Building blocks of a bright future
MALAYSIA ranks among the top 10 largest furniture exporters in the world. By exporting 80% of its production, it heeds the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities’ call to increase the commodity sector’s annual export earnings.
According to Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong, the furniture industry is a key driver of the country’s economy.
“In 2017, the value of Malaysia’s furniture product exports was RM10.14bil, an increase of 6.4% compared to 2016,” he noted.
Despite the ups and downs of the global economy, the furniture industry is still supported by high demand for furniture exports, reported the Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF).
With a businessfriendly environment, quality products and high market potential, the Malay sian furniture industry is poised to continue its exponential growth.
“The furniture industry has to remain resilient by being innovative, adopting technology and diversifying export markets to sustain demand in the long run,” said International Trade and Industry Minister II Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan.
In line with the furniture industry’s rapid development, First City University College (First City UC) is offering the BA (Hons) Furniture and Product Design (FPD) programme, which aims to produce designers who can meet the evolving needs of the design profession.
Besides studiobased teaching and learning, guest lectures, seminars, tutorials, laboratory and workshop sessions followed by presentationbased assignments, students get to explore the field of product and furniture design through collaborations with indus try players and educational trips.
Over the years, FPD students have participated in competitions and collaborative projects such as the Malaysia International Jewelry Awards and the MIFF Furniture Design Competition (MIFF FDC) to ensure that they stay competitive, skilled and broadly educated.
MIFF FDC challenges participants to look deeper into the furniture manufacturing environment for creative ideas.
In the recent MIFF FDC 2018, two of the 20 finalists from academic institutions and design firms were from First City UC.
Emerging as the champion was 22yearold Ong Sze Xian, a First City UC final year student pursuing her BA (Hons) in Furniture and Product Design.
Seeing a child swinging on a monkey bar gave Ong a spark of inspiration. In line with MIFF FDC 2018’s theme “Design Connects People” and subscribing to the concept that playing is an important part of life, she designed a sleek and elegant freestanding shelving unit called Float.
“My product is adjustable and easy to assemble. Its name refers to the motion of floating,” Ong said.
MIFF FDC is open to all local and international individuals residing, working or studying in Malaysia. The annual event is attended by international exhibitors, buyers and industry experts, and is a great platform for FPD students to demonstrate their talent.
Ensuring that its graduates are highly qualified and able to secure employment has always been First City UC’s top priority. Its campus is equipped with stateoftheart teaching and learning facilities, providing students with access to the academic information they need throughout their studies.
First City UC offers foundation, diploma, bachelor’s degree and master’s degree courses for the January, April, May and September intakes in the disciplines of mass communication, business studies, arts and design, engineering, computing and hospitality and tourism management.
It also collaborates with foreign university partners and institutions to enhance the quality of its programmes. Scholarships and incentives are also available. To find out more, visit the campus in Bandar Utama, which is open daily.