Which are the Top 10 Degree Programmes to Consider Studying After Completing your Secondary School in Malaysia?
- Choosing the right course to study in Malaysia after high school is one of the most important decisions you can make in your life.
- A list of Top 10 Courses with high job demand that students can consider studying in Malaysia.
With the emergence of new possibilities and opportunities through the power of emerging technologies, students must take advantage and choose courses that will be relevant in their future jobs. Successful students after SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels are those who are quick to identify courses that have future job demand.
One question on the minds of high scool graduates in Malaysia is this: What degree is going to provide me with the very best opportunity to obtain a rewarding career that will sustain my lifestyle? With the effects of rapidly advancing technology on future of jobs as well as rising cost of living, choosing the right course has become even more important.
By 2025, we will lose over five million jobs to automation.That means that future jobs will look very different by the time you graduate from your university in Malaysia. The jobs of the future will actually be more interesting and require different skills to handle them. Machines will replace many jobs done by humans in factories and physical production. Future jobs will involve knowledge creation and innovation.
The IR4.0 has a big impact on the local economy and community. The Government launched the National Policy on IR4.0 (Industry4WRD) in October 2018 to position Malaysia as a total solutions provider for the manufacturing sector in the Asia Pacific by 2025. This means the IR4.0 industries would require human capital with relevant and adequate digital and data literacy
Fortunately, choosing a course which eventually would prepare you for your future career in Malaysia doesn’t need to a difficult one. Put enough thought and effort into it, and you will increase your chances of making you dream come true. On the other hand, there are a lot of people who end up choosing the wrong career and become frustrated. Being in the wrong line of work doesn’t only ruin your professional life, but it harms your personal life as well. One of the main aims of getting a university education in Malaysia is to find a stable job so that you can take care of yourself and your family. However, nowadays, with the high cost of living, just finding any job will not do. You will need to find a job that has a high salary.
Choosing a course to study is a process in finding out who you are, what you are good at and its job prospects. Choosing the right course to study in Malaysia after completing your SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels is one of the most important decisions you can make in your life. This can be a confusing and difficult time if you are unprepared. Therefore, one of the top questions for a student is “What is the Best Course to Study?”. Technically, there is not one best course to study in Malaysia for you, the question should actually be, “What is the Best course to Study in Malaysia that Fits Me?”
It can be confusing for students to choose the right major for their undergraduate degree studies at a top private university in Malaysia. Preparations should have been made even before this time but fear not it is still not too late if you have not decided on a career path. It is important for you to research carefully the career that you intend to pursue.
You might also be interested to read these:
- Top 50 Jobs with High Future Demand in Malaysia
- 30 Jobs with Future High Demand & Salaries in Malaysia – Find Out so you can choose the Best Course to Study Now!
- Study Courses that has High Job Demand in Malaysia
- Top 20 Courses to Study in Malaysia that has High Job Demand & Stable Salary
- Top 10 Best Courses to Study in Malaysia
- What is the Best Course to study after SPM or O-Levels in Malaysia?
- Malaysia’s 28 Top Jobs in Demand in Future with High Salaries
- Top 10 Degree Courses in Malaysia with Highest Starting Salaries
Choosing the Best Degree Programmes to Study in Malaysia
Gary, Accounting Graduate from University of Wollongong Malaysia (UOWM) KDU
By having a view of emerging job trends, it is hoped that Secondary School graduates would be inspired to draw up study plans and select career choices and pathways as early as schooling years up to university level that will ensure success in future careers and work environments.
Choosing a course to study is a process in finding out who you are, what you are good at and its job prospects. An experienced & knowledgeable Education Advisor would be invaluable in assisting you to choose the right course.
With the wide variety of courses available to a student, the time can be a confusing one if not guided properly by an experienced and knowledgeable education counsellor.
Here at EduSpiral Consultant Services, I do the research on the job demand for the careers in Malaysia, Salary Reports, and universities so that I can advise students based on facts and evidence. Furthermore, in my 20-year career, I have counselled thousands of students to choose their course and career, and many have already graduated and found the career of their dreams.
Top 10 Degree Programme Fields for Malaysia’s High School Graduates to Consider Studying
Darren, Finance & Investment Graduate
Although after SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels, you will need to complete a Pre-University (Pre-U) programme before choosing your degree course, you should be able to narrow down your fields of study so that you can proceed with the right Pre-U course to prepare you for your undergraduate studies. There’s a wide variety of Pre-University programmes offered for private and government pathways. If you are able to identify your field of study earlier on, you will be able to focus on acquiring the necessary skills to succeed in your undergraduate studies as well as your future career.
To help you decide which course that has a future job demand with high salaries in Malaysia, I have researched and made a list of 10 fields for you to consider. Each field itself will have a wide number of degree courses to consider. If you are still not sure what to study, please fill up the EduSpiral Career Assessment Form. After evaluating your results, I will contact you to help match the right course for you to study.
- Computing & Information Technology (IT)
- Banking & Financial Services
- Engineering
- Built Environment
- Mass Communication
- Hospitality & Culinary Arts
- Art and Design
- Health Science
- Law
- Business Management
Students Must Prepare Now for a Technologically Advanced Future Work Environment
Zen Yi, Graduated from Software Engineering at Asia Pacific University (APU)
When choosing the right course to study in Malaysia, one important criteria that students after SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels should look at is the future job demand. Choosing to study a course that has future potential high job demand and salary would ensure that you have a higher chance of a successful career that would support your lifestyle goals.
As the digital economy grows, Malaysia must be prepared to choose jobs that will be in demand in the future as well as still exist. 75 million job roles are expected to disappear by 2022 according to the “Future of Jobs Report 2018” by the World Economic Forum,. Furthermore, another 133 million roles are expected to emerge.
The National Policy on Industry Revolution 4.0 (Industry4WRD), spearheaded by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), will play a vital role in promoting digitalisation across all sectors. Businesses are starting to pivot their operations to enable remote capabilities, no longer restricted to borders and time zone differences.
Many of the fastest growing jobs and predicted future ones are driven by technology development, increased Internet connectivity, rapid globalisation and new business demands. Tech skills are required in jobs across industries in different roles and functions and this is expected to create demand for tech-based or tech-related jobs.
Technological Advancements that will Affect Future of Jobs related to your Course of Choice
With the evolution of technology, the current job landscape in Malaysia has changed drastically. In many industries and countries, the current in-demand occupations or specialties did not exist 10 or even five years ago. The rise of technology has led to a disruption in the way we work and live. The Digital Era has changed the way we work.
Malaysia government’s focus was also in line with its efforts to meet the challenges of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0) that requires highly skilled human capital. More new job opportunities would emerge as the digital revolution unfolded, and cited the World Economic Forum’s estimate that 65% of the workforce will work in the yet to be created job sector because it requires digital skills.
As the digital economy grows, Malaysia must be prepared to choose jobs that will be in demand in the future as well as still exist. 75 million job roles are expected to disappear by 2022 according to the “Future of Jobs Report 2018” by the World Economic Forum,. Furthermore, another 133 million roles are expected to emerge.
In 2017, the McKinsey Global Institute found that about half the activities people are paid to do could potentially be automated using technologies that exist today. While few occupations can be entirely automated, 60% of all occupations have at least 30% of constituent activities that can be automated.
Some of the biggest changes will occur in jobs that require routine physical activity in a predictable setting, such as operating machinery or preparing food. About 50% of the work time in Malaysia is spent on these types of highly automatable activities.”
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), artificial intelligence (AI), innovation, automation, Internet of Things (IOT) and other technological advancement would impact all industries. The Industry 4.0 will change the kinds of jobs needed across all market sectors. Therefore, students must possess the right skills to value-add, creative, empathetic and interactive in a technology-driven job landscape.
- The World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2023 has revealed that almost a quarter of jobs, or 23 per cent, are expected to change in the next five years via a 10.2 per cent growth in some jobs, and a 12.3 per cent decline in others as a result of technology and digitalisation. The report said that employers anticipate 69 million new jobs will be created and 83 million eliminated among the 673 million jobs corresponding to the dataset, a net decrease of 14 million jobs, or two per cent of current employment.
- McKinsey says its study indicates that by 2030, automation could displace up to 25% of hours (equivalent to about 4.5 million workers) in Malaysia. However, between 3.3 million and 6 million jobs are expected to be created in Malaysia by 2030, but with the new age of automation Industrial 4.0, preparation and training are fast becoming the critical factor as the new workforce would need new skills.
