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PETALING JAYA (April 30): The Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) Institute Youth Initiative (RIYI) 2026 recently held its first corporate mentorship session, bringing together about 50 students from over 15 universities nationwide to engage directly with industry leaders and gain early exposure to workplace expectations in the built-environment sector.
The session forms part of a structured three-part programme running throughout 2026, aimed at strengthening graduate readiness and bridging the gap between academic learning and industry requirements.
RIYI was first introduced during the Rehda Institute CEO Series in January 2026 and officially launched by Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook, reflecting the institute's commitment to strengthening university-industry collaboration as part of Malaysia's broader human capital development agenda.
In an interview with EdgeProp, Rehda Institute chairman Datuk Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip said the initiative is designed to provide students with earlier exposure to real workplace expectations through direct engagement with industry practitioners.
“RIYI is more than a mentorship programme. It represents a strategic response to Malaysia’s evolving skills challenges by strengthening collaboration between universities and industry and giving students earlier exposure to real workplace expectations through engagement with experienced corporate leaders.
“By combining structured mentorship with practical industry exposure, RIYI aims to help close critical skills gaps, strengthen graduate employability, support earlier career progression and contribute towards safeguarding Malaysia’s competitiveness and project delivery capacity over the coming decade,” he said.
The initiative comes at a time when graduate employment outcomes remain a national priority.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia's Graduates Statistics 2024 report, Malaysia's graduate unemployment rate has declined to approximately 3.2%, yet more than 1.6 million graduates remain in skills-related underemployment — underscoring the need for stronger alignment between education pathways and employer needs.
Non-linear careers and outcome-driven thinking
EdgeProp managing director Alvin Ong said career paths are rarely linear and young professionals should remain open to opportunities beyond their original plans.
He said the key shift needed is from task-focused thinking to outcome-driven thinking, as workplace expectations differ fundamentally from academic environments.
"It's not so much how many headsets you create, but how many people actually sign up," Ong said.
He also reminded participants that setbacks are a normal part of career progression. "Life will always be difficult. Challenges are the norm," he added.
Buyer mindset and industry exposure
FBG Land Sdn Bhd general manager of marketing, sales and business development Coco Ooi said many graduates underestimate the importance of understanding the property industry beyond theory and paperwork.
She encouraged students to approach the industry from a buyer's perspective — visiting sales galleries, reading up on projects and following industry content to build practical knowledge.
Ooi said it is important to understand why properties are built, what types of homes people want and the motivations behind purchasing decisions. "Put yourself in the buyer's perspective. Go to the sales gallery, think, 'What if I want to own a property?'" she said.
Ooi added that career readiness breaks down into three areas: mindset, skill set and tool set — with mindset being the most critical.
She also highlighted communication and teamwork as essential skill sets in customer-facing roles, and encouraged young professionals to leverage tools such as AI and digital platforms to improve efficiency.
Confidence, communication and the expectation gap
Bon Estates CEO Chan Jin-Wy said one of the biggest gaps among fresh graduates is not technical ability, but confidence, communication and the courage to ask questions.
He also pointed to a structural mismatch between graduate expectations and employer realities — where new hires often expect structured guidance while companies may not always have managers equipped to coach effectively.
Chan advised candidates to take the initiative during interviews to understand leadership styles and expectations before joining a company.
"The attitude that you are so willing and so not calculative is what most companies are always looking for," he said.
Chan said mindset plays a crucial role in shaping early career outcomes, particularly the ability to avoid a victim mentality and remain resilient.
Building strong foundations
Paramount Property northern region CEO Wang Chong Hwa said the key focus when evaluating fresh graduates is whether they can fit into and contribute to the team.
He cautioned young professionals against impatience around career progression, drawing an analogy to construction:
"Careers should be viewed like a building, where weak foundations can lead to long-term instability."
Wang said technical capability is secondary at this stage, while attitude and team fit are more important.
“Mentorship exposure helps graduates understand leadership thinking and supports long-term development,” he added.
Likei Logistics Services Bhd chairman Chan Leng Wai, and independent non-executive director of TalentCorp Malaysia, added that employability is ultimately about building leadership pipelines, not just filling roles.
"Initiatives like RIYI give employers early visibility of talent and shape graduates through real-world expectations, accelerating their transition into adaptable contributors with long-term leadership potential," he said.
The second and third mentorship sessions, scheduled for June and September, will build on these foundations by focusing on productivity mindset, career progression and leadership readiness.
Participating students represent universities across Malaysia, including Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Taylor’s University and Monash University Malaysia, among others.
RIYI is supported by corporate partners across the built-environment ecosystem, including Sime Darby Property, Paramount Property and Feruni Ceramiche, reflecting broader industry commitment to talent development. EdgeProp is a media partner for the initiative.
Moving forward, Rehda Institute aims to position RIYI as an annual national-level programme and expand participation to benefit more students nationwide.
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