UTAR Alumni

MARCH 2019

President meets graduating students

The Tea Meeting with UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato' Dr Chuah Hean Teik for August 2019 Graduands was held on 27 February 2019 at UTAR Kampar Campus.

Present at tea meeting were Faculty of Arts and Social Science Dean Dr Lee Lai Meng, Faculty of Science Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Dr Sit Nam Weng, Faculty of Business and Finance Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Yew King Tak, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Dr Tan Kok Tat, Institute of Chinese Studies Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Dr Ling Liong Ngo, Faculty of Information and Communication Technology Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Dr Choo Peng Yin, Department of Alumni Relations and Placement (DARP) Head Foo Wai Wai.

"Convocation is not just an event that is meant for you alone. For many, a convocation is also a family event because you will be sharing this meaningful day with your parents, family members and friends. Especially for your parents, who have made much sacrifice for you in order for you to pursue your studies. Do not take your parents for granted and do not upset them on that day. Share with them the joyous occasion because it is their day too," said Prof Chuah.

He continued advising, "Also be mindful that your parents are not familiar with the University and hence may not know certain locations. On that note, it is important that you be patient with them and explain clearly to them before the convocation. You will be excited and you must have planned to take photos with your classmates and course mates, but your parents' time is precious as well, so communicate with them clearly, and most importantly, speak politely to them. Remember to dress your best but in proper attire."

Prof Chuah also advised the graduands to make wise decisions and sound judgement when deciding on their career path. Regardless if one is to continue furthering one's studies or work after convocation; run own business or be employed; prefer to work in a large or small company; and looking for a temporary job or securing a long-term job, Prof Chuah told the graduands that these were decisions and choices that they will have to make on their own. He also mentioned that there were no exact answers nor perfect way, but it all depends on what the graduands chose and decide.

"While searching for a job, you must understand the requirements of the employers. Among the basics of young professionals getting selected and hired are personalities, scholastic record and potential development, communication skills, experience, the ability to cooperate, recommendations, standing of the University and last but not least the salary expectation."

"A survey done by JobStreet shows that employers still prefer to focus first on the candidate?s personality over qualification. The top five skills generally desired by employers are leadership, technical, multi-tasking, communication and interpersonal skills, while the five attributes that make a good employee are reliability, trustworthiness, positive, independent and hard-working," said Prof Chuah.

However, there were also factors that Prof Chuah pointed out, which resulted in fresh graduates not getting employed. The top reasons for failed employment are asking for unrealistic salary; being picky about the job or company; having poor character, attitude or personality; poor command in English; and poor communication skills.

"So how do you secure your employment and convince the employer that you are a good candidate? You firstly have to prepare your resume completely and understand the companies? backgrounds. It is also important that you understand the role you are applying for and do some revisions on the first two years' subjects that are related to the role applied. Review your final projects and apply the experiences you have gained from your industrial training," advised Prof Chuah.

He added, "At the interview, be sure to dress formal, be punctual, alert, truthful and polite, and to communicate effectively. Once you are hired, be a good subordinate, practice good teamwork, continuously develop your professional skills, prioritise organisational goals and always be ethical."

To highlight the changing trends in the workforce, Prof Chuah also explained to the graduands about the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He spoke about the waves of revolution, which began from the agricultural revolution to industrial revolution, electronic evolution, information technology (IT) revolution and physical cyber and human systems.

"The current trends in the globalised world will happen in a much faster pace; it will be a borderless world with more opportunities, more convergence, and trends will become more personalised and individualised. Individuals will also be more informed and have higher expectations and business are becoming cost-effective. You will also be faced with job inequality, whereby humans are replaced by machines to get work done, and the job market segregation will cause social tensions," said Prof Chuah.

He continued, "However, with challenges also come opportunities. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is bringing rise to global income, improved quality of life around the world, and technological innovation that will offer long-term gains in efficiency and productivity. Therefore, you must be prepared for the changing future. A survey has also highlighted that graduates must possess these top ten skills in 2020, which are complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, people management, coordination with others, emotional and cultural intelligence, judgement and decision making, service orientation, negotiation and cognitive flexibility."

Towards the end of his speech, Prof Chuah reminded graduands to keep abreast of the university?s guiding principles. He also shared to the graduands the various contributions offered by alumni and the general public, which have greatly helped the University in its development. He expressed his hope for the graduands to also do the same for the University and the upcoming hospital.

"Before I end, I would like to advise all graduands to seize opportunities in this information age, increase productivity, enhance one's ability to compete in the global market, and stay updated on the latest technologies," he said. He also highlighted the importance of human-nature interaction whereby humans should co-exist in harmony with the environment. "It is also important to maintain good human-to-human interaction through respect and mutual understanding of each other's ethics and cultures, and to always maintain a good attitude and positive thinking," advised Prof Chuah.

The graduands were also briefed by DARP and Department of Student Affairs on how they can stay in touch with the university after graduation, with hopes that they will sustain a strong network with the alumni community, and to be updated of the alumni association's role.