Youths, especially university graduates are advised to get rid of the "being too choosy" attitude about jobs to avoid being unemployed.

Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan said although the 3.2 per cent national unemployment rate was not worrisome, it mostly comprised youths.

"Although the government has implemented various measures to help youths obtain employment and even if they have qualifications, that poor attitude will cause unemployment.

"For instance, they demand a much higher salary for an easy job, not willing to begin work at the bottom to gain experience and focus on seeking jobs in the white-collar sector," he said when contacted by Bernama Wednesday.

Shamsuddin was commenting on the government's efforts to help over 400,000 unemployed youths in the country.

On Tuesday, Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot said the government was working hard to bring down the unemployment rate among youths in the country by helping them to find jobs in the appropriate sector.

Shamsuddin, in the meantime suggested that the government provide incentives for the private sector to train graduates who have just entered the employment world after being unemployed more than a year.

"The training provided not only will help them adapt to the new working environment but also to prepare them with skills in their respective fields," he said.

Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (CUEPACS) president Datuk Azih Muda said employers should reduce the intake of foreign workers in order to provide job opportunities for locals.

"Give youths especially diploma and degree graduates who possess technical skills a chance to work to overcome the unemployment problems among them," he said.

He said, the government also needed to encourage youths to register themselves with JobsMalaysia and the Labour Department to facilitate them in securing employment.

Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Mohd Khalid Atan pointed out that the government should view the matter seriously by identifying more unemployed youths and help them to get jobs as unemployment among this group was estimated to increase each year.

He also encouraged school leavers who could not secure places in higher learning institutions to take up vocational skills training by by participating in the Vocational and Technical Education Transformation (TVET).

He said the TVET programme were aimed at providing technical and vocational education to youths at an affordable price, apart from offering a guarantee of employment upon completion of the course.