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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 60 (2012) 150 – 156

UKM Teaching and Learning Congress 2011

Analysis of Employability for Bachelor Graduates of Faculty

Engineering and Built Environment for Year 2011
Mohd Fairus Awang , Lily Khairiah Kadaruddin, Siti Khadijah Najid, Mohd Zaidi Omar
Centre for Engineering Education Research, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Abstract

This study was undertaken to examine employability of graduated from the Faculty Engineering and Built Environment (FKAB)
for the year 2011. The employability study was conducted to identifying the percentage of graduates who obtained employment,
and to identify satisfaction of graduates with the program they have follow during their study. In addition the study is to examine
graduates job scope after graduation and study the influence of graduates CGPA on their employability. This study was
conducted on graduates who have completed their study at the May 8, 2011. Survey forms distributed to the group from time to
time in stages where it is to follow the progress of FKAB graduates employability for the one year. The first phase of this study
was conducted in early July 2011, and the' monkey survey' method (online survey methods) was applied in the success of this
employability study. In general, almost 50% of the respondents for this first phase have their first job after a month of final
transcript release.
© 2011
© 2011Published
PublishedbybyElsevier
Elsevier Ltd.
Ltd. Selection
Selection and/or
and/or peer peer reviewed
reviewed underunder responsibility
responsibility of theTeaching
of the UKM UKM Teaching
and and Learning
CongressCongress
Learning 2011. 2011 Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.

Keywords: Employability; survey; graduated student; engineering faculty

1. Introduction

Graduate employability issues being raised as a result of rising unemployment among local graduates in recent
years. The problem of rising unemployment among graduates in Malaysia over the years has become a burden to the
government and society (Mohd Fadzly Mohd Izab, 2011).
Other factors also contribute to unemployment, including economic factors, the influx of graduates in the job
market and the weakness of adaptation to the needs of graduates in the job market. This scenario has reduced his
chances of graduates to enter the job market, in a country that requires constant employment of competent,
'industrious', high quality and can meet the needs of industry.
This study is a continuation of studies Bachelor of employability of graduates of the Faculty of Engineering and
Built Environment which was carried out in 2010. It is important to see the reaction employability of UKM
graduates who have completed their studies for the year 2011. The objective of this study was 1) Identify the

Corresponding author. Tel.: +6-019-358-6954; fax: +603-8925-2546.
E-mail address: fairus@vlsi.eng.ukm.my.

1877-0428 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer reviewed under responsibility of the UKM Teaching and Learning Congress 2011
Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.361
 Mohd Fairus Awang et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 60 (2012) 150 – 156 151

percentage of graduates who have obtained employment in accordance with the programs offered in the department,
and 2) Review the job category they undertake by the graduates.

2. Methodology

This study is a continuation studies of the employability that conducted earlier by FKAB. The first phase of this
study was done from July 8, 2011 and ending in August 8, 2011 by using the 'Monkey surveys' method or on-line
survey method. The survey form of this study has a two parts, where Part A is Respondent Profile and Part B is
Employability Profile. The survey form was uploaded in the website and has being informed to graduates via email.
The target group for this study was FKAB undergraduate students who have completed their studies in the Session
2010-2011 where the number of graduate is about 328. This study is to see employability of FKAB graduates for the
first phase after a month of graduates obtained their final transcript on 8 June 2011. At the end of the first phase
study about 131 respondents have given feedback to the survey form than given to them.

3. Result and Discussion

3.1. Respondent Profile

Table 1 shows that Malay respondents which preceded the other races by 82 people (62.6%) respondents,
followed by Chinese about 45 (34.4%) respondents, while for Indian and other races respectively represent two
people (1.5 %) respondents.

Table 1. Respondent Profile Followed by Gender and Race

Male Female
Programme TOTAL
M C I O M C I O
Civil & Structural 2 6 0 1 11 2 0 0 22
Civil & Environmental 2 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 8
Mechanical 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4
Manufacturing 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 4
Chemical 5 8 0 0 7 8 0 0 28
Biochemical 2 2 0 0 7 4 0 0 15
Electric & Electronic 6 7 2 0 4 0 0 0 19
Microelectronic 4 2 0 0 3 1 0 0 10
Communication & Computer 3 2 0 0 7 0 0 0 12
Architectural Science 0 1 0 0 6 1 0 1 9
TOTAL 28 28 2 1 54 17 0 1 131
Races: M=Malay, C=Chinese, I=Indian, O=Other

