CCM-USM programme inspires future pharmacist entrepreneurs
KUALA LUMPUR: The fastapproaching Fourth Industrial Revolution presents unique challenges and opportunities in a fast-changing and increasingly borderless world.
Acknowledging the importance of adapting to the ever-evolving environment in the face of an exceptionally transformative time, Chemical Company of Malaysia Bhd (CCM) has launched the Millennial Pharmapreneur Coaching (MPC) programme to empower 30 pharmacy undergraduates from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) with an entrepreneurial mindset for success when they enter the workforce.
The MPC programme aims to engage with USM students who have participated in the CCM Jalinan Universiti dan Industri (JATI) programme, a university-industry collaboration designed to encourage final year pharmacy students in Malaysian public universities to venture into entrepreneurship and retail pharmacy upon graduation.
CCM JATI programme was introduced in 2011 to address the growing concern of unemployment amongst pharmacy graduates in the country. USM was the pioneer university in this programme, which was further extended to Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
More than 1,000 pharmacy graduates are expected to enter the profession annually, adding to the more than 11,000 existing pharmacists in Malaysia today. In 2013, the Ministry of Health reported that poor language proficiency and lack of soft skills and training are among the main factors leading to unemployability amongst fresh graduates in the medical field.
Speaking at the launch of the MPC programme at Universiti Sains Malaysia, CCM’s group managing director Leonard Ariff Abdul Shatar said that knowledge alone is not enough to land a job in today’s competitive world and graduates need to embrace the entrepreneurial mindset in order to be flexible and nimble in facing uncertainties or risk being left behind.
“Disruptive forces are shaping the way we live, work and play in today’s globalised world. The nature of traditional work is going to change in the face of rapid advancements in every area including healthcare,” said Leonard Ariff.
“Hence, it is crucial to foster a conducive environment for entrepreneurship that creates highly-skilled, independent and innovative graduates who are willing to take risks and challenge the status quo by thinking creatively to pursue opportunities regardless of the limited resources.”
“The MPC programme aims to develop young adults who are capable and confident of starting their own businesses and to be employers who can become mentors to their employees.