1. SAY
1. New graduates are armed with the basic knowledge for their chosen field. But a lot more is needed in
the working world
2. Worry : Whether the school has prepared the students sufficiently for the working world, whether the
students have prepared themselves for the working world
3. It is only a start for the new graduates, they need to continue their learning. It is just a change in
platform.
4. Students need to acquire the right attitude and skills to ?prepare themselves for the working world.
Although this learning is never ending, beyond the first step into working world.
5. Right attitude
a. Do not have a know-it-already attitude
b. Willingness to learn new things, constant learning
c. Admit mistake and learn from mistake
d. Perservence
e. Independent but need also to know when to ask for help
f. Confidence in own ability
g. Positive thinking
6. Skill
a. Inter-personal skills
b. Where to get information needed
c. Look for mentor, learn from mentor.
7. Academic achievement will not ensure success in the working world
8. Not many feedback from the new graduates themselves on how they are coping in the working world.
Normally the more vocal ones are those whom had some level of success
9. Maybe need a platform for sharing, their transition, their learning process.
10. If we have made some changes in our education method, maybe a feedback from employer will help to
show whether what we are doing is good or showing results
Stakeholder
Ana is a dedicated and
passionate teacher, who
has taught for a few
years in a vocational
training school. She is
well liked by her
students. She has high
standard for her
students. She is worried
that the students will not
be sufficiently prepared
for the transition into
working world.
DO
Note: telephone
interview

2. THINK
1. While basic knowledge for the subject is taught in school, the new graduates need to be armed with certain skills and attitude when they
stepped into the working world.
2. There is more that school can do to prepare the new graduate better.
3. Programs can be put in place to help students develop the skill set needed
4. Programs/mentor can help to encourage the right attitude
5. A feedback platform for graduates for sharing their learning process. The good and the bad, and what they learnt from it.
6. A feedback platform for employer to feedback if their see changes in the different batches of graduates, by the changes in teaching/learning
methods/programs used in school.
7. Support from graduates to existing students
8. Support for the new graduates to ease transition into working world.
Feel
1. More can be done to help ease this transitional period for the new graduate
2. Preparation before hand. The acknowledge needed for the job. The building of life-skills during the course, and right attitude.
3. Support during the transition.
4. Bring back the learnings for future graduates
Original Problem Statement
A dedicated teacher in vocational training school, needs a way to see how to better help new graduates prepare for the working world.
Re-worded Problem Statement
Ana, a dedicated and passionate teacher, who has taught for a few years in a vocational training school, needs a way to see how to better help new
graduates prepared for the working world because graduates need many more attributes beyond academic achievement in the working world.