Table 1 show that the respondents were divided into 10 programmes. The largest portion is from the Chemical
Engineering Programme about 28 people (21.4%) respondents. The second largest fraction is from Civil and
Structural Engineering Programme about 22 people (16.8%) respondents, followed by Electrical and Electronic
Engineering Programmed 19 people (14.5%) respondents. Biochemical Engineering Programme is a total of 15
persons (11.5%) while a total of 12 people (9.2%) respondents from the Communications and Computer
Engineering Programme. Architectural Science programme is 9 persons (6.9%) of respondents and a total of 8
people (6.1%). of respondents were for the Civil and Environmental Engineering Programme. Finally, for the
Mechanical Engineering Programme and Manufacturing Engineering Programme, respectively 4 people (3.1%).
152 Mohd Fairus Awang et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 60 (2012) 150 – 156

3.2. The distribution of Graduate Employability

Department of Civil and Structural Department of Mechanical and Material

Engineering Engineering
Not Further
Working Study
Further
Still 3% 13% Full Time
Study
Looking For Still Job
7% Full Time
A Job Looking For 25%
Job
17% A Job
53%
12%
Has
Received A
Job Offer
3%

Part Time Part Time

Job/Contract Job/Contract
Worker Worker
17% 50%

(a) (b)

Department of Chemical and Process Department of Electrical, Electronic and

Engineering Systems Engineering

Further
Study Not
Full Time
15% Working
Job
7% Full Time
37%
Job
34%
Further
Study
Part Time 8%
Job/Contract
Worker
5%
Still
Still Looking For Part Time
Looking For Has A Job Job/Contrac
A Job Received A 39% t Worker
40% Job Offer 12%
3%
(c) (d)

Department of Architecture

Full Time Job

11%

Further Study
22% Part Time
Job/Contract
Worker
11%

Still Looking
For A Job
56%

(e)
Figure 1. Employment statuses of respondents by the department
 Mohd Fairus Awang et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 60 (2012) 150 – 156 153

Based on the survey conducted, the employability of graduates assessed based on employment status, nature of
the venture industry and the ability of graduates employed within two months after graduation. Employment status
is categorized into eight parts, namely 1) Full-time job, 2) Own a business, 3) Part-time job, 4) Has received a job
offer, 5) Still looking for a job, 6) Further study and 7) Not working.
From the respondents who took part in this survey indicate that almost 50% of respondents from each department
have already found a job after graduation. Figure 1 shows the breakdown percentage of respondents from each
respective department. Figure 1 (a) is the employment status of the graduate of Chemical and Process Engineering
Department in which 37% of respondents were employed full-time, 11% of respondents work part time or contract
job, and 56% of respondents still looking for job. Distribution of employment status for respondents from the
Department of Electrical and Electronics shows 34% of respondents were employed full-time, 12% work part time,
8% further studies, 7% is still not working and 39% of respondents still looking for job.
Distribution of employment status for Civil & Structural Engineering Department shows a high percentage of
53% of respondents were employed full-time, 17% of respondents work part time job, 17% of respondents were still
looking for job, and 7% of them continue to higher education and 3% of each respondent received a job offer and
does not work.
Figure 1 (d) shows 50% of respondents from the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering work part
time job, 25% of respondents are working full time, 13% of respondents’ further study to higher level and only 12%
of respondents still looking for job. For respondents from the Department of Architecture, 56% of respondents still
looking for job. Only 11% of respondents who were employed and 11% work part time and pursue the rest. From
the distribution of employment status FKAB graduates showed an average percentage of 50% of respondents had
been working full time. This shows the programs offered at the faculty meet the needs required by the employer and
related industries.

