Positive feedback from all parties
STUDENTS and their parents have found the Star Education Fair helpful as it answered questions about their study and career options. Ju st as pleased were education providers whose booths were well patronised by visitors at the event.
“There were huge crowds and we were glad with the outcome on both days,” said Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences Marketing Department manager Mohd Suzairy Shairy.
Over 40 students enrolled for the university’s courses at the fair,and a further 1,800 expressed interest by signing up to its database.
StudyExcel education advisor Shaun Tan said although the crowd was almost the same as last year’s,there was more potential this year.
Their booth saw 20 on-the-spot applicants enrolling in Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak),and over 500 stu- dents getting on its mailing list.
Many of the booths across the five halls were packed with students and parents right until 7pm last Sunday,when the fair ended.
“Our booth was crowded until 6.45pm,” said Brickfields Asia College (BAC) director of UK-transfer Programme for Law Reuben de Rozario.
People wanted information about their study options,whether they should study locally or abroad,or pursue a twinning programme. “We also gave them pointers on managing their finances,” Rozario added.
At Sunway University’s booth,visitors were interested to find out more about its accounting, business, pr e-university and A-level programmes.
“Parents came to ask questions about these courses and our counsellors were busy throughout the day,” said Cindy Chow, Sunway Education Group senior manager of events and outreach programmes.
The same could be said at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus’ booth.
“By 4pm on Sunday,we had no more prospectuses to hand out,” said the university’s marketing officer Kavitha Kamachi.
“I was talking to people non-stop from the morning and had to take a five-minute break at 3pm to catch my breath,” she said.
Kavitha added that the university used to only bring academic counsellors to the previous education fairs. But this year,there were scholarship and accommodation teams at its booth for students to get in-depth knowledge about these topics.
National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) Terminal Bersepadu Selatan branch manager Badrul Hisyam Azhar said he received a lot of enquiries on how to obtain a PTPTN loan.
He added that a major concern raised by visitors was ways to finance their higher education.
He also said that their booth saw non-stop traffic during the education fair with visitors opening SSPN-i and SSPN-i Plus accounts there and then in order to obtain a PTPTN loan later on.
HELP University senior lecturer of psychology Kumar Ramalingam,who was at the career tests’ section by CAREERsense@HELP, said a significant number of individuals took part in the test and the number was greatly increasing right up until the doors closed.
For those uncertain of what career to pursue,HELP University provided a free career test for students at the Star Education Fair,to help lead the way.
“We’ve had over 350 participants within four hours of the opening,” said Ramalingam
“Most students have an inkling of what they want to pursue before undergoing our test,yet our test provides them with an idea of what they possibly could take up as a degree,based on the results from our findings,” he added.
Visitorfeedback
Friends Tan Woon Pin and Ong Cheng Shin were inspired by UCSI University Assoc Prof Dr Bimo Ario Tejo during his talk on “Science and Entrepreneurship: A True Story”.
“I’ve gained a lot of knowledge by attending this talk. It’s a new experience and Prof Bimo’s explanation has exposed me to entrepreneurship knowledge which will benefit me in the future,” said Woon Pin.
Cheng Shin said he was inspired as his interest was in science.
Travelling all the way from Ipoh by train, these “besties” were attending the Star Education Fair 2017 for the first time.
“There are many institutions under one roof. I am finding it very useful and gaining new knowledge about the course I want to take which is computer engineering,” said Woon Pin.
It was a opportunity not to be missed and both boys decided to be at the fair on both days. They took the 7.30am train from Ipoh on the first day and returned home in the late evening,the following day. Although her interest lies in Engineering,Siti Nur Syuhada Hamzah attended the talk by BAC programme manager and lecturer Andrew Kalish.
“He gave a good explanation on Law. The advice he offered on what students should do before and after their studies in order to get employed,was informative.
“I find the fair a good place not just for school-leavers like me but also students from all age groups to find out more on the courses they’re interested in,” she said.
Former SMK USJ 4, Subang Jaya student Chen Zhi Jian, said the Options After SPM session was an “eye-opener”.
“It taught me that everyone is different, that I need to be myself,” he said, adding that he came to the fair to “explore what is next for me” after completing the SPM last year.
The ambitious lad is aiming to take up Aeronautical Engineering or Finance.
Fellow SMK USJ 4 schoolmates Muhamad Nadim Shafii and Yap Kah Shing shared Zhi Jian’s sentiment.
“The talk made me realise that life isn’t just confined within the office.
“Now I know what I don’t want to do. I’m not keen on a desk-bound job from 9am to 5pm,” said Muhamad Nadim.
He shared that he visited the exhibition to explore more opportunities on what he could do in the future.
Meanwhile, Kah Shing who attended the fair with his friends to “check out” the programmes offered, said the “Options After SPM: Making the Right Choice” talk gave him “factors to consider when choosing my college and my career”. He is planning to venture into culinary arts.
Twins Daniel and Dennis Yeoh, who just completed their SPM last year, also travelled to the fair from Ipoh on the Saturday morning train.
“The fair made me realise the importance of choosing the right course for my future,” said Daniel.
Dennis said the reason they attended the fair was to shortlist the best colleges before pursuing their preferred course
The former SMJK Yuk Choy, Ipoh, students are both keen to major in Information Technology.
Their father James Yeoh, who accompanied them, said it was the twins’ first time at the fair and it had left them spoilt for choice.
Despite fracturing her coccyx - commonly referred to as the tailbone - two days before the fair, school leaver Shaheera Qistina Sharmizan came in a wheelchair, braving the pain as well as the inconvenience.
The former student of MRSM Kubang Pasu, Kedah, said she came to look for scholarships and explore the many study options, career and education talks available.