Graduates of March 2021 gathered online with their friends and lecturers to celebrate their convocation through the various fun-filled events organised by respective faculties from 11 to 22 August 2021 via Zoom and Microsoft Teams (MS Teams).

Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (FICT)

Kick-starting the celebratory graduation of FICT graduates on 21 August 2021 via Zoom was FICT Dean Assoc Prof Ts Dr Liew Soung Yue. He said, “Congratulations on your graduation. I am proud of your achievements and you have made it this far because of your hard work. This has been our third virtual ceremony since August 2020. Although the pandemic might make you move forward in unexpected ways and change your life dramatically, do not be afraid of these changes; keep on sketching your future, be ready to adapt to these changes, equip yourself with not only knowledge but also good psychology strengths with optimistic mindset, and grow well in your life phases.”

He also advised, “Life can also be organised as a business plan. If you have identified your own realistic life goals and purposes, and execute good strategy, you might win the purpose of life. Find a good support from your family and friends, continue to work hard, treasure the greater happiness and find the balance in your life; and continue your effort to chase your dream. Again, my heartiest congratulations to all of you and I wish you have a bright future in your next phase of life.”

The celebratory event continued with a sharing session titled “Go Beyond with Fusionex” by Vice President of Fusionex Corporation Sdn Bhd William Teo Wei Shyang. He shared about his working journey, the industrial revolutions and future job landscape. “I started my working journey as an auditor in KPMG, shifted to investigation officer at Securities Commission Malaysia, moved forward to Advisory career at Deloitte, then became Advisory Lead at UHY, and today, I am the VP of Talent Management at Fusionex. In working life, there will be challenges and obstacles. As an employee, it is significant to apply some good attributes to overcome these challenges, such as keeping track of our movement and progression, embracing the changes, continue learning, as well as learning soft skills and communication skills.  Besides, we need to take this opportunity to be positive, enthusiastic, creative, innovative, ready to take on challenges, have a good commitment to our job, flexible and develop good relationships at work,” Teo said.

He advised, “I like changes and challenges. For me, as time goes by, I keep learning something new, gaining new experiences, and improving my skills and career developments. With changes, I can discover more about myself, the people, and the working industry developments. Do not be afraid of changes and make the changes you want in the future. If you are happy with what you are doing, whether in personal life or career, you will be able to move progressively in your life. Always focus on your main life objective and you will have more fruitful career and future.”

On the other hand, Director of Digital Systems (M) Sdn Bhd (DSM) TJ Lim shared his topic titled “Career in Automating Biz Efficiency”. He spoke about the company’s milestones and the services they provide. He said, “DSM was established in 1981. Our main focus is to provide quality IT services in solutions application development, engineering services and systems integration to the customers. Not only that, DSM also produces computer hardware and supports the application software to support the logistic enterprise resource planning (ERP) process, develop mobile apps and artificial intelligence (AI) technology as well as IoT devices and solutions, and customer engagement. Today, DSM has reached the sixth gen logistics ERP timeline, where we have adopted the AI chatbot, customer mobile apps, document automation, IoT logistics and agriculture telematics approach. The mobile apps of DSM are categorised into six categories, namely DSM Haul2Go (Haulage Mobile App), DSM Haul2U (Customer Mobile App), DSM Scan2Go (Ops Automation), Chatbot (AI 24/7 Customer Service), DSM PM Integrated GPS, and DSM Trailer Integrated GPS.”

“Now you have completed your studies and will be entering into the working world. My advice to all of you is do not be afraid of the challenges you will face in the future. Never stop learning because I believe lifelong learning is essential to improve ourselves to be better. Keep on exploring and move forward with your life journey. The experiences you gain will be priceless and you will achieve more happiness and success in the future,” he enthused.

Following suit was the e-scrolling session of all graduates and their heartfelt messages to families and friends. The virtual ceremony received a total of 136 participants.

Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FAS)

FAS organised their celebratory e-Convocation— “2nd FAS Virtual Graduation Party 2021” via MS Teams on 22 August 2021. It was graced by FAS Dean Dr Lee Lai Meng. She said, “I would like to congratulate all of you for finally graduating and reaching this milestone. We are so proud of you. Although we are in the midst of pandemic with uncertainties, do not worry and give up. Your opportunities are out there, keep on rising up and explore your next journey. The graduation is only the beginning of your life, your journey is out there for you to explore. Always believe in yourself and your strength as the opportunity comes to those who seek it.”

“Learning takes places in classroom and outside; never stop learning. The quest for knowledge should not stop even after you graduate. Be prepared for greater possibility to take on new challenges and hardships to improve yourself. I am confident that all of you will excel in your future undertakings. Also, I hope you will not forget the bittersweet memories you obtained from your learning journey at UTAR as well as your friends, lecturers, and campus. You are welcome to contribute to your alma mater and share your stories with your juniors about your experiences and achievements,” said Dr Lee.

Head of Departments (HoDs), namely Department of Public Relations Former Head Dr S Maartandan Suppiah, Department of Psychology and Counselling Head Dr Pung Pit Wan, Department of Advertising Head Nur Afni binti Halil, Department of Languages & Linguistics Head Siti Ummaizah binti Meor Musa and Department of Journalism Head Farah Nabila binti Hamdan; together with Head of Programmes (HoPs), namely Head of Programme for Master of Psychology Tan Soon Aun, Head of Programme for Master of Philosophy (Social Science) Dr Pragash Muthu Rajan and Head of Programme for Doctor of Philosophy (Social Science) Dr Sumathi Renganathan also congratulated the graduates and gave valuable pieces of advice.

A short video clip titled “Walking Down the Memory Lane” was also played. The virtual ceremony then continued with the graduates delivering their heartfelt gratitude messages to their parents, friends and lecturers for giving them the support to complete their studies at UTAR.  It was followed by three performances by FAS lecturer Hashima Mohaini binti Mohammad singing “Out of Reach”; FAS alumni Dion Lee Pei Yeen, Ng June Ling, Yen Siew Fong, and Tan Hwee San singing “Youngster”, and Koh Yuan Hao performing a song titled “Childhood”.

The highlight of the event was the sharing session titled “My LinkedIn journey and how you can secure a job during the COVID-19 pandemic” by Ayu Shahirah Salem.

Ayu said, “Before the pandemic, all career fairs were held physically at exhibition halls and universities, where the job seekers can meet job recruiters and interviews can done face to face. But today, everything has changed to virtual mode. It has been quite challenging for the unemployed graduates because the supply and demand of the working industry are not in sync, and the employers tend to be selective when choosing employees for their organisation. So, before you venture into the working industry, it is important that you create a good profile branding for yourself.”

“Due to the pandemic, almost 93% of the recruiters used LinkedIn platform to do background research on potential candidates. Besides, compared to other social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, LinkedIn is a professional platform where users can look for career opportunities, learn from industry leaders, invest in their next business, advance in their career, grow their business or mentor other users,” she added.

Before ending her talk, Ayu reminded the graduates who are seeking for jobs to explore more about LinkedIn and be active on this platform. “LinkedIn is a social media platform for professional growth. When you send a resume to a company, the employer will do a background research on you. Before they recruit the potential candidates to interview, they will search their names on Google, and normally the LinkedIn profile will be on the top display of the Google search instead of other social media. Moreover, being active in LinkedIn platform will help you achieve All-Star status for your profile, which makes your profile 40 times more likely to receive opportunities from LinkedIn audiences, be it followers or job recruiters,” she emphasised.

Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT)

Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT) separated their e-Convocation (e-Convo) celebration according to departments, which saw a total of five short sessions held from 11 to 20 August 2021 via MS Teams.

The Department of Electronic Engineering was the first to hold their celebratory event on 11 August 2021. It was a small but meaningful get-together for the graduates and the lecturers of the department. The graduates updated their current progress. It was noted that some graduates successfully secured employment and they were present to share their experiences.

Department of Electronic Engineering Head Assoc Prof Ir Dr Teh Peh Chiong advised, “If you know which department you want to work with, you can send your job application to the department manager and Human Resource (HR). Sometimes your job application might be ignored by the HR department because they always get too many emails that they could easily overlook your job application. If the manager is interested to hire you, he or she will inform the HR to arrange for an interview session.” He also advised those who are looking for jobs to not be too picky with their first job. For those who have secured an employment, Dr Teh hopes they will stay in their current company and gain experience before they leave. 

Head of Programme for Master of Engineering (Electronic Systems) Assoc Prof Ts Dr Humaira Nisar advised those who are working to sign up for part-time master’s programme to enhance their knowledge. According to her, the part-time master’s programme will only take two years to complete. Part-time postgraduate students can choose to attend classes in the evening or on weekends (Saturday).

Department of Electronic Engineering lecturer Assoc Prof Ir Dr Yeap Kim Ho encouraged the graduates to take up a master’s degree. He said, “The Intel company has co-operated with many institutes and UTAR is one of their partners. You can also choose to further your studies in other universities.”

Kang Shien Jee, who is currently working under the Atom CPU Design Group Penang at Intel shared his working experience, “It was quite a struggle at the beginning of the employment as I had to study the whole Intel architecture and learn the in-house debugging tools. There was a lot of information to take in. However, I feel happy now that I am able to adapt well.”

Most of the UTAR Electronic Engineering graduates are currently working under the Atom CPU Team at Intel, while others settled in Infineon Technologies (Kulim) Sdn Bhd, ViTrox Innovation Berhad, AIMFLEX Systems Sdn Bhd, Keysight Technologies Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Hua Yong Engineering Sdn Bhd, Salutica Allied Solutions, Tekmark Broadcast Sdn Bhd, Tera Va Sdn Bhd and Unisem.
The Departments of Construction Management (CM) and Environmental Engineering held their get-together session with graduates on 14 August 2021. The session with the Department of Construction Management saw its HoD Dr Olanrewaju Abdullateef Ashola delivering a welcome speech.

“Congratulation to all graduates, I am glad to share this moment with all of you. I know now everyone might be worried about their future. Even if you could not get the dream job you wish to get now, please take what you have been given at the moment. You might find it hard to get a job during this pandemic but please stay strong and always believe that you will eventually get a good job after the pandemic,” said Dr Olanrewaju.

He added, “Now is a good time for those who wish to further their studies because they can attend courses at home even though the university is in overseas. It might be a tough period to find a job but it is a good time to pursue your master’s degree.”

CM lecturer Ts Tan Zi Yi wished all the best to the graduates and said, “Do not ever get confused between life and work. The second is only part of the first. So, do not let ‘making a living’ prevent you from ‘making a life’.”

CM lecturer Dr Lee Yong Siang told the graduates that graduation is not the ending but the beginning of a new path. He advised the graduates to enjoy their life and he hoped that they would have a good working life after they graduate.

Other CM lecturers, such as Ts Dr Shalini Sanmargaraja, Dr Khor Soo Cheen and Dr Vignes Ponniah also sent their congratulation messages even though they were unable to join the session. The session ended with an interactive sharing session between lecturers and graduates.

Department of Environmental Engineering Head Dr Mohammed J. K. Bashir encouraged students to stay healthy while waiting for the pandemic situation to over. He said, “One day, in the future, you will surely get a good job opportunity.”

One the other hand, Department of Environmental Engineering lecturer Ts Dr Wong Ling Yong said, “If you need any help from our side, please feel free to contact us. If anyone of you encounters problem while working at the site, you can also consult us so that we can give you some advice.”

During the interacting session, the graduates shared their experiences from their work, while others updated about their current employment status. Two graduates from the Department of Environmental Engineering decided to further their studies.

Dr Bashir and Dr Wong also encouraged the graduates to provide their feedback for continuous improvement of the programme.

