Bachelor's Graduates Increase but Unemployment Persists: What's Missing?

Every year, thousands of students graduate and officially hold bachelor’s degrees. However, ironically, many of them remain confused when entering the working world. It is not because they are not intelligent, but because during their studies, they have never truly experienced the real working world. In reality, many students spend their four full years of university solely in the classroom. The focus is on theory, assignments, and exams. Only after graduation do they begin seeking work experience. As a result, fresh graduates often lose out in competition to candidates who already have experience, even though academically they are quite competent. Meanwhile, the current industry moves very quickly, especially in the fields of technology and digital finance. Companies are not only looking for graduates with good grades but also those accustomed to the work rhythm, capable of working in teams, and understanding industry needs. In light of this situation, Cyber University (Universitas Siber Indonesia), known as The First Fintech University in Indonesia, introduces a study concept closer to the working world through the Company Learning Programme (CLP) 3+1. The scheme is quite appealing: students undergo three years of study to strengthen knowledge and skills, followed by a full year of internship at renowned companies that have partnered with Cyber University. Thus, students do not only learn theory in class. They also have the opportunity to directly experience the working world even before graduating. So, while peers from other campuses are just starting to apply for jobs after graduation, Cyber University students already have prior work experience at companies. Even more interestingly, the learning system at Cyber University is made more flexible. The learning process consists of 60 percent face-to-face and 40 percent online, allowing students to still feel the campus atmosphere while utilising digital technology in learning. Cyber University is known as The First Fintech University in Indonesia, focusing on developing talent in the financial technology (fintech) field. This aligns with the current industry development, where the fintech sector continues to grow rapidly and requires many digital talents. Therefore, Cyber University offers several study programmes that are quite popular among the younger generation, such as Information Systems, Information Technology, Systems and Information Technology, Digital Business, and Digital Entrepreneur (Entrepreneurship). These programmes are designed to prepare students to face the continuously developing digital industry ecosystem. With a study concept directly connected to the industry world, students do not only pursue a bachelor’s degree but also build work experience while still studying. Amid increasingly tight job competition, such provisions can certainly become a distinct advantage when entering the professional world.