GRADUATE UNEMPLOYMENT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN MALAYSIA

The COVID-19 epidemic has had a negative impact on many sectors, particularly the Malaysian economy. To prevent the spread of this illness, the government has taken extraordinary steps, issuing Movement Control Orders (MCO) throughout the nation. The consequence of this MCO prevents the firm from working regularly and creates losses to the point where the company must lay off some of its workers to fund the company's operating expenses. This has resulted in a rise in unemployment, as well as making it harder for graduates to join the labour market today. As a result, a research was done to identify the reasons that made it difficult for potential graduates to access the labour market during the COVID-19 epidemic, as well as solutions to this issue. Due to the Movement Control Order, a total of 200 respondents completed a questionnaire created using the Google Form platform and disseminated online (MCO). According to the conclusions of this research, the primary element that makes it difficult for graduates is due to factors of the economic slowdown, particularly during current pandemic, which generates heightened rivalry between graduates and retrenched workers to access the labour market. The study's findings are likely to make prospective graduates more aware of the problems that await them after graduation.