Applied Geology Department head Dr Bill Downey guides the participants during his session.
MIRI: Over 100 Form 5 students and 11 teachers from nine secondary schools in Northern Sarawak got to experience student’s life at Curtin University, Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) when the university hosted a three-day ‘Northern Zone Training and Industrial Awareness (TRIA) Programme’ here recently.
The TRIA Programme, jointly organised by the Workforce Development Unit of the Chief Minister’s Department and Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Bumiputera Sarawak (Tegas), is aimed at exposing secondary school students to opportunities in technical and vocational education and training (TVET), which has become a significant focus for the state.
Curtin Malaysia was the host university for the Northern Zone and received eager students from SMK Merbau, SMK Agama Miri, SMK Taman Tunku, SMK Lopeng Tengah, SMK Pujut, SMK Riam, SMK Dato Permaisuri, SMK Merapok and SMK Limbang at its campus for a day of interesting activities designed to inspire them to pursue an education relevant to the state’s industrial needs and empower them to become future change makers.
The day started with an opening ceremony declared open by state deputy Education director Abang Mat Ali bin Abang Masagus, followed by a talk on ‘What’s Engineering’ by Assoc Prof Vincent Lee, deputy dean of Curtin Malaysia’s Faculty of Engineering and Science.
In her welcoming remarks, Curtin Malaysia deputy pro vice-chancellor Prof Beena Giridharan thanked the Workforce Development Unit and Tegas for continuing to make Curtin Malaysia a partner in their TRIA Programme.
“Initiatives like this are very much aligned with our own ideals and it is always a pleasure to work with organisations
that share our passion for educating and creating career opportunities for our young people, and helping develop human capital for the state and nation,” she said.
According to Giridharan, such exposure to industry is crucial in broadening students’ learning, exposing them to career opportunities and developing interest in further technical and vocational studies following SPM.
She hoped that whatever insights they gained at Curtin Malaysia would inspire them to achieve their career goals.
The rest of the day included a tour around the campus, hands-on activities facilitated by staff and students of the Faculty of Engineering and Science at an ‘Engineer’s Land’ showcase, activities by student volunteers of the Curtin Young Associates (CYA), and a ‘Creative Learning Strategy – Mind Maps’ workshop by Syahrul Nizam Junaini, senior lecturer from the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).