Empowering future talents through Labour Market Forum 2024

Front row from left: Dr Lim, Dr Ng, Ms Magdelin Tan, Ms Fidza, Mr Low and Ms Yap with the participants at the forum

“The Labour Market Forum 2024: Empowering Futures— Navigating Your Path to Success” jointly organised by the Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM), Global Economics Society (GES) and Finance and Technology Society took place from 2 to 3 April 2024 at UTAR Sungai Long Campus. The forum was supported by Jobstreet by SEEK and The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia.

The forum aimed to explore the key issues and opportunities in developing future talent pipelines, provide a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and sharing of ideas, experiences and best practices for the latest labour market developments, and equip participants with future talent skills in resume and job interview preparation.

Present at the opening ceremony were FAM Deputy Dean for Academic Development and Undergraduate Programmes Dr Ng Kar Yee, Department of Finance Head Dr Lim Boon Keong, Department of Economics Head Mr Low Choon Wei, Jobstreet by SEEK Partnership Lead SG & MY Ms Magdelin Tan, Labour Market Forum 2024 Chairperson Ms Yap Chen Yan, esteemed guests from participating companies, staff and students.

Dr Ng (left) and Ms Yap delivering their speech

Emphasising the importance of seizing opportunities ahead, Dr Ng said, “Let us embrace innovation, diversity, and inclusivity in our quest to build a thriving and dynamic labour market. Together, we can create a future where every individual has the opportunity to fulfil their potential and contribute to the growth and prosperity of our society.”

Ms Yap shared, “This year’s forum aims to empower all participants with the skills, insights, and resources necessary to make informed career decisions. We are grateful to the companies across various industries such as information technology, manufacturing, finance, and property for their participation, providing invaluable job information and insights, and aiding students in better preparing for their future applications.”

From top left: Ms Fizda, Mr Scott Wong and Mr Lee (right) during the sharing sessions

The forum featured career talks by Jobstreet by SEEK Candidate Marketing Lead Ms Fidza Hamdan, iDynamics Software Sdn Bhd Managing Director Mr Lee Eng Yau, and Great Eastern Life Assurance (M) Berhad Head of Agency Recruitment and Productivity Mr Scott Wong Charng Yeon.

Ms Fidza, who delivered a talk titled “How to ace your job interview and write an effective resume” provided valuable insights to jobseekers in the aspect of preparing for job interviews, crafting resumes and answering interview questions. She said, “Hirer looks for hard skills related to technical knowledge and training, work experience, soft skills and compatibility of an employee with company’s culture, goals and values. Aside from the hard skills and soft skills, it is imperative to develop meta-skills that enable oneself to improve and develop other skills.”

The second talk titled “Youthful Ventures: Crafting success stories from early entrepreneurship” was presented by Mr Lee. In the talk, he shared his experience as an entrepreneur, the challenges of starting a business, and life advice. Mr Lee highlighted the importance of lifelong learning to maintain one’s mental acuity, foster social connections, enhance self-esteem, and stay adaptable in a changing world. He shared, “Be proactive and be hungry for more knowledge. Have a dream and pursue the dream. Seize opportunities that lie ahead of you. When you’re faced with challenges, solve the problems. Be persistent and learn from the challenges.”

In Mr Scott Wong’s presentation titled “A sustainable career in financial security planning”, he shared the outcomes of a workforce survey, the current working trends, roles at Great Eastern, insights and experiences in the domains of recruitment and the insurance industry. He also extended an invitation to the students to consider joining the Great Eastern through the management associate programme, a 24-month training programme and internship programmes for personal and professional growth.

Mr Low said, “I’m confident that the knowledge and inspiration gained here today will fuel our professional growth. Let’s carry the spirit of empowerment and resilience with us. Let us continue to support each other and inspire future talents to pursue their dreams with passion and determination,” during the closing ceremony.

Participating booths at the forum were AI Success Advisory, Jobstreet by SEEK, Techbond Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, A Solution Ins Sdn Bhd, Ideal MDG Consultancy, MKA Cabinet Concept Sdn Bhd, One Stop Solution Advisory, Public Mutual Berhad, Maxima Advisory Sdn Bhd, MSE DotNet Sdn Bhd, Great Ideals Group, TKNP International, Lesmond Lee & Associates, Kingsman Realty Sdn Bhd, 5O5 Advisory Sdn Bhd, MGR Consultancy Sdn Bhd, Trime Management Sdn Bhd, MOM Properties Sdn Bhd, Dignity Group Realty Sdn Bhd, Best Solution Wealth Management, iDynamics Software Sdn Bhd, Midas Consultancy, Yee Lee Group of Companies, A&D Nature Sdn Bhd, Great Eastern Life Assurance Malaysia Berhad, J. S. One Sdn Bhd, GOBS Technologies Sdn Bhd and Finpreneur Consultancy.

Click here to watch the highlights of the forum.