Graduates, entrepreneurs tie-up
By Rosli Abidin Yahya

The establishment of a pioneer entrepreneurship programme involving fresh graduates to help vitalise the cottage industry may be another answer to reduce unemployment amongst the university leavers, observers said.

They suggested graduates of business studies, and marketing and accounting students can form partnerships with cottage industry operators to give the entrepreneurs valuable tips on how to run businesses properly.

"A combination of knowledge possessed by the students and the operators' experience could ensure greater success. Both sides could work out details of the joint venture such as their shares in the company," they said.

They said most cottage industries held great promise but the businesses were not properly managed while some operators treated them as a hobby.

"There is great potential if the businesses are conducted in a proper manner and more values are added to these products," they said.

They said manufacturers of cottage industry should focus on giving added value to products to enable them to penetrate the international market. Added value to their products can be advised by fresh graduates.

They added farmers in collaboration with graduates can process excess local fruits into jam which could be mass-produced or even exported.

Similarly, they said home industry such as traditional biscuit making can be improved to provide room for quality, vital towards export-acceptance level.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin