Choosing the Right Course After SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels Increases Your Chances of Getting a Good Job & Salary in Malaysia

Lonnie Sik, Founder of EduSpiral, has more than 20 years of experience counseling thousands of students on how to choose the right course & university
How to Choose the Right Course With High Job Demand & Salary to Study after SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels in Malaysia
Written by EduSpiral Consultant Services For more information contact 01111408838
Choosing the right course to study after SPM or O-Levels is just the first step in the right direction of achieving a life with stable or high income. Some students have known what they wanted to be since they were young while others are no sure, even after completing their SPM & O-Levels. Furthermore, 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.
With the high youth unemployment rate in Malaysia, it is important to choose your course wisely. The Ministry of Education reported that 57,000 of 173,000 of 2017 graduates remained jobless after looking for a job for six months. The prime reason for graduate youth unemployment is the mismatch of graduate qualifications with the country’s workforce needs. Graduate unemployment was 9.6 percent or 204,000 at the end of 2018. Therefore, if you chose the wrong course, you may end up jobless after graduating from university.
Below are some tips for SPM & O-Levels leavers to find the course that’s right for you to study at a top private university in Malaysia.
You might also be interested to read these:
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- 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
For more information on how to choose the right course with high job demand, contact 01111408838
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Ultimate Guide in Choosing the Right Course that has High Job Demand & Salary to Study after SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels

Fu Wei, Diploma in Culinary Arts Graduate from YTL International College of Hotel Management
We know that choosing a course to study after SPM or O-Levels can be overwhelming. When choosing the right course to study in Malaysia, one important criteria that students should look at is the 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.
Many students make the mistake of listening to advise from relatives or friends without checking if the information is true or not. In addition, they just follow their friends to study a course or university without much consideration.
If you don’t plan carefully, you may end up studying a course that has no job demand after you graduate. This would be an incredible waste of your time and money.
Some students enter college or university knowing what job they want to pursue and choose the course based on that career objective. Others don’t have a clear career path and study a subject that will give them the skills they need to pursue a variety of jobs.
We’re about to get to how to choosing the best course, but think about this, first:
- Will I get a job after I graduate with the degree that I chose?
- Will the job be around after I graduate or after 10 years?
- What college or university should I go to?
- What career should I choose?
- What degree should I get that I’ll be happy with 10, 20, and 50 years from now?
There are many factors in determining which course is best for you. You will need to take time and effort to research, think and evaluate which one that would suit you. There is no special formula in choosing the right course, it is a process in understanding yourself and your life goals.
Major Decisions after SPM or O-Levels

Kenneth, Interior Design at Taylor’s University
These are all major decisions. And directly related to these is one more major decision to sort out: What should I choose to study after SPM or O-Levels?
Part of finding the right course to study in Malaysia for you will be picking out the criteria that matters to most to you, and then seeing if any of the top private colleges or universities in Malaysia that you’re looking at fit those criteria. Choosing the right course to study in Malaysia is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life.
Your decision will be influenced by many criteria such as the budget for your studies, accreditation of the course by MQA & relevant professional bodies, the suitability of the course against your academic results and career goals, tuition fees, job prospects, salary for the career, and more.
There are literally thousands of courses to choose from, and each university and college programme in Malaysia will vary on their offerings. You need to pick a major that your future self will thank you for. With this complete guide where we’ll walk you step-by-step through the process, you’ll be well on the way to finding the best course that will suit you.
What are your Career Interests?

Justin Moo, Mechanical Engineering graduate from Taylor’s University
If you are considering a particular course because it is a requirement for your career path, it is hopefully something that interests you. Your interests are a fine way of determining the right course to study. I mean, if you like doing something, why not get paid for it, right?
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.
If the course is of no interest to you, it might be wise to either reconsider your occupation or find out if there are alternative areas of study that interest you more. Some parents force their children to study courses that they have no interest in. It will be nearly impossible to do well at university while studying something that bores you.
What are the Chances of Success at Obtaining the Degree?

The area of study you are considering may seem extremely interesting, but you should consider if you have the right academic results and character to study hard to complete the course. Also, you will need to be able to consistently maintain good grades for the degree course.
Courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Engineering are considered “tough” courses. You need to assess your academic grades and personality to ensure that you are prepared to see the course through.
Abilities are what you are able to do, generally speaking. Understanding what areas you have skills in and which areas could use work is a great way to start the elimination process when choosing a course.
Don’t major In a subject that Is beyond your abilities. Most people can’t succeed in every area. For example, if you aren’t good in math, it’s a bad idea to major in that area or anything that involves numbers such as actuarial science, data science, computer science or engineering.
What are the Chances of Finding a Job with your Degree in Malaysia?

Min En, Actuarial Science, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia
You have determined that not only do you have a great interest in a particular course but also an aptitude or natural talent for it.
It seems like the right choice for you but does it have a high job demand in Malaysia? If not, then you may have enjoyed studying the course but end up suffering for the rest of your life trying to find a good job with a salary that can sustain your lifestyle.
The ever-increasing cost of living in Malaysia is making it challenging for fresh graduates and working professionals to support their lifestyle. Try to choose something that will increase your chances of finding a job after graduation. Do some research to learn what jobs in Malaysia have a high job demand and which courses are needed for these jobs.
Part of finding the right career in Malaysia for you will be looking at the future job demand in Malaysia and globally. You don’t want to have completed a degree course and then not be able to find a job or realise that the job pays very low salary. Therefore, it is important for students after high school or Pre-University 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).
What is the Employment Outlook for the Course in Malaysia? Is it Employable?

Mak, Ong & Chaw – Diploma in Information Technology (IT) at Multimedia University (MMU)
We live in a time of unrelenting technological progress and innovation. Artificial intelligence and automation are changing the game right now, and it’ll only be more so in the future.
75 million job roles are expected to disappear by 2022 according to the “Future of Jobs Report 2018” by the World Economic Forum and another 133 million roles are expected to emerge. In addition, 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.
In other words, will you be able to easily and readily find employment in a related field after you earn the degree? You don’t want to choose a course and then find out upon graduation that the job has been replaced by a robot! Find out what the job outlook is for the career you are considering.
What Course to Study if You Already Know What You Want

Vincent Lim, Software Engineering Graduate, Asia Pacific University (APU)
Choose a particular degree course because it will prepare you for a specific career path or advanced study. Maybe you already know that you want to be a banker, mechanical engineer, software engineer or physiotherapist.
A job may require a specific degree course. For example, to become an accountant, you would have to major in accounting; or to become a software engineer, your major would be software engineering or computer science. These areas of study will equip you with the knowledge and skills that are essential to performing these jobs.
For other jobs, students have some leeway in what you can study with some limitations. To be an actuary, for instance, one can get a degree in mathematics, actuarial science, business, or statistics. This is because you would still need to sit for the actuarial science professional papers. Aspiring entrepreneurs also have a variety of choices such as business administration, entrepreneurship, management or any business related degree.
Who Should I Ask for Advise in Choosing the Right Course?

Dexter Leong, A-Levels at HELP Academy & Biotechnology Degree from University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
- Your close friends & classmates
- Who knows you better? Get their input by telling them what you believe your interests, passions, abilities, and values are. Your friends and classmates can be a source of good ideas. Though they might not have the overall knowledge like the professional education advisors, your friends and classmates know what you are good at, your strengths and weaknesses. But don’t choose the course just because your friends are choosing it.
- Knowledgeable & Experienced Education Advisors
- Who better to help you decide how to choose a course than the education advisors whose main job it is to do so? For example, here at EduSpiral Consultant Services, we have helped lots of students who are making the same decisions you are. With our experience, we can tell you more about the courses offered at various universities in detail. Furthermore, we have researched about the job demand and salary in Malaysia so we can advise you on which careers will be high in demand in the future.
- Meeting with an education advisor will offer you more in return than just advice on which course is right for you, with our intimate knowledge of the specific private university and campus in Malaysia, we are able to curate just the right course of study for each student.
- A knowledgeable counselor or education consultant in Malaysia would be able to provide detailed information about the university and its courses, facts & evidence to support the job prospects for the course and in-depth information about which university would be suit you. While an experienced counselor or education consultant would be able to analyse your results, understand your personality & skills to figure out which course and career suits you.
- Your parents
- They’ve been there for you throughout the years and they know you well. Moreover, they would have your best interest at heart. They can share with you what you are good at and what courses that you should avoid because of your weaknesses.
- However, you should avoid parents’ suggestions if they start becoming too insistent on a particular path for you. You must do what you want to do, rather than worry that it bothers them.
What is the Salary for the Job in Malaysia?

