With the advancement of Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0) and the adoption of digital technologies in Malaysia, it has been expanding the demand for digital tech jobs. In line with such development, SIDMA College Sabah has plans to introduce new courses and revamping existing ones through its collaboration with Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK) in order to keep pace with the digital progression; providing opportunities for students to work in groups to solve problems, learn online; as well as grabbing more opportunities to integrate science with arts, to enable students to acquire the right skills to navigate through increase automation and ground breaking technologies in their future workplace.
With the rise in digitalization, entrepreneurship education have become the centerpiece of contemporary education where it is vital for nurturing young generation who are creative, innovative and risk taker, competence to create synergies as well as being able to overcome the limitation of resources available, resilience to face challenges and able to convert failures into opportunities. Graduates with such entrepreneurship potential, possess the capacity to not only to start their own company, but also to think creatively and ambitiously.
This is also very much in line with what was highlighted by Hon. Dr Maszlee Malik, Malaysia Education Minister when launching the 21st Century Learning Teachers Campaign organized by Education Performance and Delivery Unit (PADU). During the event, Dr Maszlee pinpointed that the World Economic Forum’s forecasted that in future, about 65% of primary school students today will be working in jobs that currently do not exist yet.
Entrepreneurship education is making its way into Malaysian schools. The Ministry of Education has made entrepreneurship subjects compulsory to all students at public universities. Students are encouraged to take part in numerous entrepreneurship activities at their respective universities by way of conducting seminars, short courses, conferences, as well as entrepreneurship events. This is to reduce the unemployed graduates, and create an increase in business opportunities; which will have a direct impact on Malaysia achieving the developed nation status by 2030.
Every year SIDMA College Sabah provides opportunities for its students to conduct Entrepreneur Fair as platform for them to sharpen their interest and skills, as well as to showcase their entrepreneurship potentials. For this, SIDMA College Early Childhood Education students taking Entrepreneurship studies collaborated and held an Early Childhood Education Entrepreneurship Week from 7 – 15 November 2019 at SIDMA Atrium, as a platform for Early Childhood students to showcase their talent, interest and skills in entrepreneurship.
Apart from creating awareness for entrepreneurship skills, it also sharpens their creativity, innovation and leadership skills so that they will acknowledge and value the entrepreneurship activities as one of their future job opportunities. Such event also provides useful information about the variety of opportunities and fields of activities related to entrepreneurship that they can venture into or to expand and share among their colleagues.
Throughout the week, various kiosks were set at the atrium, packed with SIDMA’s young entrepreneurs’ start-ups of creative and innovative products ranging from local art and crafts, photography, as well as other accessory items bearing local cultural themes. Various creatively designed clothing for toddlers, kids, young children as well as for adult were also on displayed.
Other daily necessaries bearing local signatories such as home-made, mouthwatering food and beverage, as well as local delicacies, ranging from “kuih-muih” to “nasi lemak” and other local delicacies were also being promoted.
Both Madam Esther Malius and Madam Soinim @ Sulin Binti Musa, advisors and facilitators for Entrepreneurship in Education were quite impressed and amazed by the students’ ingenuity in creating their product, accompanied by their excellent communicative skills while promoting and marketing their products. Their eagerness in Entrepreneurship education was reflected through their early preparation, teamwork, and collaboration with the various faculties of the college and the surrounding. It is also interesting to note that they were able to conceptualize innovative ideas and present it in the form of creative and innovative products for their customers.
Prof Dr Morni Hj Kambrie, Chairman and Founder of the college, when launching the SIDMA Entrepreneurship Week on 7 November 2019, congratulated all SIDMA young entrepreneur in actions. He stressed that in today’s economic world, entrepreneurship is considered as a major factor toward economic development. He advises these young entrepreneurs to continue to strive to create more opportunities in industry, providing more employment opportunities and ultimately having a positive impact on per capital income, revenue generation, lifestyle, and more.
Prof Dr Morni also thanked all SIDMA College lecturers, particularly Madam Esther, Madam Soinim as well other lecturers and tutors who have directly or indirectly motivate the spirit of entrepreneurship among the students. He thanked lecturers who were appointed as judges such as Madam Azlina Ngatimin, Puan Izah Muhilin, Mr. Kamal Adzi and all who have contributed in one way or another to ensure the success of the event.
By Teo Eng Seng and Zain Azrai
SIDMA College Sabah,
KOTA KINABALU.
