GRADUATING with a higher education degree is crucial if you want to increase your chances for success in life. Having a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or at the very least, a diploma, will open doors that might otherwise remain firmly shut.
The last thing you want is to be struggling in a manual labour job or getting stuck in a dead-end job while your friends and workmates surge ahead in their careers.
Do you know that many people are trapped in low-paying jobs because they haven’t acquired the right skills for higher-paying roles? According to 2022 labour statistics, diploma holders make 17% more than secondary school-leavers while bachelor’s degree holders earn 24% more than diploma holders.
Meanwhile, those with a master’s degree earn 29% more than bachelor’s degree holders. PhD holders earn the highest salary – 23% more than master’s degree holders on average while doing the same job.
Thus, you can do so much better for yourself by going to university, if you haven’t already.
Obtaining a degree can seem like a daunting challenge. One of the biggest deterrents is lack of time. You probably have a full-time job and a family to take care of. Some of us are part of the sandwich generation, whereby we need to not only take care of our children but also our aged and ailing parents.
When will you have the time to study if you leave home for work at 7am and return at 7pm, only to spend the evening cooking dinner, doing the laundry, and sending and fetching your kids for tuition, right?
Here is where Open University Malaysia (OUM) could help. This digital university offers all of its programmes in fully online mode, which means you get to attend classes, hold discussions, do your assignments, and even sit for your exams without having to physically travel to a campus.
However, lack of money could also be holding you back. Household expenses, children’s education fees, medical bills, and other costs can quickly add up, leaving little room for additional expenses. And let’s not forget the rising cost of living.
OUM’s online programmes are great value for money as you need not relocate or travel to a physical campus and you don’t need to buy expensive textbooks, as all the learning materials are available online.
Moreover, the university offers various rebates and discounts upon registration. For example, at present OUM offers up to RM300 in rebates and a 5% discount every semester.
If you are a school-leaver, don’t sell yourself short and just settle for a job that doesn’t require a degree. Even if you enjoy that job now, there’s no guarantee you will continue to enjoy it. As we age, we change, and having a degree gives you options.
Getting a higher qualification can also help if you already have a degree and are working full-time but still feel unhappy. Many people are not working in a field they like because they don’t have the required qualification. If you are one of them, there is a way out.
You could work and at the same time, pursue a degree in another field that interests you. When you switch fields, it doesn’t mean you are a failure. On the contrary, it means you have the guts and determination to explore a new path and improve yourself.
OUM offers 55 programmes in the fields of business and management, technology and applied sciences, social sciences and humanities, and education.
These programmes are recognised by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, Public Service Department and numerous professional bodies.
If your interest is in any of these fields, you would do well to start your student journey with OUM, as its lecturers comprise both industry and subject matter experts.
Sometimes, real life makes it hard for us to accomplish what we are capable of. It’s very important not to let yourself get discouraged. If you need help, or just want to know what your options are, reach out to OUM. The university has 35 learning centres throughout Malaysia to guide and assist you, from the moment you register for a programme until the moment you walk out of the convocation hall with a scroll in your hands.
