SHAH ALAM, July 11 — School leavers are encouraged to choose their post-secondary education pathway based on their interests and potential, rather than simply following friends, family members or current trends.
Universiti Selangor (UNISEL) Faculty of Engineering and Life Sciences deputy dean (academic) Norazean Shaari @ Md Noh said the abundance of information on educational opportunities has also become a challenge for students in deciding their future direction.
“Today, students have much greater access to information about the fields and pathways they can pursue after completing the SPM. However, having too much information can leave them feeling confused.
“The challenge is filtering through that information to identify what they are genuinely interested in and whether those interests match their abilities,” she said during a recent episode of Media Selangor’s Bicara Semasa programme.
She said that after identifying their interests, students should also assess whether the field they wish to pursue aligns with their abilities and strengths to avoid difficulties during their studies.
According to her, students are also encouraged to consider industry needs over the next five to 10 years, as technology and the job market are evolving rapidly.
“For example, when they graduate from university in four or five years, will the field they are interested in still be relevant to the industry? That’s another challenge because the world is moving very quickly.
“If students simply follow their friends and a particular field ends up producing an oversupply of graduates, it will also affect the industry. That’s one of the reasons issues such as reliance on foreign labour arise.”
Norazean said discussions between parents and their children are equally important to ensure decisions are made based on the student’s own potential rather than the expectations of others.
She said parents should act as guides while giving their children the space to choose a pathway that best suits their capabilities.
“If parents force their children into a particular field that they have no interest in, it may result in them dropping out of their studies, or even if they graduate, they may never work in that field,” she said.
She added that choosing the right education pathway not only helps students perform better in their studies but also ensures their chosen field remains relevant to future industry needs.