The Department of PetroChemical Engineering (PE) conducted “HoD Meeting Alumni” on 18 August 2021 via MS Teams. The session kick-started with a speech from Department of PetroChemical Engineering Head Dr Mathialagan Muniyadi. Firstly, he thanked everyone for joining the webinar. Then, he informed them the latest happening in the department including the current programmes offered, the new appointed of external examiners and industry advisory panel as well as the Adjunct Specialist. Dr Mathialagan also took the opportunity to congratulate students who have participated in virtual competitions, such as Virtual FYP poster competition and ICompEx 2020. He also congratulated students who received the UTAR China Ambassador Scholarship 2020.

During his speech, Dr Mathialagan encouraged the graduates to register with the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) and Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM), especially for those who wished to obtain the IR (engineer) title.

He explained, “The registration of BEM can be made via online at http://bem.org.my with one-time registration fee cost RM50. The BEM is statutory body constituted under the Registration of Engineers Act 1967 with perpetual succession and a common seal, which may sue and be sued. IEM registration, on the other hand, is beneficial for upgrading yourself to Professional Engineer of BEM. So, one needs to register to BEM prior to IEM as a graduate member. Students can also register with the IEM as student member under Student Chapter and participate in all IEM activities and build network with senior members. This will be beneficial for industrial training and industry project research.  It is also beneficial to cultivate soft skills with Young Engineers Section (YES).”

The session continued with a short sharing session by UTAR alumni and graduates. During the sharing session, Dihartheran Ravichandran shared his experience of studying at UTAR and his current experience at the working place.

“Back when I was studying at UTAR, I remember, students required certain core subjects to improve their engineering skills. While I was working at the technical site, I found that subjects such as Equipment Design and Piping and Instrumentation Diagram were important when it came to gaining basic qualification as a project engineer. To improve your expertise and experience as a fresh graduate and compete with thousands of other fresh graduates, you must learn the specifications of pumps, meters, blowers, compressor, fabrication of tanks and fluid dynamics,” said Ravichandran.

He added, “The key difference between industries and universities is the technical understanding of a fresh graduate. Many companies are looking for a person who understands the process line in technical terms rather than the theoretical side. So, I would suggest UTAR to provide technical experience to students because companies prefer those who know about pipelines and tanks more than chemical and theory.”

The Department of Industrial Engineering (IE) held their e-Convo celebration titled “IE Pre-Convo Aug 2021” on 20 August 2021 via MS Teams.

On behalf of the IE department, invited to deliver the opening speech was Department of Industrial Engineering Head Ir Dr Tshai Kim Hoe @ Chai Kim Hoe.

He welcomed all the participants and said, “I would like to congratulate all of the graduates for successfully accomplishing your study at the university. Despite the hard tasks and some sad moments you encountered in your course of study at the university, you have completed this path of journey with great achievement and beautiful memory. Finally, you have attained this impressive milestone in your life with great honour and integrity. My dear graduates, as you leave this university, some challenges will be waiting for you but I strongly believe that you will eventually overcome them with the skills, knowledge and experience you have gained over the years at UTAR.”

After that, an interactive sharing session was held among the graduates and lecturers. IE lecturer Ts Dr Tan Ming Hui invited the students to share their feedback regarding the IE programme offered at UTAR. 

IE graduates Chew Chi Taa and Wong Cin Sheng agreed that UTAR is a very good university. Both of them feel no regret to be part of the UTAR IE department.

“I learned a lot of useful skills that are not only applicable in our jobs, but also our lives. Besides that, I have enjoyed my university life at UTAR and had a lot of fun with my friends here,” said Wong.

Speaking of UTAR’s reputation, another IE graduate Kenneth Ong Shi Jun said, “I heard from many people that students from UTAR are highly demanded. I am very proud to graduate from UTAR and I am happy to say that I have now secured a job in Penang.

Apart from sharing their experiences during their studies, the graduates also expressed their gratitude to their lecturers and shared the good times they had with their friends.

Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF)

FBF celebrated its e-Convo celebration on 21 August 2021 via Zoom to recognise its students’ accomplishments and success at UTAR.

