The fact that 79 percent graduates from about 1,800 chose government jobs as their first preference indicates their unchanged perception and preference of employment, over the last two years.
Most of the graduates, BBS spoke to, say they prefer government jobs because of job security. “We also get to go for trainings and there are other benefits of being in the civil service,” said one of the graduates, Sangay Chezom.
After government jobs, 10.85 percent graduates prefer to work in corporations, followed by Civil Society Organisation with 3.26 percent and private sector with 2.70 percent, reveals “Beyond Graduation, 2014 Survey”, conducted by labour ministry.
The survey also says self-employment is the last option, even to the large number of graduates completing their higher education in the field of business and management.
Despite the shift, indicated by the labour market, from government oriented jobs to entrepreneurship and private sector development, civil service continue to attract graduates.
A Senior Programme Officer with the labour ministry, Tenzin Choden said tertiary educational institutions need to put in a lot of efforts to change the prevailing perception and preference. She said it is important for them to prepare graduates for the world of work and to face the labour market reality.
“There was need to foster partnership, collaboration and engagement between different types of tertiary education institutions. Such linkage is expected to increase the capacity of the institutions to respond to the labour market demands and dynamics.”
Tenzin Choden said curriculum and modules offered by tertiary education institutions in the field of business and management need to equip graduates to make them entrepreneurs post-graduation.
The officer also said the tertiary education institutions and graduates need to evolve to the regional and global skills requirements besides looking into labour market requirements
Royal University of Bhutan’s Vice-Chancellor, Nidup Dorji said they are carrying out sensitization programs across the colleges in the country to create awareness on job markets. “Sensitization is our ongoing effort.”
