The study path less travelled

Beaming alumni: (From left) Ng, Chin and Liew after their graduation ceremony yesterday at the San Choon Hall in Wisma MCA, Kuala Lumpur. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Practical and handy work were always more of Liew Kim Cong’s thing rather than being book smart.

Upon finishing his secondary education, he leapt at the opportunity to help his mother’s events business, which saw him mostly working with various tools for physical setups at the venues.

Family members who saw his talent and drive encouraged him to enrol at VTAR Institute in 2020 to get at least some form of qualification.

It’s been three years since then, and Liew, 21, can proudly say that all his work has not been in vain.

Not only did he successfully graduate from the institute with an Electrical Installation and Maintenance Level 3 Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) and a PW2 Wireman Certification, he was also the top student of the 2022 batch that graduated yesterday.

“It was not an easy journey but certainly a satisfying one. I never performed electrical work prior to my time at the institute, so I really had to pay close attention to keep up with lessons,” he said when met after the institute’s 25th graduation ceremony held at Wisma MCA here yesterday.

Expressing his gratitude to his parents, he said his efforts would not have been a success without their support.

“It was a very touching moment when I saw them at my graduation. Nothing was more precious than seeing the smile on their faces,” said Liew, who is looking to enrol for the Electrical Installation and Maintenance Level 4 SKM certification also at VTAR Institute later this year.

For Ivy Chin Zi Jun, tears of joy trickled down her face when she learned that most of her family members had attended her graduation ceremony.

“They have always been my pillar of support. My time at here was the first time I was separated from my family,” said the 21-year-old Seremban native.

Chin, who graduated with an Aesthetic Services Level 3 SKM certification while also topping her class, said she explored this course after her plans to be an airline cabin crew member fizzled out due to the Covid-19 movement control order (MCO).

“I was a cabin crew trainee for about a year, but the MCO came and there wasn’t much I could do. I decided to then take up the certification as I had an interest in it as well,” she said.

She added that her two years at VTAR Institute provided invaluable experience which also saw her successfully landing a job as a skincare therapist.

Ng Zhee Siang, who was the best student in the hairdressing diploma course, said he never dreamed of such an honour.

“I’ve wanted to be a professional hairstylist since my younger years, which also saw me watching countless YouTube videos to learn and explore this field.

“Achieving my dream is one thing but to be at the top of my class was a pleasant surprise,” said the 21-year-old.

Ng, who completed his certification last April, said he had been working at a salon in Kuala Lumpur since then.