It kick-started with a congratulatory speech and well wishes from FBF Dean Assoc Prof Dr Au Yong Hui Nee. On behalf of FBF, Dr Au Yong thanked and welcomed the special guests, industry advisors, as well as alumni to join the ceremony and share the happiness with the graduates. 

It was followed by congratulatory messages from Academic Development and Undergraduate Programmes Deputy Dean Peter Tan Sin Howe, R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Deputy Dean Dr Choong Yuen Onn, Student Development and Industrial Training Deputy Dean Yew King Tak, Department of Banking and Risk Management Head Chong Tun Pin, Department of Commerce and Accountancy Head Sonia Johanthan, Department of Economics Head Thavamalar Ganapathy, Department of Entrepreneurship Head Ng Yin Kuan, Department of Finance Head Dr Kuah Yoke Chin and Postgraduate Programmes Head Dr Leong Lai Ying.

FBF Bachelor of Finance (Honours) alumnus Jeff Tan Heng Siang and Master of Philosophy alumna Loh Chun T’ing were invited to share their study and working experiences. Tan thanked UTAR for building up a solid foundation for him before entering the working world. He also urged the graduates to contribute back to their alma mater to make UTAR’s alumni base stronger. Meanwhile, Loh thanked UTAR for providing her a memorable study journey with sufficient learning resources, full scholarship, research fund and guidance from the supervisors. “Work hard, study hard to achieve your dreams,” she exhorted. 

There was also sharing sessions by FBF’s industry advisors and external examiner, namely Divisional Chief Financial Officer and VP of GBS Finance Jabil Sdn Bhd Kim Chin Kuang, President of Malaysian Finance Association Prof Dr Catherine Ho Soke Fun, Greater China Vice President and General Secretary of Danone Board Member of Danone China Beverage Company and Member of Danone China Strategic Board James Ng Chan Choy, Vice President of CSB Global Business Services Dell Global Business Center Sdn Bhd Corina Tan Yoke Ching and Operations and Technology Vice President of E2 Power Sdn Bhd/OCBC Alice Lim Bee Leng.

The guests congratulated the graduates and wished them a bright future. Further on, they shared their working and life experiences to motivate the graduates and provide them with a clear picture of the real working world, and also, the positive attitudes and preparation fresh graduates should have in the workplaces. Before ending their sharing, they encouraged the graduates to do their best, be prepared and work hard in the new step of life.

Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS)

ICS organised their celebratory e-Convo event via MS Teams on 21 August 2021. Themed ‘Building the Dream · Set Sail’, the ICS e-Convo Celebration March 2021 (“筑梦·启航”中华研究院毕业生云典礼) saw the participation of ICS’s August 2021 undergraduates, postgraduates, alumni, staff and students from both campuses.

The moderator for the ceremony was ICS Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Dr Ling Liong Ngo and the emcee was ICS’s representative in Student Representative Council (SRC) of UTAR Kampar Campus Ho Sin Ni.

A total of five ICS postgraduates and 28 ICS undergraduates graduated with their doctoral degree, master’s degree and bachelor’s degree during the e-Convocation ceremony.

The ceremony kicked off with a speech from ICS Dean Assoc Prof Dr Chong Siou Wei. On behalf of ICS, Dr Chong delivered his appreciation to the lecturers and congratulated the graduates. 

He mentioned, “Even though there is no physical ceremony for August 2021 Convocation, we can still deliver our congratulations and wishes virtually, such as today’s cloud ceremony. I believe that graduates who are graduating this round are familiar with participating events virtually since you had experienced online classes in the last few semesters. The pandemic has accelerated digital development and we are also adopting a new lifestyle for work and study. Therefore, graduating is not the end of learning; we must continue to learn throughout our lives, so as not to be eliminated by the torrent of the times. Remember to always keep the spirit of lifelong learning.”

“Dear graduates, we always welcome our alumni to come back to their alma mater, to visit the lecturers, to support the University and ICS’s activities, and use their strength to improve the University, ensuring that the University will continue to thrive and benefit more students,” he added.

