ISSN: 2226-6348
Open access
Graduate employability requires increased attention across all essential aspects within higher education systems worldwide. Education systems should not only focus on academic teaching and the learning process; they should also shelter a broader range of subjects, such as the progress of a professional identity, supportive economic growth, and, most significantly, improving students’ employability. With the unemployment rate at 3.3 percent, this study is viewed from both employers’ and graduates’ perspectives. Therefore, this study has two objectives. First, to study graduates' employability with the role of internship; second, to identify the roles of internship both from potential graduates and employers' perspectives. The study uses a qualitative approach, and semi-structured interviews were chosen for the data collection process. The selected ten (10) respondents, five from various industries as employers and five as potential graduates or interns, were interviewed. These findings revealed three roles of internship, firstly working experience, secondly, developing soft skills and thirdly building networking. The study proposed using quantitative data for future studies with a bigger sample size.
Ali, N. M., Borhanuddin, R. I., Salleh, S. M., Noor, H. M., Kamaruddin, K., Mokhlas, H. (2023), Kebolehpasaran graduab – penilaian daripada perspektif majikan dan graduan: satu pendekatan kualitatif, International Journal of Education, Psychology and Councelling (IJEPC), 8(50), 355-367
Aung, Y. M. M., Asavisanu, P. (2025), The Influence of Internship Effectiveness on Graduate Employability Skills of Undergraduate Business Administration Students at a Private University in Thailand, ABAC ODI JOURNAL Vision. Action. Outcome, 13(1), 302-322
Auta, M. A., and Onwusuru, I. M. (2022), TVET graduates employability for construction industry: a mixed method study, Online Journal for TVET Practitioners, 7(1), 85-94.
Al-Shehab, N., Al-Hashimi, M., Madbouly, A., Reyad, S. & Hamdan, A. (2021), Do employability skills for business graduates meet the employers’ expectations? The case of retail Islamic banks of Bahrain, Higher Education Skills and Work-Based Learning 11(2), 349-366. Azmi, I.A.G., Hashim, R.C. & Yusoff Y.M. (2018). The employability skills of Malaysian university students, International Journal of Modern Trends in Social Sciences, 1(3), 1-14.
Azmi, I. A. G., Hashim, R. C., & Yusoff, Y. M. (2018). The employability skills of Malaysian university students, International Journal of Modern Trends in Social Sciences, 1(3), 1-14.
Bassah, N. A. S. H., & Noor, M. A. M. (2023), Employability Skills Needed for TVET Graduates in MalaysiaL Perspective of Industry Expert, Online Journal for TVET Practitioners, 8(1), 52-59
Bhola, S. S., & Dhanawade, S.S. (2013). Higher education and employability: a review, SSRN Electronic Journal, 1-13.
Bisschoff, Z. S., Massyn, L. (2024), A conceptual soft skills competency framework for enhancing graduate intern employability, Higher Education, Skills and Work- Based Learning, 1-16 2042-3896, DOI 10.1108/HESWBL-08-2023-0239
Cammayo, E. U., Gonzales, J. I. (2024), Employability of accountancy graduates of a Philippine public university, International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE) 13(1), 91-99
Chan, W. K. (2012). Employability does not necessarily lead to competitiveness. Journal Chinese Education & Society, 45(2), 21-37.
Dachner, A., Ellingson, J. E., Noe, R. A., and Saxton, B. (2019), The future of employee development. Retrieved 31 January 2021, from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/289197727.
Darmi, R., Saad, M. N.S., Wahab, A. N., Puteh-Benak, F., Darmi, H.R. and Idrus, M.M. (2020). English for Professionals and Graduate Employability: Exploring Malaysian College ESL Students' Perceptions of Creating Digital Video CV Task in 4.0 Classroom, International Journal of Language Education and Applied Linguistics, (IJEAL), 10(2), 40-47.
Dafou, E. (2009). Qualifications and skills: The organisational perspective. Journal of Education and Work, 22, 91–104.
Dicker, R., Garcia, M., Kelly, A. & Mulrooney (2018). What does quality in higher education means? Perception of staff, students and employers, Studies in Higher Education. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2018.1445987
Finch, D. J., Hamilton, L. K., Baldwin, R. & Zehner, M. (2013). An exploratory study of factors affecting undergraduate employability. Education + Training, 55, 681–704.
Gupta, P., Datta, A & Kothe S, (2023), Developing employability skills in vulnerable youth: Designing logic model framework and outcome evaluation using quasi-experiment, World Developing Sustainability, 2 (2023), 100045
Gibbs, S., Steel, G. & Kuiper, A. (2011). Expectations of competency: The mismatch between employers’ and graduates’ views of end-user computing skills requirements in the workplace. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 10, 371–382.
Hamat, M. F., & Nordin, M. K. N. C. (2012). Tinjauan Kepentingan Pembangunan Modal Insan di Malaysia. Jurnal Al-Tamaddun, 7(1), 75-89.
Hossain, M. I., Yagamaran, K. S. A., Afrin, T., Limon, N. A., Nasiruzzaman, M., & Karim, A. M. (2018). Factors influencing unemployment among fresh graduates: a case study in Klang Valley, Malaysia, International Journal of Academic Research & Social Sciences, 8(9), 1494-1507.
Lakshmi, P. M., & Siddardha, D. (2019). Impact of graduate competencies towards employability: issues of learning in digital era, International Journal of Research and Development, 4(7), 21-26.
Law, C. S. (2018). Malaysia public universities’ graduate employability policies: an analysis of first degree graduates’ unemployment and underemployment issues. International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research, 6(4), 480-489.
Lubna, A. R., Wan Moharani, M., Zulkipli, M. I., & Hishormudin, A. (2017). Corak kajian kebolehpasaran siswazah di Malaysia: sorotan antara tahun 2010-2015, Jurnal Sultan Alauddin Sulaiman Shah, 4(2), 31-43.
Ma’dan, M., Ismail, M. T. & Daud, S. (2019). Importance of human capital development and competitiveness in enhancing competency level among Malaysia university graduates: literature review. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. 16(8), 1-15 ISSN: 1823-884x
Mwelwa, K., Mawela, A. S. (2021), Effectiveness of Internships as Pedagogical Practices in Promoting Employability Skills Amongst Graduating Students in Selected Social Science Degree Programmes in Zambia, International Journal of Educational Methodology, 7(4), 649-668
Mseleku, Z. (2024), Transitioning from higher education to the labour market: the role of graduate internship on youth graduate employability, Cogent Education, 11 (1), 1-14, DOI: 10.1080/2331186X.2024.2428069
Ngah, M. A., Halid, S., & Rosli, F. A. (2019). Eksklusif: Graduan siswazah miskin b40 sukar dapat kerja setimpal. Retrieved 10 Oktober 2019, from https://www.bharian.com.my/berita/nasional/2019/07/582258/
Olaniyan, D. A. & Okemakinde, T. (2008). Human capital theory: implications for educational development. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 5(5), 479-483.
Olichi, N. F., & Pyiki, H. B. (2019). Assessment of business eduators competency level in teaching office application and office technology segments of office technology and management courses in selected polytechnics in North-East Nigeria, World Journal of Innovation Research, 6(2), 18-26.
Pianda, D., Hilmiana, H., Widianto, S., Sartika, D. (2024), The impact of internship experience on the employability of vocational students: a bibliometric and systematic review, Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 1-29
Presti, A. L., Costantini, A., Jos Akkermans, J., Sartori, R., De-Rosa, A. (2023), Employability Development during Internships: A Three-Wave Study on a Sample of Psychology Graduates in Italy, Journal of Career Development, 50(6) 1155–1171
Puad, M. H. M., & Desa, H. M. (2020). Dissecting Perceptions of New Graduates on Work Orientation and Self-Confidence in Employability Skills Training Program, Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(1A), 70-75.
Rahman, A. F., Mohamed, A. H., Saidin, K., & Nasie, A. N. (2019). Exploring Perceptions of Employers on Communication Skills Among Fresh Graduates, Practitioner Research, 1, 69-85.
Razali, F. A., Talib, A. S. L., & Awang, N. (2021). Graduates’ Employability: Enhancing Students’ Overall Performances, Journal Voice of Academia, 17 (1), 63-72.
Rido, A. (2020). English for University Graduate Employability: Students and Employers’ Voices Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 430, 6-10.
Romgens, I., Scoupe, R., & Beausaert, S. (2019). Unravelling the concept of employability, bringing together research on employability in higher education and workplace, Studies in Higher Education, Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.162377
Rowe, A. D. & Zegwaard, K. E. (2017). Developing graduate employability skills and attribute curriculum enhancement through work integrated learning, Asian Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education Special Issue 2017, 18(2), 87-99.
Saleh, H., Wahab, N. A. A. (2025), Employers’ perspective on Malaysian graduates’ skills: A contemporary study, Journal of TVET and Technology Review, 16-23
Shafie, L. A., & Nayan, S. (2010). Employability awareness among Malaysian undergraduates, International Journal of Business and Management, 5, 119-123.
Shetiya, Y. C., Gaur, A. K., Sharma, L. M. (2025), Evaluating the impact of internships on career preparedness and employability skills, Journal of East-West Thought, 15(1), 506-515
Sotshangane, Y., & Obioha, E. E. (2022), Perspectives on employer’s expectations on tertiary education graduates’ employability skills in Eastern Cape, South Africa, International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 11(5), 237-248.
Stone, G., Lightbody, M., & Whait, R. (2013). Developing accounting students’ listening skills: Barriers, Opportunities and an integrated stakeholder approach. Accounting Education, 22, 168–192.
Sumanisiri, E. G. T., Mohd Shukri, A. Y., & Khatibi, A. (2015). Review of literature on graduate employability, Journal of Studies in Education, 5(2), 75-88.
Ting, S.K.T., Ying.C.Y (2012), Business Graduates’ Competencies in the Eyes of Employers: An Exploratory Study in Malaysia, World Review of Business Research, 2(2), 176-190
Valdez, E. C., Perez, M. O., Samson, Z. K. T., Valtoribio, H. T. C., Pumihic, M. B. (2025), Employability Skills Perception of Employers and Student Interns, International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research, 6(8), 4238-4258
Wafi, A. A., Subri, U. S., Zulkifli, R. M., Muhamed, S., Hanapi, Z., Rus, R. C., & Kamal, M .F. M. (2022), You are hired: technical and vocational education and training graduates employability and experts’ view, Pertanika Journal Social Sciences and Humanities, 30(2), 859-878.
Zainuddin, M. I. Z., Subari, K., Aripin, M. A., Hisham, M. H. M. (2024), Understanding Employer’s perception of employability skills of polytechnic gradates in Malaysia: a case study, International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education & Development, 13(1), 1441-1455
Ali, N. M. B., Kamaruddin, K., Salleh, S. M., Hamzah, S. F. M., Setia, R. H., Harahap, A. Z. M. K., Nor, R. M., Noor, H. M., Mokhlas, H., & Borhanuddin, R. I. (2025). Exploring the Role of Internship on Graduates’ Employability: A Phenomenon Inquiry on Undergraduate Business Students in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 14(4), 711-725.
Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode