KUCHING: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) will continue to provide initiatives for students to address unemployment issues and increase the marketability of its graduates.

Its vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi said the university is aware with the scenario, especially with the onslaught of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are well aware with such challenging environment. Through our student development centre (PPP), we are developing a number of programmes to help our students acquire new skills which are relevant today. For example, office management skills or software skills,” he said when met by reporters after delivering his talk at the Borneo Leadership Talk Series 2020 programme held here at Unimas campus on Thursday (July 9).

Stressed on the impact of the pandemic on businesses, particularly among the small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs), he said the university will continue to provide programmes to develop students with employable skills in order to be more marketable to employers.

“SMEs that usually hire our graduates now seem to no longer want to employ more workers because of the pandemic. “And indeed, this intensifies more of the impact on the rising of unemployment which becomes our concern today. I believe all universities in Malaysia are frowning too,” he added.