Soft Skills Virtual Programme 4.0 hits over 2,000 participation

There was a delay in student enrolment for the May 2021 trimester due to the continuous extension of the Movement Control Order. As a result, the Department of Soft Skills Competency (DSSC) of Sungai Long Campus decided to organise a series of new and exciting programmes for UTAR students in the second quarter of the year. Held from May 2021 to June 2021, various online programmes were prepared to welcome the new batch of students and help them get along with the existing ones. The programmes also aimed to keep the students occupied while they were at home and encourage them to further enhance their soft skills.

 Among the programmes organised were “Soft Skills Virtual Programme 4.0” and “Special Camp”. The programmes incorporated a total of thirty workshops, all catered to accommodate and pique students’ interest while they were at home during this period. The virtual camp included workshops such as “Introduction to Zero Waste (English)”, “The Fundamental of Cash Flow Management and Credit Card Usage” and “Integrity and Corruption”, to name a few. More than two thousand students registered for the programmes and the programmes were conducted via Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

Tarun conducting “Let's explore Sustainable Development goal - Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being” workshop

Tarun (top row, most left) and the participants

UTAR has always played a contributing role towards the cross-sectoral implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), providing an invaluable source of expertise in R&D and education, while sharing knowledge, and guiding students in advancing the SDG agenda and fulfilling its own goals. UTAR has, throughout the years, spearheaded sustainable initiatives which have not only broaden the horizons of one generation but also transform their lives as well as that of the generations to come.  

One of the workshops covered at Soft Skills Virtual Camp 4.0 was titled “Let's explore Sustainable Development Goal - Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being”. The speaker for the programme was Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences lecturer Tarun Amalnerkar.. He spoke about the 17 SDGs and their sub-goals which were designed as a "blueprint” to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The students learned about the importance of having good health and wealth especially during this time of the pandemic.

Grace Teong (in yellow) from Zero Waste Malaysia conducting “Introduction to Zero Waste” workshop

Another interesting workshop that was covered during the Soft Skills Virtual Camp 4.0 and Special Camp week was “Introduction to Zero Waste”. The speaker was Grace Teong from Zero Waste Malaysia. Established in 2016, Zero Waste Malaysia is a non-profit organisation registered under The Registry of Societies of Malaysia. It is a community group based in Malaysia, advocating for sustainable development and aiming to increase the awareness of sustainable living. 

The participants learned about the "5R principle” at the workshop. The “5R” stood for Reuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot. They also learned that every human being plays an important role in reducing waste and comprehended the advantages of using recyclable items. The participants believed the best way to approach a zero-waste lifestyle is to rethink before buying and do something to minimise waste production. This programme is connected to Sustainable Development Goal Number 12, Responsible Consumption and Production.