Published:
It was a fun and hectic week at Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) as we welcomed students for the start of the new academic year 2023/24. Various activities and events were held on campus to help our new students settle in.
The "Meet Career Services" session was organised on 20 September 2023 by our Careers and Graduate Futures team to help new and current students stay abreast of our Career Services - from career guidance to internship opportunities, professional development activities and career fairs, the session provided students with insights into the journey towards career readiness and various resources available at HWUM Careers and Graduate Futures to facilitate their career goals.
The event featured a sharing session with three of our Alumni who have made it to the corporate world - Daphne Tan Xuan Jin and Yap Kah Sin, who both graduated in MEng Chemical Engineering (Class of 2020) and Ashvinaa Ramarau, an Accounting & Business Finance Alumna (Class of 2022).
It was an engaging session as they shared their success stories and career struggles with students, discussing the skills required for employment, tips for choosing the right employer and positions, how to nail job interviews and more.
Ashvinaa Ramarau, who is now a Global Early Talent Programme (Finance) Trainee at ABB Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. shared tips on how to secure a valuable internship opportunity, "I did a few part-time jobs before I started my foundation studies, so that first exposure to a working environment helped me a lot. But as a university student, I would advise you to get involved in Clubs & Societies' events and activities as much as possible to build your teamwork and organisation skills - this can be a valuable asset when you're looking for an internship."
She also advised students to utilise the resources and facilities provided by the University - take advantage of the LinkedIn Learning platform, where they can learn new courses and skills for free.
When asked what they love the most about their job, Yap Kah Sin, now working as a Process Engineer at KL-Kepong Oleomas Sdn. Bhd said, "I find fulfilment in being able to apply my knowledge to the work I do. Whether it is in theory or technical, applying what you have learned here in your studies to your job gives me the satisfaction."
Missing her university life, Daphne Tan, now a Project Engineer at Tyson Foods Malaysia, shared her advise to students, "Two important things that I would like to advise students are; to enjoy your university life and gain as much knowledge as you can, and to connect as much as possible. The right connections and even friendships that you build now could benefit you in your career."
The session was very interactive and engaging. We hope that it has inspired students to strive for a fulfilling university life that will pave the way for their career journey.