- Socso wants to show students there are many other job options in Malaysia, beyond the usual choices such as “doctor, lawyer, engineer”.
- Socso also helps university students with the specific skills they need to get a job in their field of study.
- Socso says employers can offer flexible work arrangements to attract those who are in informal work.
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Most of us are aware that the Social Security Organisation (Socso) – which we contribute a small amount of our salaries to every month – offers workers a safety net for workplace injuries.
But did you know it also helps prepare you for jobs?
Socso plays a growing role in employment support – particularly for young Malaysians who are still exploring their career options.
“When you ask every kid what is your future occupation, very often we hear ‘I’m going to become an influencer, I’m going to have my own business’,” Gayathri Vadivel, head of Socso’s employment services division, said during the recent World Social Security Forum (WSSF).
To address this, Socso has been actively visiting secondary schools and universities nationwide to raise awareness about the wide range of job opportunities available in Malaysia as well as the emerging trends and in-demand skill sets.
Socso has been doing this under its MYFutureJobs initiatives since 2020. Last year alone, Socso visited over 500 secondary schools.
Going beyond just being a doctor, lawyer or engineer
According to Gayathri, Socso brings its Career Exploration Programme to schools where profiling and psychometric assessments are carried out to help students understand their skillsets, strengths and weaknesses.
Based on its data on jobs in Malaysia, Socso shares possible future career pathways with students and school career counsellors “because they always think – doctor, lawyer, engineer, or nurse or whatever – the standard ones,” she told Malay Mail when met on the sidelines of the WSSF.
“So when we go down to schools, when we share with them, what are the current labour market trends, what are the important skills needed by employers – they wake up, it’s a wake-up call for them,” she explained.
Socso’s MYFutureJobs portal also features a Career Bridge Tool, which provides information on the qualifications that students should pursue based on their strengths and career inclinations.
Helping university students be future-ready for jobs
“We tell them that, ‘Okay, you are in university. But to go to the job market to get good pay and all that, you need these skill sets. So while you are studying, you can also look into improving your skill sets in this area,” she told Malay Mail.
For example, for students studying IT, Socso shares specific in-demand skills sought by employers, such as the programming language Python.
“So, because we know what the employers’ demands are, we are able to go down and say that ‘look, you need to have this in place’.
“You are not employable enough, because yes, you have your degree, but the company wants this specific skill set. So you need to do something to be employable,” she said.
Under Socso’s MYFutureJobs’ job portal, employers would list the skill sets needed for various job vacancies.
Socso uses this data to visit schools and universities, highlighting future job opportunities in the formal sector.
In addition, Socso also helps prepare university students for the workforce, from understanding social security and the labour market to preparing for job interviews.
It also brings employers to campuses to help students secure jobs before graduating and reduce mismatches between their studies and future roles.
So why do Malaysians choose informal work?
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, more Malaysians have moved into informal work with the number of gig workers growing from 0.5 million in 2018, to 1.2 million in 2025, Gayathri said.
Today, many informal workers in Malaysia are employed in e-hailing, p-hailing, and online services, she added.
If you think university students would be more inclined to choose formal work, Gayathri said: “No, sometimes you’d be surprised.”
She explained that many people view informal work, such as e-hailing or online selling, as a way to earn more money in a shorter period compared to formal jobs, like office work.
They may also prefer being “their own boss” and enjoy the flexibility of working whenever they choose.
The solution, she said, is to offer more high-quality jobs with high pay and flexible work arrangements to attract informal workers into formal employment.
Gayathri said Socso advocates to employers to redesign job packages, by offering formal jobs that still have elements typically found in informal work.
She also highlighted the Human Resources Ministry’s release of guidelines last year, aimed at encouraging employers to implement flexible work arrangements.
Want to quit informal work and move into formal jobs?
Gayathri explained that Socso also supports informal workers in transitioning to formal jobs.
She noted that some turned to self-employment or informal work as they did not have the opportunity to secure good formal jobs.
She shared that if someone is tired of being their own boss after years of e-hailing work, Socso’s MYFutureJobs can direct them to the necessary reskilling programmes and job opportunities.
“We’ve helped more than 10,000 beneficiaries with training programmes this year alone, with about 30 per cent placements within between three to six months,” she said.
Why it’s important to be a Socso contributor
Socso’s Lindung Kendiri scheme provides protection for self-employed individuals across 20 sectors, including gig workers.
Monthly contributions are mandatory for those in e-hailing, p-hailing, and hawker sectors, while others contribute on a voluntary basis.
Gayathri highlighted the importance of contributing to Socso, noting that it enables the agency to promptly detect if someone may need assistance and proactively reach out to offer support.
“Once they come into the system, we know, every time they contribute, that means they are actively working, they don’t need assistance. But the minute they stop contributing, we need to know what happened to them – maybe they stopped business, they need help,” she said.
Again, this is where MYFutureJobs can help, as it lists jobs ranging from full-time positions to contractual, short-term, freelance and self-employed roles, as well as internship positions.
Gayathri said Socso has an advantage through its dual role — providing social security protection to contributors (including unemployment benefits via the Employment Insurance System) and promoting employment (via MYFutureJobs) for both contributors and non-contributors.
This enables Socso to have data on those under social security coverage, as well as data on the job market — including sunset and sunrise industries — all within a single system.
Ultimately, Gayathri stressed the importance for all Malaysians to come under Socso’s social security coverage, regardless of whether they are a formal or informal worker: “We should not leave anyone behind.”
Malay Mail – Malaysia
