Forging industry-relevant links
BEING industry-relevant is an important aspect highly valued by employers. This is an area Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) has always emphasised and advocated particularly, for its Engineering and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programmes for close to 50 years.
Having been established for close to 50 years, TAR UC has developed an extensive list of collaborations with numerous industry leaders locally and internationally, enhancing the quality of its engineering and ICT programmes.
More so in this age of Industry 4.0, the importance of industry-relevant education cannot be stressed further.
Towards this end, TAR UC has established industry collaboration with Penang-based Hotayi Electronic (M) Sdn Bhd, formalised on March 30, 2018.
Hotayi is a leading global electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company providing a wide range of high value-added manufacturing solutions and services through automation on manufacturing services, better known as smart manufacturing.
The collaboration paves the way for staff and students from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FOET) and Faculty of Computing and Information Technology (FOCS) to assist Hotayi in integrating automation and data exchange into its current manufacturing system as well as developing an Industry 4.0 manufacturing system in its factory.
Following the collaboration, FOET and FOCS students will have the opportunity to work on relevant industry-oriented projects.
TAR UC students are also given internship opportunities at Hotayi’s factory.
Final-year Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Mechatronic student, Chang Qi Tat, completed his internship in Hotayi in May 2018.
“I was assigned to the Test Department where my main task was to assist the technicians and engineers in maintaining the machines for quality control. This experience is very helpful as I was able to apply what I learnt in TAR UC into my work.
“For example, I was able to assist in configuring the programming for the machines. My ability to perform this task with less supervision is also a confidence booster especially in the area of quality control,” he explained.
FOET dean, Dr Chew Khoon Hee, believes this collaboration will benefit TAR UC students.
“Industry-relevant collaboration has always been TAR UC’S emphasis in ensuring we develop graduates who are employment-ready not only in Malaysia but also abroad,” he said.
“We are pleased to have Hotayi collaborating with us, which will provide invaluable opportunities for our students to have hands-on experience as well as be involved in cutting-edge industry projects.”
Hotayi senior IT manager Yeoh Shin Chian is one of the key personnel who works closely with the team from TAR UC.
“Since our collaboration with TAR UC was officiated in March 2018, we are very pleased with the progress of the six final-year projects currently ongoing.
“Although these are long-term projects, we are seeing positive results even at the early stages for some. This gives us confidence that our collaboration with TAR UC will definitely yield the results we are looking for as we embrace Industry 4.0 in our factory operation,” he said.
■ Explore more about TAR UC’S Engineering and Technology as well as Computing and Information Technology programmes at its Open Day from March 21 until April 14 at its Kuala Lumpur Main Campus and branch campuses in Penang, Perak, Johor, Pahang and Sabah or visit TAR UC’S booth at all major education fairs. You can also visit www.tarc.edu.my
Attractive scholarships are available on basis of academic merit and sibling discount for qualified students.