Before ending his speech, he took the opportunity to express his thankfulness and said, “The Department of Chinese Studies has been established for 19 years as one of the earliest departments when the University was founded. We have been running the department with a humble heart and we are committed to provide students with a good learning environment. As an institution of a not-for-profit private university, ICS has relied on the support of all sectors of society since its establishment. Hence, I would like to take this opportunity to thank parents and people from all walks of life who have given support to the Department of Chinese Studies throughout the years.”

The Alumni Association of the Department of Chinese Studies (AADCS) Chairperson Sandra Wong Foong Kiew congratulated the graduates and gave some friendly advice to the graduates. She then made a brief introduction on AADCS and the activities held by AADCS. She also took the opportunity to welcome ICS’s fresh graduates to join the AADCS, in order to support and contribute to the alma mater.

It was followed by a short video presentation that was created by the graduates, featuring their study journey at UTAR.

Three graduates were invited to say a few words at the ceremony. Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Chinese Studies graduate Beh Yung Hui represented the undergraduate students, while Master of Chinese Studies graduate Ren, Jie and Doctor of Philosophy (Chinese Studies) graduate Quan Tao represented the postgraduates.

Later on, a Guzheng performance was presented by Chinese Studies Master student Lam Phui Yee to congratulate the graduates. There were also sharing sessions conducted by ICS alumni Raymond Chai and Kean Tan on topics related to working and entrepreneurship, career prospects, advantages of ICS graduates and many more. 

The graduation ceremony ended with exchange and virtual photography sessions

Faculty of Science (FSc)

The Faculty of Science (FSc) organised their celebratory e-Convo event titled “A Sharing Session by Alumni” via MS Teams on 21 August 2021. The event was kick-started by the congratulatory messages given by several FSc Heads of Departments (HoD) and Head of Programme (HoP).

The first to deliver her congratulatory message was Department of Agricultural and Food Science Head Dr Ong Mei Kying, who said, “On behalf of the Department of Agricultural and Food Science, I am indeed very honour to deliver this congratulatory message to all of you here. On this occasion, we are very proud of your amazing accomplishment. All of your hard work has finally paid off. I know it has not been an easy journey, however, you have made it. After this, you will be moving on to a new and exciting chapter of your life. I sincerely wish you all the best in your future.”

Department of Allied Health Sciences Head Dr Tan Gim Cheong also congratulated the graduates and said, “I wish you all have a great journey ahead. You have been doing a good job despite the Covid-19 pandemic and other difficulties we are facing. I would like to specially congratulate Biomedical graduates under Department of Allied Health Sciences. In this difficult time, I hope all of you will be able to contribute the knowledge that you have learnt during your time here to address the need of our nation. The country needs your help and I hope that you can make significance changes to the current situation we are facing.”

Meanwhile, Department of Biological Science Head Dr Nor Ismaliza binti Mohd Ismail hoped that the graduates would come back to the campus to share their successful stories one day. She also mentioned that the graduation is only the beginning of a successful journey in life.

Although Department of Chemical Science Head Dr Lim Boon Hoe and Department of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Head Ts Dr Lam Weng Hoe were unable to join the ceremony, they pre-recorded their congratulatory message videos to the graduates. Dr Lim wished that the student would have a wonderful career and life ahead while Dr Lam advised graduates to never stop learning even though they have accomplished their degree journey.

The last congratulatory message was delivered by HoP for Postgraduate Programmes Ts Dr Lam Weng Siew. “Warmest congratulations for your graduation. You all deserve it for the effort and dedication that you have placed. The journey of life brings both challenges and chances. May you carry your spirit to get the chances and beat the challenges,” said Dr Lam.

