‘Post-graduate students concerned more about job market than completing studies’

Job cuts are underway in private sector companies, while there are almost no new recruitments amid the pandemic. On the other hand, public sector jobs are very much secure, but the coronavirus has caused a slowdown in recruitment activities in the sector as well.

Against such a backdrop, fresh graduates who were expecting to get employed in the domestic corporate sector are getting frustrated day by day. On the other hand, post-graduate students are now concerned more about the job market than completing their education.   

Speakers said this while speaking at an international conference styled "Mental Wellbeing and Stress Management of the Human Being under Pandemic Situation with Uncertainty", which was organized virtually by Dhaka School of Economics (DScE), an affiliate of Dhaka University, on Friday.

They also stressed positive thinking to keep away from anxiety in these hard times. 

Professor Dr Muhammad Mahboob Ali, programme coordinator of the Department of Entrepreneurship Economics at the DSCE chaired at the event, and Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, governing council chairman of the DSCE and chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation, was the chief guest. 

Dr Ireen Akhter, professor at IBA, Jahangirnagar University, presented a preliminary idea paper of a research-based finding related to the matter. 

Besides, Madhav Verma, programme leader, Business Department at Royal Thimphu College, Bhutan; Ms Tenzing Choden, student counsellor, Royal Thimphu College, Bhutan; Md Shahinuzzaman, associate professor of psychology at Jagannath University; Dr Subrata Chattopadhyay, professor at the University of Engineering & Management (UEM), India, among others, presented their papers at the event.  

DrIreen Akhter said an analysis of information collected from government bureaucrats and from several multinational and corporate organisations in the country shows that there is no dismissal in multinational companies.

However, fresh graduates who were expecting jobs in local corporate firms are getting frustrated, she pointed out, adding that post-graduate students are more concerned about the job market than finishing their academic studies.

Furthermore, new recruitments in corporate organisations were limited and dismissals were going on which was causing a sense of concern among the employees in those companies, said Dr Irene. 

Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said students of the country are now under huge pressure. 

"Positive thinking can keep people away from worrying. The economic and social situation is an important issue. However, in order to maintain peace of mind in this adverse situation, thoughts must be positive," he added. 

Sazzad Hossain, a researcher at the University of Ottawa, Canada; and Dr MdMonirul Islam, dean of Management and Business Administration at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology were the panelists at the event. 

Dr Mahboob Ali said newspapers of the country could assist people to get out of anxieties. He suggested that more positive news is published to make people optimistic about life. 

A total of 77 participants from Canada, the Philippines, China, India, Thailand, Bhutan and Bangladesh took part in the conference.