A Business Management Lecturer at Goroka Technical College has gone out of his way to provide basic job link training for graduates.
Harold Malken is the founder and head trainer of Graduate Job Link, a volunteer employment agency based in Goroka.
Through his Agency, he has developed a customized Curriculum Vitae (CV) and job application package, which he is offering to new graduates, with an aim to help them secure employment.
“Graduates go through a lot of hurdles in their first job entry. This is because graduates are not prepared during their formal education.” Mr Malken said.
Malken said, tertiary institutions only trained graduates to diploma and degree level and fails to bridge the missing link, and that is to train students on how best they can structure their job application and CV.
“When I first started teaching at Goroka Technical College in 2017, I noticed students trying their best to write good CVs and job application for employment.
“This also reminded me of my days after graduating with a Bachelor Degree in Strategic Management at the University of Papua New Guinea in 2011, and very importantly how hard it was to secure my first employment.” Malken said.
In 2019, he conducted his first session of training at Goroka to up skill graduates to write good CVs for employment and also trialed out his CV samples.
In 2020, he got about 5 positive responses from the first 30 students who attended his first training.
That has motivated him to enhance the CV Package to include 6 features, and that includes:
a. Explanation of CV from the employer perspective
b. Job Dedicated CVs
c. Interview questions, their corresponding reasons and answer guides
d. Interview Preparation Strategies
e. Post Sale Services like editing of letters and CV
f. Doing Mock /Practice Interviews and
g. Providing Practical Job Application Sessions.
Mr Malken has since been conducting trainings for graduates in Goroka, Lae, Madang, and Port Moresby since 2019
Malken said, from over 500 graduates who attended his trainings, more than a quarter has found formal employment in both public and private sector organizations.
One area of focus where Mr Malken is challenged with is ‘Experience’ which is a one of the main requirements for job entry.
“We understand that graduates do not have a lot of paid job experience. When conducting trainings, we provide 7 different strategies to cover for experience.
“There are lot of challenges like wantok system and nepotism, however graduates should know that the probability of their employment also depend on how best they can market themselves in their CV and Cover Letter and constantly applying for jobs.” Mr Malken said.
Apart from his Job Application training package, he has also introduced a SME training for Beginners.
“With an increased unemployment rate in the country, the SME for Beginners Training is developed to provide a self-employment option for graduates, so that they can participate in Government Funded SME Programs through BSP and NDB.” Malken said.
He said he is using his own personal experience as a former Bank South Pacific Pioneer SME Lending Officer from 2012 – 2015 to run the SME training.
Mr Malken further added that his aim is to see graduates to be formally employed or informally through self-employment, and see them be their own boss, drive their own car, and sign their own cheques.
Last weekend Mr. Malken with the assistance of his volunteers conducted a two days training with more than 60 attendees at Goroka.
Graduate Job Link’s July session will cover Goroka, Lae, Kimbe and Port Moresby Moresby.
