Thoughts in motion: Grad2work committee member Puteri Diana Balqis and Graduan chief executive officer Nabil Marie during the recording of a podcast session.
CAMPUS life is not just a matter of sitting in lectures and absorbing knowledge.
Increasingly crucial is the need to equip oneself with real-world working experience, as well as access to career opportunities and professional networks.
With this in mind, some 35 third-semester students from the Bachelor of Communication (Honours) in Communication Management and Policy (CMP) programme at the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam Faculty of Communication and Media Studies designed an initiative to help both final-year undergraduates and graduates step more confidently into the workforce.
Dubbed “Grad2work: Campus Off, Career On”, the programme, implemented entirely online from Oct 8 last year and running until Jan 21 this year, saw the communication students team up with Graduan, a career platform that guides graduates in Malaysia on their journey into the nation’s workforce.
Through the collaboration, the targeted participants gained awareness of avenues supporting graduate employability, as well as access to job prospects and industry connections.
In addition, the students set up a podcast to discuss issues related to the transition into the working world, essential skills for graduates, and strategies for building employability in a professional environment.
Besides providing early preparation for their seniors’ entry into the workforce, the communication students themselves gained practical training that showcased their capabilities as programme organisers, content creators and liaisons between students and the professional world.
Under the guidance of lecturer Dr Yuslinda Mat Yassin, the students applied classroom knowledge and managed projects in collaboration with industry, emphasising strategic planning, industry relations and effective communication.
At the Graduan Aspire+ conference and networking event held by Graduan last November, the students interacted with some of the leading organisations in Malaysia, gaining broader industry insights, including opportunities for industrial training, first employment and professional skills development.
The Grad2work programme is part of the students’ educational initiative known as Emission CMP, carried out under the Communication Strategy and Policy course.
Grad2work project leader Syed Aiman Hafique said the initiative places youth development in Malaysia as its main focus.
“We hope it can create a significant and lasting impact in preparing graduates with the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to contribute to a more sustainable economic development and future for the country,” he said in a Jan 6 press release.
