Employability of early childhood education graduates in Malaysia: Employer perspectives and market readiness

Abstract

The employability of Early Childhood Education (ECE) graduates in Malaysia has become a pressing concern amidst national efforts to strengthen early childhood care and education. This scoping review aims to map current literature on the market readiness of ECE graduates, with a specific focus on employer perspectives across the Malaysian context. Using a structured framework based on the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, relevant peer-reviewed articles, institutional reports, and grey literature were analysed to identify the core skills, gaps, and expectations surrounding graduate employability in the ECE sector. Findings indicate persistent mismatches between higher education training and industry expectations. Employers consistently highlight deficiencies in soft skills such as communication (particularly in English), critical thinking, and professional attitudes, alongside an emerging demand for digital literacy and pedagogical adaptability. Work-integrated learning, including internships and industry partnerships, is viewed as a critical but underutilised strategy to enhance graduate readiness. The review also reveals a lack of ECE-specific data in national graduate tracer systems, suggesting an urgent need for more targeted assessments and longitudinal studies. This study underscores the importance of aligning curriculum design with market demands and fostering stronger collaboration between teacher training institutions and early childhood employers. It also calls for more empirical, qualitative research into employer expectations within preschool and childcare settings. Enhancing graduate employability is vital not only for workforce sustainability but also for improving educational outcomes at the foundational level.