World-class engineers and architects

STUDENTS and parents are increasingly aware of the importance of paper qualifications that are recognised and accredited by academic and professional bodies.

The awareness is heightened when it comes to Engineering and Architecture, disciplines that are highly regulated to ensure functional and technical quality.

In this light, it is interesting and paradoxical to consider the global phenomenon where an increasing number of fresh graduates are unable to secure employment.

According to employer feedback, these graduates lack the skills and mentality needed in the workplace.

The need to strike a delicate balance between requirements for a streamlined curriculum, quality and a delivery that equips students with the soft skills that meet industry needs is something that Ir Assoc Prof Dr Jimmy Mok, the dean of UCSI University’s Faculty of Engineering, Technology & Built Environment (FOETBE), is very aware of.

As dean, Dr Mok understands that accreditation is no mere formality.

Much significance is involved and a good example of this is the Washington Accord.

Degrees accredited by the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) are automatically recognised by 14 other member states of the Accord like the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada, South Korea and Japan.

As UCSI’s Engineering degrees are accredited by BEM, Dr Mok explains that Engineering graduates possess the springboard to a global career.

The university’s Architecture programmes are also accredited by the relevant authorities or are in the process of gaining accreditation.

Groomed to excel

“What is learned in the classroom, only covers 30-40% of what a student needs to know about the working world,” said Dr Mok, addressing the issue of unemployability among fresh graduates.

This sentiment is echoed by School of Architecture and Built Environment head and FOETBE associate dean Mohammad Zani Mohammad Zain.

“In the old days, students who were pursuing architecture and engineering would seek apprenticeships with experienced mentors who polish their skills and show them current industry practices, problems and solutions,” says Mohammad Zani.

“This gives students a realistic understanding of their careers, helping them adapt to the shift from student to engineer or architect.”

To bring the practice of apprenticeship back into the education system, UCSI University has embarked on its Praxis University approach which makes it compulsory for students to complete two months of professional internship for each academic year.

The university’s Co-Operative department is instrumental in pairing students and employers.

The faculty believes that in order for its students to be better engineers and architects, they should be exposed to real-life situations faced by people from different levels of society.

“What sets UCSI apart is how we give our students a range of experiences to make sure they remain connected to society,” says Mohammad Zani. “Study trips to Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Taiwan are organised to provide opportunities for students to come up with designs where practicality and cultural appreciation go hand-in-hand.”

Such opportunities foster bonding between students and the strong camaraderie at the faculty was reflected in the build-up to one of those trips when two students opted out due to a lack of funds.

“The other students refused to let them pull out and selflessly launched a campaign to raise funds for them,” shares Mohammad Zani.

“Putting their sketching skills to good use, the students drew postcards of old Kuala Lumpur buildings and sold them. They managed to raise enough money so the entire class could make the trip.”

Mohammad Zani says the incident illustrates the undercurrent at UCSI – one where students use their talent, drive and conviction to help themselves – and others – to succeed.

“The interesting thing is, there is no class distinction here. When you put determined students among likeminded peers, a very strong sense of camaraderie develops and they help each other succeed,” he says.

This incident spurred the university to reach out to aspiring architects whose ambition could be derailed by the lack of funds.

To complement the BSc in Architectural Technology, two lower-cost programmes, namely, the Diploma in Architectural Studies and Diploma in Interior Architecture, were launched.

Running for three years and two and a half years respectively, these diplomas are designed to provide the necessary technical knowledge and required practical skills for students who wish to – or need to – join the workforce at an early stage.

Upon completion, students are able to enter the second year of the degree programme immediately or after working for a period of time.

“Diploma students can continue to pursue a degree. We have students who entered the workforce after earning the diploma to help ease the financial burden of their parents,” says Mohammad Zani. “They have no problems securing a job after their diploma, as it is a real qualification.”

To date, UCSI architecture graduates have a 100% employment track record.

To find out more about UCSI University’s engineering and architecture programmes, call 03-9101 8882 or e-mail www.ucsiuniversity.edu. my/onlineenquiry

Drop by its Open Day on March 30 and 31 (9am – 6pm), where experienced lecturers will be conducting academic talks to help you make the best education choice.

Scholarships are also available to deserving students via the UCSI University Trust.