The celebratory event continued with a few sharing sessions by UTAR alumni. Invited to deliver the talks were Biochemistry graduate Dashwiniy Jayanthi Rao who is currently working as Facility Process Engineer under JLL-INTEL Corporation; Chemistry graduate Chow Jin Wei who is working as Technical Specialist under Orbiting Scientific and Technology Sdn Bhd and Food Science graduate Chan Hor Yan who is currently working as Food Safety Officer under Genting Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

After sharing her working experiences in her first and second jobs as Regulatory Affairs Junior Executive under KCK Pharmaceuticals Penang and Facility Process Engineer under JLL-INTEL Corporation respectively, Dashwiniy provided some tips for a successful interview.

“When you applyfor a job, scan through the job scope to gather some information related to that. It is okay to say you do not know during the interview session. Try your best to speak confidently. When you talk about your working experience, you can elaborate it by mentioning your leadership experience or how you tried to solve an issue or conflict. Before ending the interview session, you can ask questions about your job scope, whom you will be reporting to or the company’s culture and environment. Before I attend an interview, I will also survey on the salary range so that I know how to negotiate accordingly,” said Dashwiniy.

While showing how to write a good resume, Dashwiniy reminded the participants to always update their resumes. She also mentioned the details that should be included in the resume, such as the name, full address, contact number, email, career objective, work experience, education background, skills and achievements. Graduates could also give a brief detail regarding their final year project on the resume.

The talk session continued with a sharing by Chow who shared his experience and job scope as a technical specialist. “Our main responsibility is to maintain the after-sales support. We need to understand how the products work and the chemistry behind it. My main responsibility as a technical specialist includes installations and training, service and maintenance, troubleshooting, and promoting instruments or consumables,” said Chow.

He added, “Overall, every technical specialist needs to know at least the basic chemistry knowledge to understand the basic use of the product. I always know what makes the product special and how the product can benefit the customers. In our company, we do not do hard-selling. What we do is make an add-value to the customers by explaining the product’s functions and advantages.”

Chow also shared that he, at times, attends training provided by the suppliers which is supported by the manufacturing company. Chow said, “It can be demotivating and frustrating sometimes when everyone does not have much time to teach you what to do. You have to explore yourself through experience. Attending trainings provided by the company is always one of the good ways to improve your skills and knowledge.”

Chan, on the other hand, shared her experience of working in Genting Malaysia Sdn Bhd. She explained her job scope and said, “As a Food Safety Officer, I will conduct training for the juniors, participate in pest control walkabout and hygiene walkabout, conduct microbiology test in Food Safety Laboratory for food and environmental samples, coordinate to send selected samples to external laboratory for chemical or biology laboratory test. Apart from conducting supplier audit and preparing layout for kitchen and service areas, I have to also ensure hygiene in the scope of receiving, transportation, warehouse, dumping side, kitchen preparation, service area and serving.”

“After we collect all the food samplings, we will conduct the experiment in a lab, set up in the company. Food safety department will also be in charge of the condition and quality of food. If any food poisoning case happens, we will report it to the management. After working for years in this company, I became a trainer for our junior workers. The company has provided many trainings for me, such as Basic Food Handler trainings, different microbiological and shelf life trainings as well as the HALAL training,” Chan said.

According to Chan, as a Food Science graduate, understanding food law and regulation is an important requirement. In order to secure a job, she advised Food Science graduates to gain specific skills such as communication skills, organisational skills, time management skills and problem solving skills. She also highlighted the importance of analytical abilities and good working attitude at the workplace.

In his closing remarks, FSc Dean Assoc Prof Dr Lim Tuck Meng expressed his heartiest congratulations to the graduates. He said, “Due to the lockdown, we have more time to meet up. Otherwise, we might have been busy preparing for the physical convocation. We are looking forward to your contribution, and from time to time we will need to contact you for more feedback so we could improve ourselves. Thank you very much from all of you. Stay safe and stay healthy.”

The event ended with a speech from the emcee, Fsc Department of Allied Health Sciences lecturer Dr Ho Lai Yee and a group photography session. “I hope this had been a good afternoon for all of you. Congratulations for your graduation. You have finally made it and achieved a milestone in your life. Please feel free to come back to Kampar and visit the campus. I am sure that all the lectures would be welcome you,” said Dr Ho.