5 Undergraduate Majors with the Highest Job Competition
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Choosing a university major is a critical consideration for prospective students as it relates to competence and opportunities in the professional world. However, several highly sought-after majors have been recorded as dominating the unemployment figures among university graduates.
Based on a report by the Institute for Economic and Social Research, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia (LPEM FEB UI), which processed data from the National Labour Force Survey (Sakernas) for August 202cap, there are several fields of study most frequently found among unemployed undergraduate graduates. In the report, the five fields of study with the largest proportions are Management, Law, Economics, Education, and Accounting.
- Management
Management is the field of study with the largest proportion among unemployed undergraduate graduates, reaching 10.3 per cent. This major is one of the most widely available programmes in Indonesian universities. Management graduates also have a broad range of career options, ranging from marketing, human resources, and finance to operations and business. However, this wide variety of choices is accompanied by a large number of graduates, making job competition quite intense.
- Law
The Law field of study holds the second position, accounting for 9 per cent of the unemployed undergraduate group. Law graduates can work in various sectors, such as legal professions, corporations, government, and the service sector. Nevertheless, not all graduates can immediately find work in their field of study because job availability and professional requirements also influence labour absorption.
- Economics
Next is the field of Economics, with a proportion of 8.7 per cent. Economics graduates have opportunities to work in the banking sector, corporations, government, research institutions, and business fields. The high number of graduates in this field makes competition in the labour market a significant challenge for job seekers.
- Education
The field of Education follows in the next position with a proportion of 7.1 per cent. Education graduates do not only have opportunities to work as teachers but can also enter fields such as training, human resource development, educational administration, and several other sectors. The availability of jobs that match educational backgrounds is one of the factors affecting the absorption of graduates into the labour market.
- Accounting
Accounting occupies the fifth position with a proportion of 5.1 per cent of the unemployed undergraduate group. Accounting graduates can work in companies, financial institutions, government, or professional fields. However, the large number of graduates ensures that competition for employment remains a challenge.
In addition to these five fields of study, the LPEM FEB UI report also noted Computer Science with a proportion of 4.6 per cent among unemployed undergraduate graduates.
However, this data does not imply that these majors lack career prospects. The percentages provided indicate the proportion of these fields of study within the group of unemployed undergraduates, rather than the percentage of all graduates from each major who are unemployed.
These findings suggest that the high number of university graduates needs to be balanced with the availability of jobs that match their competencies. LPEM FEB UI assesses that increasing access to higher education must go hand-in-hand with strengthening the quality of education, the relationship between universities and the professional world, and the creation of high-skilled job opportunities.
Therefore, prospective students should not only consider the popularity of a major when choosing a programme. Interest, ability, the quality of the university, additional skills, internship experience, and evolving industry needs are also important factors to consider to increase readiness for entering the workforce.