- The International Labor Organization has estimated that almost 300 million jobs are at risk due to the coronavirus pandemic. Of those that are lost, almost 40% will not come back. According to research by the University of Chicago, they will be replaced by automation to get work done more safely and efficiently. Particularly at risk are so-called “frontline” jobs – customer service, cashiers, retail assistant, and public transport being just a few examples. But no occupation or profession is entirely future proof. Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), even tasks previously reserved for highly trained doctors and lawyers – diagnosing illness from medical images, or reviewing legal case history, for example – can now be carried out by machines.
- BETWEEN 3.3 million and 6 million jobs are expected to be created in Malaysia by 2030, but with the new age of automation Industrial 4.0, preparation and training are fast becoming the critical factor as the new workforce would need new skills.
What Factors Should I consider when Choosing a Course?
The decisions that you make now, can change your life forever. Choosing the right course after UEC is just the first step in the right direction of achieving a life with stable or high income. The ever-increasing cost of living in Malaysia & high graduate unemployment rate is making it challenging for fresh graduates and working professionals to support their lifestyle. In light of that, it would be important for students to plan ahead what career that you want to enter into so that you can choose a course that has future job demand and high salary in Malaysia.
What can I do to Succeed in my Future Career?
Bernice, Digital Marketing at Taylor’s University
You may have a clear idea of what you want to do for a career which makes choosing a course to study easier, particularly if you want to become a doctor or lawyer. You can search our articles section to see if we’ve already written about your dream graduate career and how you can achieve this.
When making a decision about your career, it is important to take into consideration the average salary. Starting salaries in Malaysia is about RM2800 to RM3500 for most careers while starting salaries in Singapore is about SGD2714.
Although starting salaries is generally the same level for everyone, what you do in the following years of your job will determine how much higher you would get.
Sometimes, the course that you are interested in may not have a high job demand or salary in Malaysia, hence, you have to weigh the cost of taking that course. You have to balance between passion and money.
If you come from a rich family then I guess you have no worries and can go for your passion but if you’re like general population, then you have to consider carefully the future salary of the course that you intend to take.
Many students forget that when they grow older, most will get married and start a family. In addition, you will need to care for your parents when they get old. All these will need money.
Therefore, it is also important to choose the right university that would equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to move up in your career.
Many students make the mistake of choosing the cheapest university for their studies and then later realise that they cannot get the promotion or salary increment because they did not get the skills needed.
English is one of these skills that most students do not take seriously about its importance for promotion and salary increments in future jobs. Think about it, if you are unable to write a report or email in proper English or do a presentation smoothly, how would you be able to become a manager or CEO eventually?
Choose Based on Evidence
Renee Tan, Mechanical Engineering at Heriot-Watt University Malaysia
It is important to choose the right course to study – you don’t want to waste your time and money on a Course you don’t want to do (or end up dropping out of). To help you decide which course is right for you, make a list of courses that are of interest to you.
Is it a subject you have already studied? For example, maybe you loved the English subject and you read novels for pleasure in your own time. You can consider Teaching English as a Second Language, journalism or Mass Communication. In addition, you don’t have to do a journalism degree to become a journalist – many degrees are considered!
Maybe you’ve always been interested in computers and the internet at home, and enjoyed maths at school, so are considering a degree in computer science, a course subject you probably won’t have studied before.
Experienced education counselors are able to analyse your interests, personality and exam results to help you make a list of possible courses for consideration.
Looking at your results in SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels could help you to decide which course you would be good at. If you are good in Maths & Physics then you can consider Engineering courses. Having good results in Chemistry, Biology & Maths, you can think of a career in Food Science, Pharmacy or Medicine.
Talking to an experienced education advisor would help you to navigate through this confusing time of choosing the best course that fits you.
Many students make the mistake of just listening to advise without verifying whether the information given is true or not. In addition, just because you have heard or seen a lot of advertisements by a particular university, doesn’t mean that it is the best in that course.
You should also ask yourself if you would still be interested in that subject for a further three or four years – enough to motivate yourself to work and research independently? Remember, you are going to work in this career for the next 50 years after graduation, therefore, you should have a high interest in the course.
The course that you choose should also have a job demand for you after you graduate. Choosing a course that you are passionate about without job demand and you may end up being jobless. Look for statistics and research to support whether there is a job demand for your future career in Malaysia or overseas.
Here at EduSpiral Consultant Services, we do our research on the job demand for the careers in Malaysia, Salary Reports, and universities so that we can advise our students based on facts and evidence.
