UTAR programmes equip students with transferable skills

Bachelor of Science (Honours) Food Science student Song

Diversity offers vast opportunities, and this is particularly true in the case of John Song Jun Wei, who is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) Food Science programme. This programme enables students to use their knowledge and skills acquired in the application of scientific/technological knowledge in minimising post-harvest losses; increasing agricultural productivity, improving the quantity, safety and nutritional quality of crops and animals by all available "tools", including biotechnology and food safety.

However, these skills and knowledge are not limited to the field of food science, as the programme’s elective courses, such as Entrepreneurship, has inspired Song to further pursue his interest in entrepreneurship. Song founded his company, Phantom Trading Co, early this year. The company currently sells the wristband dispenser, “PhantomBand”, which can be used to dispense hand sanitizer, sunblock, and any other liquid or gel-based products.

“PhantomBand” Wristband Dispenser

“Throughout my programme, I have been taught to analyse and solve problems critically and logically. During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, I saw and felt the inconvenience of carrying a bottle of hand sanitiser everywhere, especially for people like me, who enjoy travelling light. Hence, the idea of a wristband dispenser for sanitizer was born. Seeing the potential of this product, I decided to introduce it to the Malaysian market. UTAR has also been most supportive of my business ventures by not just providing the necessary skills and knowledge but also by providing me with a good platform to promote and sell my products in the UTAR E-Marketplace,” explained Song.

Currently, Phantom Trading Co is an online business that operates mainly on Shopee and Lazada. The business also has its own website at www.phantomtrading.co, and is said to be performing positively and is generating steady profits. Song aims to expand Phantom’s product range and is also exploring the possibility of expanding his business to other countries.

When asked for the reason behind the company’s name, Song enthused, “Being the avid gamer that I am, I have a certain inclination towards edgy names, such as Phantom. Hence, when it was time to name my company, ‘Phantom’ was among the first names that came to mind. I then added ‘Trading’ to give it a more business edge.”

Despite being busy with his business, Song still prioritises his studies and finds time to manage his tasks according to their respective deadlines. This allows him to focus on completing one task at a time. “I make sure to work on my assignments consistently every day, so that I can finish them by their due dates. Besides that, my parents have also been incredibly supportive of my business venture and have always lent me a hand or two whenever I encounter any problems. I enjoy science as much as I enjoy entrepreneurship, so it is important for me to find a balance between these two interests. That said, although I came from a science background, I hope that my business will inspire and encourage others to be confident in pursuing and nurturing their own passions,” said Song.

The Bachelor of Science (Honours) Food Science programme is offered under the Faculty of Science. Apart from gaining analytical and problem-solving skills, students enrolled in this programme will also be able to apply appropriate theoretical knowledge, information technology and food safety management systems when addressing problems and challenges related to food science. This also includes the ability to articulate ideas, write and communicate effectively with individuals from different backgrounds; apply entrepreneurship skills, information and intellectual properties management in the field of food science; and conduct basic research to resolve commercial, scientific and social issues pertinent to the food science industry. The programme also enables students to practice lifelong learning using digital and numeracy skills to analyse, interpret and present food science related data and reports.

Other elective courses offered in the programme also include, Management Principles, Organisational Behaviour, Culture and Communication, Introduction to Sociology, Interpersonal Communication, Organisation and Human Resource, Food Biochemistry and Toxicology, Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, Food Shelf-Life Evaluation, and Leadership and Team Building.

UTAR is a university offering courses in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the areas including Accountancy, Actuarial Science, Applied Mathematics, Arts, Chinese Studies, Malaysia Studies, Business and Economics, Biotechnology, Engineering and Build Environment, Information and Communication Technology, Life and Physical Sciences, Medicine and Health Sciences, Media and Journalism, Education and General Studies, Agriculture and Food Science, and engages in the provision and conduct of research, consultation, management and leadership training and other related educational services at its campuses at Bandar Sungai Long and Kampar in Malaysia. For more information, go to www.utar.edu.my or call 05-468 8888 (Kampar Campus), 03- 9086 0288 (Sungai Long Campus).