Darren, Finance & Investment Graduate from UCSI University
Future earning potential is worth considering because studying at a private college or university in Malaysia is a big investment. One of the aims of getting a degree is to get a good job with a decent or high salary. This is to ensure that you have the finances to support your lifestyle.
When choosing a course, keep in mind of what kind of salary that you are able to accept for your future lifestyle. Nobody wants to struggle financially later in life.
And if you want to have a family later, it is important to keep in mind what kind of salary the career that you are planning to choose. Also, you’re gonna have to pay back the PTPTN Loan, and have enough money to buy a car, house, and travel!
Should I Choose the Course that I like?

Some students choose a course simply because they love the subject matter. If you love what you’re studying, you’re more likely to fully engage with your classes and college experience, and that can mean better grades and great relationships with others in your field.
An undergraduate degree course in Malaysia lasts three to five years – that’s a long time to spend studying something which you don’t enjoy, especially at a more intense level! First of all ask yourself what you have enjoyed studying at secondary school in Malaysia.
Your SPM or O-Level results will show what you are actually good at. Having good results in Maths, you can consider Actuarial Science, Accounting, Computing or Finance courses. Having narrowed down to these courses, you can go for the Foundation in Arts for 1 year before really choosing which one to study for your degree.
But if the course that you are passionate about doesn’t command a high salary in Malaysia, and that also doesn’t fit with your lifestyle, then you may need to reconsider.
What if I am still not sure of what to Study?
If you truly have no idea what you want to study, that’s okay. This is because you have to take some sort of Pre-University (Pre-U) programme after SPM or O-Levels before continuing on to the degree. If you are still not sure of what to study, you can choose general Pre-University programmes such as South Australian Matriculation or SACE, A-Levels, Foundation in Arts or Foundation in Science.
You will have some time during Pre-University to explore and figure out what you want to study for your degree.
What is your budget for your Studies?

Hui Lan, Mass Communication at KDU University College
Discuss the budget for your studies with your parents. A Pre-University (Pre-U) Programme will cost from RM10,000 to RM50,000 while a degree at a private university will cost from RM50,000-RM100,000 for a business course to RM130,000 for a Pharmacy course. To study overseas for degree will cost from RM150,000 to RM200,000 a year including cost of living.
If this is out of your budget, then you should consider taking the STPM and going for Public University. If you do not have the finances to study at private universities, then just go for STPM. Note that STPM is extremely tough and takes 2 years of your time. You may not get the degree of your choice when entering into Public University.
Is my Personality Right for the Course and Future Career?
The Myers & Briggs MBTI Personality Type Test, which separates people into 16 psychological types. These often are a great way to figure out if a particular university major, minor, or career choice is right for you.
Accreditation & Recognition of the Top Private Universities in Malaysia

When choosing a course, students need to make sure that they are also accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Audit (MQA) and approved by the Malaysian Ministry of Education.
Recognition and accreditation by the various professional bodies are important such as:
- Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM)
- Pharmacy Board
- Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia (LAM)
- Persatuan Arkitek Malaysia (PAM)
- Nursing Board
- Malaysian Medical Council (MMC)
- Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA)
- Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB), Malaysia
- Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia (BQSM)
- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
- Society of Actuaries (SOA)
- Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (iFoA)