and national development,” he said in the statement.
According to UTM, efforts to strengthen graduate employability were further intensified in 2020 through the introduction of the ‘Rising Above Covid Challenges for Graduate Employability (RACE-GE)’, a strategic initiative aimed at improving graduate employability outcomes.
The initiative, led by Mohd Shafry through the Institute for Life-Ready Graduates (UTM iLeaGue), plays a key role in strengthening UTM’s graduate employability agenda through target setting, monitoring, follow-up actions and continuous stakeholder engagement.
"The efforts were further strengthened in 2022 through the UTM Career Centre (UTMCC), focusing on student career development, enhancing marketable skills, building strategic industry partnerships and providing greater exposure to the job market.
"To expand implementation at the faculty level, we have also introduced the Graduate Employability Ambassador (GE Ambassador) as a driver of the graduate employability agenda, strengthening coordination between UTMCC and the faculties based on the needs and characteristics of each field of study,” he said.
UTM said the integrated approach had delivered significant results, with the university achieving a 100 per cent graduate employability rate for the first time in 2023 and maintaining the performance for three consecutive years.
The graduate development ecosystem also begins in the first year of study through the implementation of the Professional Skills Certificate (PSC), as well as Voluntary Industrial Training and Planned Industrial Training programmes to enhance students’ professional and soft skills, industry experience and career readiness.
"This achievement demonstrates that graduate employability has evolved from a performance indicator into an institutional agenda across faculties, fields and levels of study with the aim of producing graduates who are competent, adaptable and relevant to the needs of industry and national development,” he said. - BERNAMA