PUTRAJAYA, Dec 24 — Malaysia recorded 5.74 million graduates in 2023, reflecting a 4.2 per cent increase, with over two-thirds employed in skilled occupations, according to the Graduates Statistics 2023 report released today.

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the positive economic and labour market environment throughout 2023 contributed to this growth, with graduates making up 22.3 per cent of the working-age population aged 15 and above.

"Of the total graduates, 4.92 million were active in the labour force, translating to a Graduate Labour Force Participation Rate (GLFPR) of 85.7 per cent.

"Degree holders comprised 54.4 per cent (3.12 million), while diploma holders accounted for 45.6 per cent (2.62 million). Year-on-year, the number of degree graduates in the labour force rose by 5.4 per cent, while diploma holders increased by 3.5 per cent, supported by improved employment opportunities and lower unemployment rates,” he said in a statement today.

Graduates, as defined in the report, are individuals with the highest certificate obtained from universities, colleges, polytechnics, recognised bodies, or their equivalent, with a study duration of at least two years.

Mohd Uzir added that employed graduates grew by 4.9 per cent to 4.76 million in 2023, compared to 4.53 million in 2022, reflecting a healthier labour market.

Approximately 67.6 per cent of employed graduates, or 3.21 million individuals, were in skilled occupations, with professionals making up the largest proportion (57.4 per cent), followed by technicians and associate professionals (24.2 per cent), and managers (18.5 per cent).

"Graduates in semi-skilled roles represented 31.3 per cent of employment (1.49 million), while those in low-skilled categories accounted for just 1.1 per cent (51,800),” he added.

By economic sector, the majority of graduates were employed in the services sector, comprising 77.5 per cent of graduate employment (3.69 million).

This was followed by the manufacturing sector (13.4 per cent; 637,900 graduates) and the construction sector (6.3 per cent; 301,100 graduates). The agriculture sector (1.7 per cent; 83,000) and mining and quarrying sector (1.0 per cent; 46,800) made up the remainder.

Touching on salaries and wages, Dr Mohd Uzir highlighted that higher earnings were recorded for graduates in 2023 compared to the previous year. The median monthly salaries and wages for full-time equivalent principal occupations rose by 3.4 per cent to RM4,409 (2022: RM4,265).

"All three skill categories experienced positive growth. Graduates in skilled occupations saw a 3.6 per cent increase in median monthly salaries and wages, reaching RM5,663 (2022: RM5,467).

"Those in semi-skilled roles recorded a 4.3 per cent increase to RM2,375 (2022: RM2,276), while the low-skilled category saw a 1.9 per cent rise to RM1,915 (2022: RM1,880),” he added. — Bernama