UMPA offers programmes to encourage industry workers continue study

KUANTAN, 4 July 2021 - Underlying the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, UMP Advanced Education (UMP Advanced) is cultivating and expanding educational initiatives to Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or diploma holders and also to workers through flexible learning.

UMP Advanced initiated the Lifelong Learning Programme (Program Pembelajaran Sepanjang Hayat. PSH) in 2008 and now has over 5,300 graduates in professional diploma, executive bachelor and executive master’s programmes.

According to the General Manager, Department of Professional Management and Flexible Education, UMP Advanced, Haji Amirul Ahmad, PSH is a flexible educational process structured to provide opportunities to develop knowledge, skills, and competencies as well as increase self-potential and self-motivation.

“PSH is also implemented through a clear process related to the level of learning, learning outcomes and credit system where the quality is guaranteed by the UMP Senate.

“PSH UMP is also designed specifically for industry workers and it is an alternative route to enable them to continue their studies on weekends to improve the socioeconomy,” he said in Webinar Pembelajaran Sepanjang Hayat titled ‘Berjaya dalam Kerjaya’.

The Chief Executive Officer of Dreams Street Restoration Sdn. Bhd., the former Head of Learning Solutions & Development, Petronas Dagangan Putra, Suriya Sankaran, said he started the job without a high qualification and only relied on work experience.

“Fresh graduates who had experience studying at university seem to have organised thinking.

“Therefore, this learning is vital not only when we are young but also when we are old,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Executive Engineer of Vtech Communications Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., the recipient of the Lifelong Learning Professional Award 2019, Lim Poh Ann, said that continuing his studies after 30 years was the biggest challenge, especially in juggling his time between work, study, family, and community service.

“Currently, the industrial world is growing rapidly and employees need to keep up with the rapid development of the industry.

“Therefore, we need to master and improve our skills and knowledge to obtain better career opportunities,” he said.

Lim Poh Ann also plans to further his study to the executive master’s level at UMP Advanced.

He is particularly interested in the Recognition Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) C programme for credit transfer based on work experience.

“Since I have 33 years of work experience in the field I am involved in, the path of admission to the PSH UMP programme through RPEL (C) will be beneficial for me,” he added.

In line with academic innovation, UMP Advanced also offers the Recognition Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) programme which is divided into three, namely RPEL (A) experiential learning assessment, RPEL (B) formal and informal learning assessment process and CPD (C) formal and informal collection and validation of all activities.

The programmes offered are flagship, professional/ executive/ competency, socioeconomics, digitalisation and new products.

The programme conducted through Zoom was moderated by the Executive, Department of Professional Management and Flexible Education, UMP Advanced, Farzni Mohamad, went live via the UMP Advanced Facebook page.

It aimed to provide exposure to the RPEL programme and provide motivation to continue study at UMP Advanced, especially for industry workers.

By: Siti Nurfarmy Ibrahim, Corporate Communication Unit, The Office of The Vice-Chancellor

Translation by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, Engineering College/Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology