By Fiqah Roslan
Academic institutions, industry leaders need to work together – mayor
KOTA KINABALU: Academic institutions and industry leaders need to work together in order to foster a conducive environment for graduates entering the work force, said Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai.
He said collaborations between academia, industry and administration were important to help address concerns surrounding unemployment.
“Doing so would not only ensure continuous improvement in the education system, but would provide a platform for learning and sharing of best practices that would empower the next generation of Malaysian leaders to achieve their full potential,” he said in his speech at the Inti College Sabah public showcase, featuring employer projects and social awareness initiatives carried out in collaboration with established industry partners and local NGOs.
As part of its vision to reinvent education for the needs of the 21st century, Inti College Sabah organised the showcase titled ‘Youth Beyond Academic,’ featuring 12 recent projects undertaken by Inti students as part of their education journey, which aims to empower students with employable skills and the value of serving their wider communities.
Inti College Sabah chief executive Roselyn Chua said the need for an industry-relevant curriculum is a crucial part of a student’s learning journey, especially given the graduate unemployment rate in Sabah.
“With reports of Sabah’s unemployment rate at 5.4 per cent and youth unemployment at 10.7 per cent, three times the national average, we want to empower our students to understand and meet the expectations of an evolving workplace.
“In doing so, Inti collaborates with leading local and international organisations to offer initiatives such as employer projects, which give students an opportunity to work on actual business case studies, industry-relevant problems and service oriented assignments that expose them to the needs of business and the society around them,” she said.
In attendance at the event were Inti’s industry and NGO partners who had collaborated on the showcased projects alongside students.
The event also provided a platform for four local NGOs to raise awareness on their notable causes, including the Kota Kinabalu Widows Welfare Association, Kinabalu Pink Ribbon, the Sabah Society for the Blind and the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation.
These NGOs carried out fundraising initiatives through booths of their own to sell snacks, beverages and provide services, as well as engage with the wider community on their noble efforts.
To date, lnti College Sabah has completed over 30 employer projects with close to 30 industry partners including ACCA Malaysia, Hong Leong Assurance and Shangri-la’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa, as well as the above mentioned NGOs.
Through these collaborations, Inti has achieved outstanding graduate outcomes including 99 per cent of Inti graduates securing jobs within six months of graduating, 83 per cent being paid higher than the market average and 43 per cent receiving job offers even before they graduate.