3.3. The distribution of CGPA after graduating

Figure 2 shows the percentage distribution of respondents by employment status Cumulative Grade Point
Average (CGPA) obtained by the respondent upon completion of studies at the University. Available in whole of
respondents, 51% of respondents who obtain a CGPA of 3.00 until 3.49 had obtained employment after graduation.
A total of 15% of respondents who obtain a CGPA of 3.69 and 3:50 and 12% of respondents who achieved a CGPA
of 3.70 to 4.00. From the graph is also found that the distribution of respondents who obtain a CGPA 2:50 to 2.99 is
20% and only 2% of respondents who obtain a CGPA below 2:50 would already have jobs.
Figure 2 (a) shows 57% of respondents who obtain a CGPA of 3.70 to 4.00 were employed full-time, 14% of
respondents’ further studies and only 2% of respondents are still looking for job. Figure 2 (b) shows a high
percentage of respondents who have the status of working full time for the CGPA obtained respondents 3:50 to 3.69,
ie 77% of respondents. Only 8% of respondents who work part-time job or contract employees and 15% of
respondents still looking for job for which the CGPA obtained.
Distribution of employment status of respondents who obtain a CGPA of 3.00 to the value of 3.49 indicates 43%
of respondents were employed full-time, 27% of respondents are still looking for job, 13% of respondents worked
part-time and 12% of respondents who pursue their studies to the next level. Only 4% of respondents still not
working and 1% has received job offers.
For the respondent obtained CGPA 2:50 to 2.99, it showed 32% of respondents were employed full-time, 15% of
respondents work part time and 3% already have a job offer. However, it shows a relatively high percentage of
respondents who are still searching for a job that is 35% of respondents and only 10% of respondents are not
working and the rest pursue masters’ degree. Figure 2 (e) shows 25% of respondents who obtain a CGPA of 2.00 to
2.49 have been working full time, 25% of respondents pursue master's degree and 50% of respondents are still
looking for job.
From this study it appears that the achievement of grades did not show a high impact on the employability of
graduates FKAB. It showed that graduates who obtain a low-grade achievement would still be able to obtain jobs in
the fields after graduating.
154 Mohd Fairus Awang et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 60 (2012) 150 – 156

CGPA 3.70 - 4.00 CGPA 3.50 - 3.69

Still
Further Looking For
Study A Job
14% 15%

Full Time
Full Time Job
Job 77%
57% Part Time
Still Job/Contract
Looking Worker
For A Job 8%
29%

(a) (b)

CGPA 3.00 - 3.49 CGPA 2.50 - 2.99

Not Not
Further Working Working
Study 4% 10%
12% Further
Full Time Study Full Time
Job 5% Job
43% 32%
Still
Looking For Part Time
A Job Still Job/Contract
27% Looking For Worker
A Job 15%
35% Has
Has Part Time
Received A Job/Contract Received A
Job Offer Worker Job Offer
1% 13% 3%

(c) (d)

CGPA 2.00 - 2.49

Further Full Time

Study Job
25% 25%

Still
Looking
For A Job
50%

(e)

Figure 2. The distribution of CGPA according to department

3.4. Distribution of Respondent Job Category

Figure 3 show job categories of the respondents replied by praising who have employed. Almost half of
respondents, 46% worked under multinational companies or international companies. This shows that the graduates
 Mohd Fairus Awang et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 60 (2012) 150 – 156 155

produced by the FKAB meet the needs and requirements of these companies. Respondents who worked under the
small and medium industries were about 23%. In the other hand respondent who works under non-governmental
sector is about 12%. In addition, there was also among the respondents who took steps to carry out their own
business and their percentage was 9%, while working under the public sector by 6%. From the results obtained show
that FKAB graduates have the potential to have positions in multinational/ international due to the percentage
breakdown obtained. Besides, it shows that the programs offered by the FKAB is meet the needs of multinational /
international.

Goverment
Own Business Other Sector
9% 2% 6%
Goverment Link
Small & Medium
Company (GLC)
Industry
2%
23%

Non-Goverment
Organisation
(NGO)
12%

Multinational
/International
Companies
46%

Figure 3. Job Category

3.5. Distribution of Duration Employment

Figure 4 shows the period of time the respondent to obtain employment after completing their studies at FKAB.
The diagram show that most of the respondents had found a job less than a month after their final examination is
about 36%. While about 33% were employed before their finish study at FKAB. A part of that a total of 27% of the
number who obtain employment are employed between 1 to 3 months. These conditions mean that graduates from
can get jobs in a short time and can compete with others graduates from other universities. This show that the
analysis pattern for a duration of employment of respondents after finish their study at FKAB indicated that
probability employability of graduates increased from time to time is positive and is likely close to 90% of graduates
will find jobs before a year after finish study except for those who further studies.

4 to 6 months more than 12

3% months
1% before completing
study
33%
1 to 3 months
27%

less than 1 month

36%

Figure 4. Duration Employment after Final Examination

156 Mohd Fairus Awang et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 60 (2012) 150 – 156

4. Conclusions

Research study on employability for FKAB graduates had been successfully done to view the marketability of
graduates from time to time based on the phases that been scheduled earlier. All the data and information was
analyzed from time to time to fulfill the objective of these study.
From the result it was found that 49.6% of respondents have obtained employment after received the final
transcript of their study. This study also showed that graduates from FKAB have a capability to work in private
sectors for multinational and international companies, where 46% respondents already have a position in these
companies. Overall from this first phase of the study, it can show relatively graduates that have been produced by
FKAB and can be use as a guideline for the coming research survey of employability studies in the graduates.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank UKM for providing the research grant (PTS-2011-002).

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