SPM HOLDERS SHOULD UPSKILL

Aug 13, 2026

The article highlights that SPM holders can earn up to RM2,475 a month, yet skipping tertiary education may restrict long-term career growth and create financial instability. Employers increasingly prioritise practical skills such as English proficiency, problem-solving, and leadership. Rising numbers of SPM graduates opting out of further studies raise concerns about a shortage of skilled talent and intensifying competition for low-skilled roles. Targeted training, internships, and coordinated industry-education collaboration are urged to improve employability and career progression.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Lack of motivation

Upskilling and employability

English proficiency and workforce outcomes

Collaboration between industry and education

SEKTOR DOKUMENTASI PENDIDIKANBPPDP,Kementerian Pendidikan MalaysiaAras SB-4,Blok E8,Kompleks E,Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan62604 Putrajaya. Tel :03-88846425 Faks:03-88846284 TARIKH:18 MAC 2025(SELASA) BERITA HARIAN UTUSAN M'SIA□ N.STRAITS TIME SPM HOLDERS°SHOULD UPSKILL HAKIMMAHARI "School-leavers need morethan just a certificate to build astable career as employers todayprioritise practical skills,prob-lem-solving abilities and leader-ship qualities,"he told the NewStraits Times.② KUALA LUMPUR news@nst.com.my18323p4 IJIL Pelajaran Malaysia(SPM)holders can earn upto RM2,475 a month,butan expert warns that skipping tertiary education coullimit their career prospects andlead to financial instability. Therefore,Tan said,SPM hold-ers -even those earning a de-cent salary —must continue toupskill themselves. Between 2020 and 2023,overhalf a million SPM holders chosenot to further studies,raisingconcerns about their future intheworkforce. One key skill,he said,was proficiency in English,which wascrucial even for those pursuingtertiary education. "Employers are notjustlookingfor degree-holders,they wantcandidates who can communi-cate effectively in English The Statistics Department'sSalaries &Wages Survey Report2023 found that SPM holdersworking as low-skilled workersearn an average of RM1,982 amonth. "Many SPMholders miss out onopportunities simply because Those in semi-skilled positionscan take home RM2,475—a"decent"figure,according to As-sociation of Employment Agen-cies Malaysia vice-presidentSuresh Tan While RM2,475 is over RM700more than the minimum wage,itis significantly lower than the av-erage salaries of diploma-and degree-holders. On average,diploma-holdersearn RM3,707 a month,while degree-holders take home RM5,242underscoring the importance ofhigher education in securing bet-ter pay. Tan said that while these figures were not new,those withfewer skills would find it increas-ingly difficult to stay relevant in arapidly evolving job market Zarina Ismail their command of the language isweak,"he said. NationalAssociation of HumanResources president Zarina Is-mail said the increasing numberof SPM holders opting out ofhigher education was creating ashortage of skilled talent whileintensifying competition for low-skilled jobs. “The job market is becoming increasingly competitive,andwithout proper training or cer-tification,many young workersfind themselves stuck in low-pay-ing roles with few opportunitiesfor advancement "This could lead to long-termissues such as wage stagnationand job insecurity.” She added that the issue affected not only the private sectorbut also government recruit-ment,as many administrativepositions required qualificationsbeyond SPM. “Employers today prioritiseskills over academic qualifica-tions,particularly in operationaland production-based roles. “However,degrees remain es-sential for administration,knowledge management andexecutive decision-makingjobs.” Zarina said many employerswere expanding in-house train-ing programmes to address theskills gap,while industries re-quiring technical and vocationalexpertise continued to see risingdemand. SEKTOR DOKUMENTASI PENDIDIKANBPPDP,Kementerian Pendidikan MalaysiaAras SB-4,Blok E8,Kompleks E,Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan62604 Putrajaya.Tel :03-88846425Faks:03-88846284 TARIKH:18 MAC 2025(SELASA)BERITA HARIAN UTUSAN M'SIAN.STRAITS TIMETHE STAR SINAR HARIAN comfortable because their par-ents provide financial support.They don't feel the urgency to befinancially independent." She stressed that stronger col-laborations between industriesand educational institutionswere essential to ensure school-leavers acquired the skills re-quired by the job market. He said some school-leaversbelieved they could make quickmoney through social media,leading them to neglect tradi-tional career paths. "Developing targeted trainingprogrammes,internships andskills-based curriculums thatal

FAQs

Why should SPM holders continue upskilling?

SPM holders need more than a certificate to build stable careers because employers increasingly prioritise practical skills, problem-solving, and leadership. Upskilling also helps maintain relevance as the job market evolves.

What key skill is repeatedly emphasised for SPM holders?

Proficiency in English is highlighted as crucial for communication in the workplace, even for those pursuing tertiary education.

How do employers view education versus skills?

Employers prioritise skills over academic qualifications for many operational and production-based roles, while degrees remain essential for administration, knowledge management, and executive decision-making positions.

Aug 13, 2026

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